Rosie Daley - In the Kitchen with Rosie: Oprahs Favorite Recipes: A Cookbook

Special thanks to Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrissey for the time they spent organizing and rewriting my recipesmaking this book possible.

Thanks also to Fabio Marchi, Kris Walters, Jeff Hauptman, Debrah Fonda Carl, Mrs. Eddins, and the Cal-a-Vie Health Spa for inspiration on some dishes, and to Marley St. John and all my friends who encouraged me and had faith in my talent and skills.

S ome of my fondest early memories are of my grandmother over a stove fixin food for our daily feast.

I grew up eating well. Cheese grits, homemade biscuits smothered in butter, home-cured ham, red-eyed gravyand that was just breakfast. Smothered chicken, butter beans, fried corn, and corn bread was a typical weekday dinner. Sunday supper (when the preacher from the church down the road would often stop by) was a celebration. Food was the guest of honor, covering so much of the table there was hardly room for plates.

Back then food meant security and comfort. Food meant love. It didnt matter what you ate, just that you had enough. Ive paid a heavy price for believing that. It took me a long time to change the way I thought about food.

I once believed that eating healthy meant eating food that was missing somethingTASTE. I once believed eating healthy meant being unsatisfied. I once believed eating healthy meant no security, no comfort, no love.

Several years ago while visiting yet another spa, trying one more time to jump-start myself into health and fitness, I sat down for the orientation lunch and had a meal so delicious I thought it couldnt possibly be spa food. I asked immediately, who cooked this and how did they do it? How can this possibly be less than 300 calories?

After every meal I would go into the kitchen and talk to the chef. Her name was Rosie. I begged her to come home and cook for me. Six months later, she moved to Chicago and changed the way I thought about food forever.

This new way of eating very low fat, low sugar, low salt (I like to call it clean eating) has made such a difference in my life. I feel better. But do not be misled: changing the way you think about food is only the first step toward achieving and maintaining a desirable weight. It was only through a comprehensive plan of healthy eating, daily exercise, and changing my self-defeating behavior that I was able to release weight as an issue from my life.

Real cooking is an art form. A gift to be shared. Ive had some fabulous meals from Rosies kitchen, but the recipes in this book are my all-time favorites. The ones I ask her to cook again and again.

Oprah Winfrey

F ood is a necessity; preparing it is an art. I love to create, and cooking gives me a wonderful opportunity to do so.

This book includes basic techniques and simple recipes for preparing food that is nutritious, filling, and light in fat but far from bland. Cooking healthy meals can be challenging, but its just as satisfying and self-fulfilling as preparing rich dishes. Like anything else you want to have turn out well, it takes energy, devotion, love, and a desire to create.

I try to appeal to the stomach through the visual. Your whole body is present at the tableand the prettier the plate, the more enjoyable the experience.

Garnishing a dish leaves considerable room for expression, for working with pattern and color. I apply my design skills to create plates that are as satisfying to the eye as to the palate, using orange-slice wheels, scallion starbursts, or pretty radish rosettes. There are a lot of specialized garnishing tools available, but you can create the most beautiful food with just a knife and a little imagination.

Let your plate be your canvas. Be aware of colors and how they accent each other. A simple tomato slice placed on the salad in a unique way can catch the eye.

Put your personal touch on my recipes. As you cook the dish, it becomes your work of art to share. Let love flow through your cookinga gift for yourself and for others.

First, organize your kitchen and familiarize yourself with it. Be comfortable and expect the best. Read recipes all the way through before starting; its helpful to have all the ingredients and utensils youll need handy.

Enjoy all aspects of creating good food, from shopping to chopping. Start with the freshest of ingredients and your end product will reflect the quality. Handpick what you eat and be selective. Always rinse meat, fish, and produce thoroughly.

Good fruits and vegetables are a passion of mine. For the sweetest and the tartest, choose produce in seasonlook for whats plentiful.

I use fresh vegetable purees as the basis for thick and rich cream soups, dispensing with cream and butter without compromising flavor. Freshly squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice is a must in most of my salad dressings; and I use small amounts of citrus zest to enhance the flavor of baked goods and sauces.

Fruit juices make wonderful marinades, bringing out the maximum flavor of poultry and fish. Like honey and maple syrup, fruit juices are natural sweeteners that can easily replace sugar.

Fresh herbs, which most supermarkets carry in the produce section, will accent the natural flavor of whatever you serve. Whole leaves of fresh herbs for garnish so that their full flavor can be savored. When using dried herbs, remember that they are much stronger than fresh; use only to as much.

Small amounts of toasted seeds add texture and protein to salads. Theyre very flavorful, and although they do contain fat, a little of the nuts or seeds goes a long way.

Vinegars add life, but no fat and virtually no calories, to a range of dishes. If you look in your supermarket, youll see that they now come in a multitude of flavors and hues. I particularly like raspberry, balsamic, red wine, and tarragon vinegars.

Several of my recipes call for plain nonfat yogurt. It adds moisture to baked goods and is a good substitute for mayonnaise in salads and dressings.

I substitute skim skim milk for cream and whole milk, using a little flour or cornstarch to thicken if needed.

When buying packaged and canned goods, always read labels carefully. Compare brands and choose those lowest in fat and calories. The calorie and fat counts for my recipes are based upon the lowest-fat and lowest-calorie products readily available.