Roniece Weaver & Fabiola Gaines
According to the cookbook Healthy Soul Food Cooking by best-selling
authors Roniece Weaver and Fabiola Gaines, Soul Food is a style
of cooking that originated during American slavery. It is a common
term used for ethnic cuisine traditionally prepared and
eaten by African Americans. African slaves were gardeners and cooks
of the Southern plantations and once freed, migrated north and west
to work as chuck wagon cooks, railroad chefs, nightclub hosts and
restaurant owners.
New geographical influences were integrated with old cooking traditions
and evolving flavor combinations. Soul Food cooking represented
the best melding of old and new. Weaver and Gaines are certified
dietitians and founders of Hebni Nutrition Consultants in Orlando,
Florida. Their passion for nutrition education has allowed them
to write five cookbooks published by the American Diabetes Association.
Their Soul Food Pyramid assists African Americans, and all Americans,
to cook healthier soul food without losing traditional flavor.
“Historically, African American diets were predominantly vegetarian.
Foods were boiled, fried, roasted or baked. Stews and thick gumbos,
the liberal use of molasses and fat-laden gravies provided calories,”
explains Weaver. “African Americans used salt and sweeteners in
abundance without suffering any ill health because of the countless
hours spent in hard manual labor.”
“Today, the strong tradition of soul food in the African American
community is taking its toll on the health of African Americans.
The liberal use of salt and sweeteners in traditionally prepared
soul food is killing African Americans,” states Gaines. “We believe
that much of the hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and other
diseases plaguing African Americans can be avoided by making simple
modifications in diets, meal planning and cooking styles.”
OLD SOUL FOOD WAY
• Collard Greens - Usually cooked with ham hock and often combined
with other greens
• Catfish - Usually dredged in cornbread and fried.
• Chicken - Often fried with cornmeal breading or seasoned flour
• Cornbread - Often baked in an iron skillet, sometimes
seasoned with bacon fat and chicken-fried or beef deep-fried in flour
or batter. Usually served with gravy.
NEW SOUL FOOD WAY
• Collard Greens - Prepare them without using meat or use low-sodium
bouillon or smoked turkey necks for flavoring. Use other herbs and
flavorings that complement your recipe instead of fat.
• Catfish - Panfry, grill or smoke catfish instead of frying.
• Chicken - Oven fry (i.e. bake chicken at high temperature to achieve
the same crispy texture.)
• Cornbread - prepare with light (1%) sour cream or nonfat milk.
RECIPES Click
to go to the recipes section
BLACK HISTORY MONTH FUN FACTOID
Cookbooks by Roniece Weaver and Fabiola Gaines:
• Healthy Soul Food Cooking
• The Family Style Soul Food Diabetes Cookbook (co-authored by Rojean
Williams and Chef Shawn Fralin)
• The New Soul Food Cookbook For People with Diabetes (1st and 2nd
Editions)
• Month-a-Meals: Soul Food Creations
• Slim Down Sister
