Who says soul food can’t be healthy? You can satisfy your love for soul food and be mindful of your health with the American Stroke Association’s The Best of Healthy Soul Food Recipes cookbook.

This 96-page hardcover cookbook includes favorites from the first two issues of Healthy Soul Food Recipes magazine cookbooks. From soups to desserts, it features 50 tasty and healthful recipes that follow the American Heart Association’s dietary recommendations. Easy-to-make favorites include Chicken Soup with Mustard Greens and Tomatoes, Carrot-Pineapple Salad with Golden Raisins, Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken and Rich and Creamy Mac and Cheese.

The Best of Healthy Soul Food Recipes was created for soul food fans so they can enjoy tasty foods that can help reduce their risk for stroke and heart disease. The cookbook includes information about stroke risk factors, a personal risk assessment tool and recommendations for stroke prevention.

The cookbook is dedicated to the memory of Yolanda King, who was the first national Ambassador of the American Stroke Association’s Power To End Stroke, an aggressive education and awareness program for African Americans. Knowing about stroke is particularly important for African Americans because they have double the risk of having a first stroke compared to Caucasians. The cookbook is available for $12.99 at www.ShopPower.org.

Tempted? Try this spicy oven-fried chicken receipe from the cookbook:

Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken

Serves 4; 3 ounces chicken per serving

Vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup fat-free or low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup cornflake crumbs
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt-free extra-spicy seasoning blend
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan or a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.

Pour the buttermilk into a pie pan or shallow bowl.

In a large airtight plastic bag, combine the remaining ingredients except the chicken.
Set the pie pan, plastic bag, and baking pan in a row, assembly-line fashion. Put a piece of chicken in the buttermilk and turn to cover completely. Put the chicken in the plastic bag and shake to coat. Place the chicken in the baking pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the coating is crisp.

Nutrients per Serving
Calories 195
Total Fat 1.5 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Cholesterol 66 mg
Sodium 264 mg
Carbohydrates 16 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 28 g

Dietary Exchanges
1 starch
3 very lean meat
This recipe is reprinted with permission from The Best of Healthy Soul Food Recipes, Copyright © 2008 by the American Heart Association. Published by Publications International, Ltd. Available at ShopPower.org.