Traditional soul foods often use ingredients and cooking methods that add fat, calories, cholesterol and sodium to the diet, as well as unrefined sugars and starches. Yet soul food also relies on healthy legumes, vegetables and grains, while desserts often feature fruit fillings. Use the healthy elements of soul food cooking and revise unhealthy methods and ingredients to create healthy soul food menus.
Vegetable and Fruit Dishes
Keep the tradition of using plentiful, vitamin-rich vegetables in you soul food menus, but use healthy flavoring agents and cooking methods. Soul food veggie traditions that add nutrients to the diet include the "greens." Cooked kale and collard, mustard, turnip or beet greens are packed with iron, calcium and vitamins A and C. among other nutrients. Casseroles or side dishes relying on sweet potatoes or yams are full of antioxidants, as are green beans and okra. Boost your daily vegetable servings by topping meats and side dishes with tomato sauce or salsa instead of fat-laden butter or gravy, Keep the tradition of fruit and vegetable-based desserts such as banana pudding, peach cobbler and sweet potato pie alive. Adjust the recipes by using vegetable oil in place of shortening and butter, as well as incorporating fat-free versions of milk, evaporated milk, whipped cream and instant pudding.
Fried Food Alternatives
Consider substituting lean, oven-baked chicken breast for deep-fried chicken, and baked sweet potato fried for deep-fried onion rings and potato fried, suggests the National Institutes of Health's "Heart-Healthy Home Cooking African American Style" online cookbook. Use roasting, sauteing or steaming methods to cook other meats and vegetables that are sometimes deep-fried, such as ham steaks and okra. Poached salmon provided the same amount of protein as deep-fried catfish, but omits saturated fat and cholesterol while adding heart-healthy omega-3 fish oils.
Include Whole Grains
Using wheat and stone-ground corn flour for cornbread instead of white and extra-refined corn meal to increase your intake of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, notes the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "My Pyramid" program. Season casseroles and breaded food with whole-grain bread crumbs or cereal flakes. Rice dishes such as red beans and rice or jambalaya are staples of some soul food recipes. Using brown rice or white rice makes these healthy meals even healthier by adding complex carbs. Add fiber to meatloaf by using oatmeal or whole-grain breadcrumbs in place of white bread crumbs.
Cut Fat and Cholesterol
Soul food favorites don't have to be made with high-fat milk, bacon, eggs, cream, lard and butter, according the NIH soul food cookbook. Use 1 percent buttermilk and vegetable oil in biscuits and cornbread. You may find macaroni and cheese made from low-fat cheddar, egg whites and evaporated fat-free milk a tasty alternative to the classic recipe. Experiment with lemon juice, olive oil, herbs and sea salt to find an acceptable combination to replace bacon pieces as a vegetable topping. Use nonfat vegetable cooking spray instead of butter or shortening to grease the casserole dishes.
Healthier Seasoning Tips
Smoked turkey neck, herbs, spices and sea salt are useful alternatives to high-sodium, high-fat soul food food staples such as ham hocks and fat back. Smoked turkey neck in particular gives foods the "smokey" taste traditionally provided by the less healthy fats.
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