Chef Lester

Well another new year has rolled in as the old year rolled out!  We here at Sober Sideboard  always exclaim the same sentiment, “My how time flies!”  Of course we have all heard the expression that time and tides wait for no man.  I guess to be political correct we need to add “no woman” also. We do pray that the beginning of this New Year finds you in good health and eagerly anticipating the good things that are going to come your way.
Last year was a year filled with joy and sorrows.  One of the beauties of our program is that it helps us learn to deal with sorrows and disappointments in appropriate productive ways. It amazing how a simple 12 step program that began with just 2 people helping a few other people has developed into a world wide program involving millions helping millions.  As we all know the original concept has ventured into every area of people’s lives and is used to help others, from folks with eating disorders to practically any behavioral difficulty encountered on this planet.
It all boils down to people helping people. The original premise of “people needing people” has proven over the years to be the most successful and effective approach.  May we as a “recovering community” never lose sight of that fact.  Our programs have reinstalled and reinforced the honesty and integrity we have always held and the principles we strive to practice in our daily lives.  Let those who decide differently go about their way. Our mission is to share the path we have been so unselfishly shown.  Let us live our lives in such a way those who observe will realize there is hope and a way out of a life of hopelessness and desperation. The remarkable thing it is “free” to all to wish to pursue it.  A buck or two in the donation basket and a little time making a pot of coffee or sweeping the meeting hall ain’t gonna kill anybody! One important thing is to STICK WITH THE WINNERS!   Help the lost!  Help those scratching to make it, but don’t forget to SOAR with the eagles.
One of the goals of our column and this newspaper is prove there is a better way and lend encouragement to all who wish to lead a clean and sober existence.  We know we can not force others to join us. The way is simple and there are plenty of guideposts along the route.  For those who wish to return to their old ways…misery is always waiting with open arms. On the other hand, we also wait with open arms to all who wish to join our path and all who wish to return.
Enough philosophizing! It’s wearing this food columnist down!  This is the beginning of a NEW YEAR!  It is time to be joyous! It is time to get down to the business at hand  which is… food!   DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS, GLORIOUS FOOD AND GOOOOOD EATING!   We have an open-up-your-eyes spicy Cajun dish to start off the New Year. So grab your aprons and let’s head for the kitchen.

SEARED STEAKS
WITH CREOLE SAUCE                                                                           (Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil                                                                                                                                   4   1 to 1 1/2 inch sirloin strip steaks                                                                                                                          (Creole Sauce)                                                                                                                                   1 small onion thinly sliced                                                                                                                 1/2 green bell pepper thinly sliced                                                                                                             2 cloves minced garlic                                                                                                                         1 cup canned tomatoes with juice                                                                                                                      2 tablespoons Cajun/Creole spice Ground black pepper & kosher salt

PREPARATION:
Add oil to a medium-high heated fry pan.  Lightly salt and pepper steaks and sear 4 minutes per side.   Remove to a heated platter and cover.  Let steaks rest and prepare the Creole sauce.   In the same  pan sauté the onions and green bell pepper 2 minutes.  Add garlic, sauté additional 1 minute.  Add tomatoes and spice.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer three minutes.

SERVING:
Top steaks with sauce.  A terrific side with this entrée is rice pilaf.  Additional goodies are an orange/avocado/radish salad atop your favorite greens and dressed with a pomegranate dressing.  Any of the seasonal veggies available such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or squash are great veggie sides.  Then top it off with an old fashioned French Apple pie from your favorite bakery and your fragrant hot coffee.   This family or company meal will delight everyone.  They will be telling you: “That’s DEE-licious!”  “Try it your tummy will be glad you did!”—Chef Lester

This year sure is breezing and freezing along quite fast. And, I do mean breezing and freezing! Wow, we have had some rather windy and frightful cold days the beginning months of this year. It is wonderful to linger after meetings to visit with so many of our “arctic” friends from the frozen north, who have escaped the snow for Florida weather. Unfortunately, the weather hasn’t been as warm as we residents of the sunshine state prefer. Still, when we see the weather reports of the cold-cold north…it is better in the deep-deep south!

Fellowship among ourselves is so important. Staying in touch with each other can be vital to our well being. We have a few friends in the program who are now home-bound. They are no longer physically able to get to meetings as they once did. One area we who are able can be of service is to bring fellowship to them. It is not uncommon these days to find those who have now been in programs for thirty plus years. Getting together for a “mini” meeting with them can be rewarding. In our column we have over the years written about the meeting after the meeting. A potluck, buffet, or dessert affair to extend our fellowship time can be so rewarding. Taking that one step forward is taking this idea and proceeding to go to those who can not come to us. We often go to early meetings and get out in sufficient time to take a crock-pot dinner or microwave re-heat casserole to share with a shut-in. We call our little group the “Bungalow Buddy Brigrade.” We make the arrangements in advance for a time that is convenient for our home-bound friends. When we can schedule it after a regular meeting we find the enthusiasm of the previous meeting spills over into our second gathering.

There is no protocol we follow. Sharing the topic of the meeting we just attended, reading from the Big Book and talking about our strengths, hope and experience as we enjoy a meal together is rewarding. We feel it lifts our spirits even more so than the person we took the meeting to. Since giving to others is a major part of keeping what was “so freely given” to us, is in our program, we find this form of giving back to be most rewarding.

We have a marvelous crock-pot dish to share in this edition of the Sober Sideboard. It is ideal for any occasion. It’s great for a family or company get together. If you choose to feature it in a meeting after the meeting for a shut-in friend it will be double please. To re-phrase one of signature trademark lines…”Try it…your HEART will be glad you did!” This scrumptious chicken dish is our laid back version of a creamy northern Italian dish from Tuscany. So, let’s grab our chef hats and aprons and head for the kitchen.

CHICKEN ITALIANO
(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts or 8 thighs
1 package of dry Italian salad dressing mixed with 1/4 cup of water
1 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese
1 10 3/4 ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 package frozen pearl onions 8 ounces thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

PREPARATION:

Heat the oil in a skillet to medium high heat and sauté the chicken until lightly browned. Add the Italian dressing and water. Scrape to loosen the brown bits on bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture into a crock pot. Mix the cream cheese and chicken soup together then stir it into the crock along with the onions. Cover and cook over low heat 4 hours. Stir in the thin sliced mushrooms about ½ hour before serving.

SERVING:

You can serve this marvelous chicken entrée right in the crock-pot. Sprinkle chopped green onions or parsley as a garnish. Terrific sides are quick chicken Raman noodles, a steam-in-pouch of your favorite veggies, a “sinful” deli dessert and hot coffee. This meal is easy to put together and easy to transport if you share it with a home-bound friend. However you do it all who partake will be clucking your praises with “That’s DEE-licious!” “Try it…Your tummy will be glad you did! –Chef Lester

Chef Lester, author, columnist, and television host chef is a graduate of the Culinary arts Academy. Questions comments, and suggestions? E-mail: cheflesterlee@yahoo.com

Spring is always such a great time of the year.  It’s to time to plant a vegetable garden. There is an abundance of flowers everywhere.   The birds are chirping and we have that special spring in our steps!  We’ve done our mandatory annual “spring cleaning” and it feels good. It always feels good when we get that heavy dusting, mopping, furniture re-arranging, and cleaning out the garage finished.   Aw, a job well done!

Recently at a support group meeting as we were listening to others sharing their stories, something dawned on us about our spring cleaning.   We suddenly realized we had done our physical spring cleaning but we needed to do some spiritual spring cleaning.  Oh yes, we do our steps and try to make our amends as we err.  But, sometimes we fall short and we realized we hadn’t kept our side of the street as clean as we possibly could.  So we did some back tracking to tidy up some things that needed correcting.

Yeah, we know nobody is perfect and we certainly never will be!  There were things we shouldn’t have done that we did and were too busy to correct right then.   We had planned to do it but didn’t get around to it.  It was the old… “I’ll do it tomorrow.”  Then tomorrow doesn’t come.  That my friend, is where the danger creeps in up on us.  Those “little” things that seemed minor at the time can snowball and the next thing we know we are deluged with an avalanche. All those little nagging uneasy wrong feelings can become a mountain of negativity.  It is like harking back to our old barroom philosophy days of talking about life rather than engaging in it.  It can be detrimental to our sobriety.   Successful sober living doesn’t just mean just staying physically sober.  We’ve got to work on keeping our emotional and spiritual sides from falling prey to ethereal drunkenness. Don’t act naive, you know exactly what we mean…ignoring things we shouldn’t, getting smug, self-righteous, and TOO big for our britches!  OUCH!  Sooo,  we are doing some soul searching remembering how important is us to stay on the right path.  We know the winner isn’t always the fastest runner but to the one who preserves.

Since we are involved in the culinary arts, we’ve turned it into a simple 4 ingredient recipe for ourselves.   We call it “making our daily P.A.H.U. cake and eating it too.”  The ingredients are:
Prayer: Pray everyday turning problems and worries over to the God of our understanding.
Amends: Make amends each day no matter how busy we are.
Honesty: Be honest daily in all our affairs.
Usefulness: Be useful to other people and do a good deed every day.

The great thing about this recipe is we can mix any of the ingredients in any amount we need and it never fails.  Try it…your soul will be glad you did!

Now that we’ve fed our souls, let’s move toward feeding our bodies.  We’re starting our summer grilling season with a fantastic Hispanic inspired pork chop dish that will satisfy both body and soul.  Let’s grab our chef’s hats and aprons and head for the outdoor grill.

INGREDIENTS:                                                                                                                                                                 1  cup mojo mainate (available in the Mexican food section of the grocery)                                                                  4 1-inch thick boneless center cut pork chops                                                                                                                 Vegetable oil                                                                                                                                                   Lemon/Pepper seasoning                                                                                                                                    Kosher salt

PREPARATION:

Preheat the grill. Rinse and pat dry the chops.  Place them in the marinate and let stand 15 to 30 minutes.  Lightly salt the chops and then press in lemon/pepper seasoning. Oil the grill rack to reduce the chops from sticking to it.  Grill 6-7 minutes on each side.  Baste the top side of the chops again before turning over to grill the second side.

SERVING:

You can serve the chops directly from the grill.  We like to grill sliced onions, green/red/yellow peppers, and zucchini in a grill basket along side the chops.   If you want the veggies a little softer start those five minutes before the chops.   You can also grill thick sliced potatoes or corn on the cob if you want a starch.   You can do a totally grilled meal if you can toast garlic bread and grill some fruit for dessert.   Drizzle a little honey on the finished fruit.  Topping  this off with a flavored coffee can turn this family meal into company fare!  This easy meal will have your family and friends singing your praises with: “That’s DEE-licious!”  “Try it…Your tummy will be glad you did!” —Chef Lester

Chef Lester, author, columnist, and television host chef is a graduate of the Culinary Arts Academy.  Questions, Comments, and suggestions?  E-mail: cheflesterlee@yahoo.com

It’s time for some of our biggest family and friends’ feasts!  Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s feasts!  It is traditionally a time we party a lot. This past year we have improved our lifestyle to be healthier. Our accepting the things we could not change, changing the things we could change, and the wisdom to know the difference at times has been difficult. Thanks to our program, with the help of our Higher Power, meetings, sponsors, and friends we have been able to do just that.
Staying physically and mentally healthy helps us to deal with life in a positive attitude.  The physical of course has to do with diet, exercise, and rest.  Relaxing, laughing, and getting away from stress positively affects our mental state of mind.  We have found simple meditation to be a useful tool for us.  Listening to soothing music has a calming effect.  Watching or reading comical material helps relieve tension.  Deep sadness and depression can lead to sorrowful events.  Laughter is necessary for good mental health. Physicians report remarkable improvements in people with severe illnesses when they devote time to laughter.  We include in our schedule, time to laugh.  We don’t just wait for funny things to happen.
We mention laughter because this time of year can be very sad for some.  We recall holidays that got messed-up because of irresponsible behavior, loss of a loved one, or disappointment over something.  Hospitals report an increase in people being plagued by deep depression.  If we recall something unpleasant the trick is not to dwell on it.  Sadness or grief may come.  Deal with it then put it out of your mind.  Our Dad used to tell us, “You can’t keep the birds from flying overhead…but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair!”  We know that’s true.  We don’t have a fondness for bird poop in our hair!  We recall once seeing an outdoor concert.  As the lead soprano hit a very long high note with her mouth wide open…a flock of pigeons flew overhead…yep, it happens! If we can’t shake the depression we need to get help before it leads to an unhealthy escape we are striving to avoid.
An exquisite meal puts us in a good mood.  Our recipe in this issue is a sophisticated gourmet entrée. It is a smooth creamy combination of turkey cutlets and artichoke hearts.  The original dish was made with wine but we’re creative.  We circumvented that and it’s even tastier than the classic French dish!
Whether it’s an autumn outing, jingle bell buffet, or waving in a new one theme for this “turkey talk” meal put on the appropriate music, don your chef’s hat and apron and let’s “shake a turkey tail feather” to the kitchen.
TURKEY CUTLETS WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS
(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:
No-stick cooking spray
1/2   cup nonfat bread crumbs
4    turkey cutlets
2    tablespoon canola oil
1    medium onion, chopped
4    ounces sliced button mushrooms
1    14 ounce can drained quartered artichoke hearts
1    10 ounce can low sodium fat free chicken broth
1/4   cup fresh sliced basil leaves
1/4   teaspoon grated lemon rind
?   teaspoon cornstarch
3    tablespoons white grape juice
1/4  cup low fat half and half
1    tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher or sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1.) Coat cutlets with bread crumbs.  2.) Spray a large fry pan with cooking spray and heat pan to medium heat.  Brown cutlets on each side, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a warm plate.  3.) Add oil and cook onions for 3 minutes until wilted.  Add mushrooms & cook an additional 3 minutes.  4.) Stir in broth,  lemon rind, and basil.  Bring to simmer and add turkey.  Cover and cook 4 minutes until turkey is no longer pink in center.  5.) In a small bowl, thoroughly dissolve cornstarch and grape juice.  Stir into mixture.  6.) Gently stir in half and half and butter and keep stirring until mixture thickens.  7.) Serve immediately.

SERVING:
Place turkey culets on serving platter top with sauce.  Top with chopped parsley if you want a garnish.  No-yolk egg noodles and Brussels sprouts are terrific veggies.  A great winter salad is chopped dates, sweet orange segments, chopped walnuts, and goat cheese with a tangy dressing.  To make this a veritable feast, start with French Onion Soup and finish with pumpkin Brule and coffee. The secret to making the entrée truly creamy and buttery is by adding those ingredients last and serving immediately.  Your family and friends are definitely gonna be “gobbling” to you, “That’s DEE-licious!”  “Try it your tummy will be glad you did.”—
Chef Lester

The good ole summertime is here and the kids are sure enjoying it.  With trips to the beach, splashing in the pool and sleepovers they are keeping busy!  We are planning delicious cook outs with family and friends.  We will share some of our favorite sober outdoor recipes with you.
Several groups we have visited recently are celebrating their anniversaries with park picnics and potluck dinners. Whip up one of your favorites and join in the fun!  It is hard to believe some groups have been around longer than many of the members are old.  Addiction is no respecter of age. Gone are the days when “older” folks suggested younger people wait.  We have programs geared specifically to teen-agers. We are thankful there was somewhere for us to turn.
Our programs have taught us we can lead  happy productive sober lives. We are sadden by those who relapse. But, we remember “but for the grace of God” it could be us. When someone mentions a bad experience, one of our recoverees, Miss Marianne, always says, “Haven’t done or had that happen, YET!”  It could easily be any one of us, IF we were to yield to our addiction.
We can stay on the right path by doing what we need to do which includes eating healthy.  Our recipe this issue is our citrus twist on a Florida favorite of ours, beef.  In addition to citrus, the Sunshine State is a major cattle producing state.  We’ve created an orangy grilled beef recipe in our test kitchens we know you will enjoy.  We served it recently and a friend said “That is fine, mighty fine!”   Since so many of our readers ask what goes well with our entrees, as usual we are suggesting healthy “hips” and heart conscience sides.
We love hearing from you and which of our recipes you enjoyed preparing.   However we don’t rule out taking a kitchen break and going to restaurants.  We like them too! We can still eat healthy by making healthy choices.  Recently overheard: “Two double bacon/cheeseburgers with extra mayo, extra large chili/cheese fries, double malted milkshake and black coffee…with Sweet and Low™.”  We thought to ourselves, “Why bother?  You’re well over the limit anyway!”  Grab your chuck wagon cooks’ hat and let’s roundup at the grill!

“MIGHTY FINE”  FLANK STEAK
(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:
¼      cup regular olive oil
1       cup Florida orange juice
½      cup each chopped green onions (tops & bottoms) and bell peppers
1       tablespoon minced garlic
½      teaspoon Italian or Cajun seasoning
1       teaspoon hot sauce
1½    pounds thick cut flank steak
Chopped parsley and thin orange slices for garnish (optional)
Kosher or sea salt and fresh ground cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1) In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine oil, vinegar, onions, bell pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, and hot sauce.  Lightly salt and pepper flank steak.  2) Place steak in marinade in bag.  Marinade overnight turning occasionally.  3) Brush grill with oil.   Heat grill till charcoal coals are white hot or grill is hot if using a gas grill.  4) Drain steak and pat dry with paper towels.  5) Grill 8 minutes either side or to desired degree of doneness. 6) Place on serving platter, cover with foil to keep warm and allow 5 minutes for juices to settle in meat before carving.

SERVING:
Cut thin slices across the grain of the steak for tender serving portions.  If you cut it with the grain, it will be tough and hard to chew. Top with thin slices of orange and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.  Prepare a package of au jus  if you want light gravy to serve over the steak slices.  Chilled gazpacho (the cucumber and fresh tomato soup) is a terrific starter.  Foil wrapped Idaho potatoes, corn on the cob and a rainbow colored array of sweet green, red, and orange bell or banana peppers are sides you can roast on the grill along with the flank steak.     Include a simple lettuce and tomato salad.  Garlic wheat toast sprinkled with parmesan cheese and also done on the grill is crunchy, toasty, and tasty.  A refreshing light finish is sweet ice cold  watermelon.  Water, ice tea, lemonade and iced coffee are cool beverages.    However you do it your family and friends are going to be  “mooing” at you, “That’s DEE-licious!”  “Try it…your tummy will be glad you did!” —Chef Lester

Greetings once again fellow travelers on the path of recovery.  Are you ready for a fun filled summer?  Summer is on the way.  There are some recovery cruises scheduled for those who wish to venture out on the water.  Many of these cruises include recovery meetings and workshops.  We have met some wonderful folks on these adventures from all over the world.  Travel does expand one.   No, we are not talking just about waists and hips!
I know, I have a “big heart and hips to match!”  Thanks a lot!  The food on the cruises we have taken has always been exquisite!  It does take “a wee bit” of discipline.  Make sensible choices.  Being in recovery and learning more about the unmanageability of our lives, we are discovering more and more to accept and love living life on lifes’ terms!  We’ve all heard, “That’s Life!”  That’s right, love it or leave it!   Lifes’ rules don’t change just because we don’t like them.  The choice is ours and we choose to LIVE!
There are marvelous water and theme parks from which to select.  Many of them have activities designed for those of us in recovery.   We have backyard barbeques and poolside agendas included in our summer plans.  Potluck get togethers at a local park with everyone bringing a little something special are terrific.  We would love for you to make and take one of our homemade creations, but if you don’t have time to cook there is always the deli!  We LOVE to cook but we have to be honest, tell on ourselves and confess we also LOVE restaurants and the deli! (Occasionally)
The basic rule for us “recoverees” is that we maintain balance in our lives between the physical, spiritual, and emotional aspects of our being.  Spending quality time with family and friends is important to our recovery.  The life of a sad “hermit” is not for us.  And what better way to enjoy good food, delicious beverages and great conversations than indulging in terrific meals with those we love.   So let’s now concentrate on the recipe selection in this “Sober Sideboard” column.  Our offering this issue is a quick easy fabulous chicken dish that is so delicious it is almost SINFUL!  It is creamy, cheesy, and rich tasting plus heart and calorie conscious.   Those are unbeatable odds in themselves!  It lends itself nicely to a buffet table.  You can double it or even triple it to accommodate a bigger crowd.

“SUNDRIED TOMATO
CHEESY CHICKEN”
(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

2   tablespoons vegetable oil or cooking spray
4   skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
4   tablespoons lemon juice
1   tablespoon garlic powder
4   tablespoons re-constituted (soaked in water) sun dried tomatoes
½  cup low sodium chicken broth
8   tablespoons crumbled tomato/basil feta cheese
8  tablespoons plain low fat plain yogurt or fat free sour cream
¼  cup fine chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Fresh ground sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.)  Pre-heat a large fry pan on medium-high 2-3 minutes.  Spray or pour oil in pan and swirl to coat.  Lightly salt and pepper chicken, cook 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
2.) Reduce heat to medium-low.
3.)  Pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice on top of each chicken breast.  Divide garlic powder evenly on each one.  Place 1 tablespoon sun dried tomatoes on each portion and pour chicken broth around breasts.
4.) Cover and cook 10-12 minutes.
5) Place 2 tablespoons of tomato/basil feta cheese and 1 tablespoon of yogurt or sour cream on each breast and continue cooking until cheese is melted and internal temperature of chicken reaches 165?.

SERVING:

Place a breast on each dinner plate or on a serving platter if doing a buffet.  Sprinkle parsley on top.  See how the deep green of the parsley contrasts nicely with the pink creamy topping?  A nice starter for this meal is ripe melon wedges wrapped with thin slices of  prosciutto.  Tasty sides are brown rice pilaf, steamed green beans with almonds, chilled jar pickled beets and a carrot salad.  The pink, brown, green, and purple color combo on the plate is very eye appealing.  (To make a refreshing carrot salad simply mix grated carrots and raisins with a couple of tablespoons of reduced fat mayonnaise.)    Multi grain rolls are nice if you want bread.  Do you want something light and sweet to finish off the meal? Try mixing raspberries and blueberries with a whipped topping for a sweet touch.
Regular water, fruit flavored water, or iced teas are good choices for beverages.  We have of course, our usual after dinner coffee.  We have started drinking our morning coffee black and treating ourselves to our evening coffee with one of those sweetened flavored coffee creamers.  It satisfies the need for something sweet and fools the taste buds into thinking we treated them to dessert!  However you do this delectable meal your family and friends are definitely going to tell you:  “That’s DEE-licious!”  “Try it…your tummy will be glad you did!”

We are going to develop the lost art of dining. Dining is when we seat ourselves with others at a nicely appointed table. We relax, exchange ideas, have conversations, laugh, enjoy ourselves and savor a delicious meal. We do not talk about or discuss distressing things, disturbing things or aggravating things. Yes, I hear you now you are saying you are very busy and do not have time for that right now.  Hold on buddy boy or girl.  Maybe you  can  not do  this every  night.   But, you sure  found  the   time  to  keep yourself in a drunken tizzy quite often. You can find the time for quality dining in recovery if you want it.  No back talk!  As we trek down the aisles of delicious foods, we do need to mention some foods we recommend be avoided as they can be hazardous to sobriety.

The one thing of course we know we have to avoid is alcohol.  And do not give me that ploy about taken with food. I do not think there are any among us who would even dare to suggest that oxymoron. Although in our “stinking thinking” it has been said.  Lots of theories abound as to why we are alcoholic. There is the genetic versus environmental one. The reason is not as important as the fact, we are what we are. No argument. One of the most reasonable accepted ideas is that our make up is such we are simply allergic to alcohol. I have known for years I am allergic to rat poison. I do not drink milkshakes laced with rat poison. A consequence of consuming rat poison, is severe illness or possible death. It is a simple fact. No rocket scientist reasoning required. Now we know we are allergic to alcohol. We drink we get drunk. Maybe not the first time, maybe not the second time, but eventually we will be back on that old merry-go-round. We know the consequences of drinking.

The reason for making such a point of alcohol in regard to our diets is because in the culinary world there are dishes we may have enjoyed in the past which do contain alcohol.  Many dishes were specifically created around wine, beer and liquor. It is recommended we stay away. We must avoid them. When in doubt that there may be alcohol used in the preparations of the dish ask your waiter. You do not have to reveal your anonymity. If you feel it necessary to offer an explanation, tell your server, “I am highly allergic to alcohol flavors in any form.”

Great chefs, good chefs, and home cooks alike use beer, fine wines, and liqueurs in entrees, side dishes, desserts, and sauces.  These are often cooked into the dishes. The problem is although the alcohol is supposed to evaporate sometimes it does not. Often because of the high volume preparation a restaurant chef faces, the dish can slip by without the alcohol being totally evaporated by the heat. Certain dishes and sauces are specifically flavored at the last minute with a splash of pure alcohol. Recipes for chicken in white wine and beef in red wine are created around the flavors of those wines. Even if the alcohol is totally cooked out, the flavor remains. It is possible that flavor could trigger a craving and an overwhelming desire to drink particularly if you are in the beginning stages of staying sober.

In an up-scale restaurant if you order fresh cut fruit for lunch or dinner, always ask if it has had alcohol added. An old restaurant trick is to take fresh cut fruit from breakfast, add a splash of sweet wine and let it resurface  on  the  lunch or  dinner   menu  Banana’s Foster,  Rum Cake and Cherries Jubilee are examples of desserts that contain particular liquors and liqueurs. There are so many other flavors  available to us why take a chance that could be so detrimental to our sobriety. If you accidentally realize after a bite or two of something that it has alcohol in it, push it away. Here we go again, no rocket scientist reasoning required. Keep it simple. Do not work yourself into a dither feeling you have lost your sobriety. That could be more detrimental than what you just put in your mouth and send you on a tangent truly resulting in another drunk!  Do not beat yourself up. Be reasonable.  Be more careful in the future.

We would also recommend you be very cautious about consuming beverages that tout themselves as having the taste of alcoholic beverages.  Also if you have a soda whose flavor resembles the flavor of an alcoholic beverage that you chose in the past, it might be wise to skip it. You will not get drunk drinking a truly alcohol free beer or a truly alcohol free wine. You can not get drunk if you do not drink alcohol.  But, you can set yourself up by possibly awakening a sleeping flavor giant in your system. If the urge to drink and the craving becomes too strong for you to handle and you relapse would it be worth it? We think not.  There are so many alternative nonalcoholic flavored items to eat and drink available to you. Why take the chance?

In closing, here is just a word about coffee.  I know I am trotting on sacred and dangerous ground. Like the minister who was renouncing all kinds of sins to his congregation. One lady kept saying “Amen” after each one, until he mentioned ‘dipping snuff.’  “Oh,” she exclaimed, “Now he has quit preaching and gone to meddling!”  Coffee does contain caffeine and caffeine is a stimulant. We in recovery are certainly surrounded by this nectar from the gods, but remember moderation. We all have to have just “a wee bit of vice,” so many of us choose coffee. A few cups, balanced with plenty of water, and fruit juice will keep us sufficiently hydrated.

Okay dear readers until next time when we delve into the world of “Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise Eating,” my prayer for you is: “May you be healthy, well fed, sober, and safely cradled in the gentle arms of your Higher Power.”
—Chef Lester

Hiya!  Hiya!  Pull up a stool and let’s chat about food and healthy living.  Autumn is so wonderful.  Harvest baking always fills our home with the wonderful smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  It also reminds us to not to overdue the sweets.  Ironically, this issue brings us to the letter “E” in N.A.L.E.S, our N-utrition, A-ttitude, L-augher, E-xercise, and S-leep alcronym.   Nutritious meals are our forte.  But we know we must exercise.  We also know even uttering the “e” word sends some of us couch potatoes into anxiety attacks as we head for the sofa with the remote in hand clutching a bag of consolation cookies!  Relax we aren’t necessarily talking about bone crunching pedal pounding exercises.  Rather than approach it as structured exercises, let’s approach it as physical activities.  It is necessary to metabolize our food properly to maintain a healthy body.
If we want big bellies and butts all we have to do is “sit on it!”  A sitcom wife was trying to get her husband to eat healthier and to exercise. He told her, “Woman, my stomach comes first!”  She replied, “I notice that every time you come through the door!”
We broke negative behaviors when we when we found our solutions for recovery.  If we haven’t already, let’s add another positive to our program. There has to be something physical we like to do.  Rolling our eyeballs, finger dancing, and thumb twiddling doesn’t count.   Since we all are familiar with step programs we have turned our exercising into an easy fun simple 3 step physical activities program we want to share with you.

STEP SHAPING SUGGESTIONS

1, Set Goals
2. Decide on Activities
3. Follow the Rules
1.  Set Goals.  We need to decide what we want to do.  Do we want to lose, gain or maintain our weight? Do we want to reduce the risk of heart attacks and diabetes?  Do we want to improve our energy levels and sculpt our bodies?   Now that we have set our goals, we need stick to them.  Any activity done with enough exertion will increase our heart rate, burn calories, improve our energy, tone our muscles and make us sweat.  As Martha says, “That is a good thing!” If we have friends to share the activities they will be more fun.

2. Decide On Activities. Walking is good place to start.  Dancing is good.  Even if we aren’t good dancers we all like to tap our toes to music.  We can extend that toe tapping upward and wiggle while we work.  If you are a court room attorney, retail sales floor person, or work in a mental ward be careful, a lot of violent wiggling could have repercussions.  Biking, hiking, roller blading/skating, swimming, or gym training are good choices.

3. Follow the Rules.  Don’t just jump into an activity.  Start by stretching.  Since we will be sweating we need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.  Learn from a mentor if you can, someone who excels in this activity.  We need to keep our carbs and proteins balanced.  We need carbs for energy and protein for muscle.  If we set a routine, it can become a way of life if it hasn’t already.

For the nutrition we need, we have a scrumptious nutty fish dish with an apricot sauce that will set our mouths watering and our toes tapping.

CASHEW CRUSTED TILAPIA
WITH APRICOT SAUCE
(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

(Fish)
Non-stick cooking spray
1/2    cup toasted cashew pieces
1 1/2 lbs Tilapia fillets
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
(Sauce)
6  canned apricot haves
1/4 cup non-fat mayonnaise
1  tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
Cayenne pepper

PREPARATION:

1.) Mash apricots with a fork (or blender) and mix with the mayo.  Stir in fresh basil and a little cayenne. Heat Oven Broiler

2.) Toast the cashews in a dry no-stick dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan for 3 minutes until the cashews are fragrant and golden. Blender chop to a coarse texture.  3.) Lightly salt and pepper fish.  4.) Spray broiler pan and Tilapia with non-stick and press each side of the fillets into the ground cashews.  6.) Broil the fish 2″ from heat 2-3 minutes per side until done.

SERVE:

Place the Tilapia on a platter garnished with parsley and serve the sauce in a separate bowl.  Great sides are orzo, Brussels sprouts and carrots.  Chilled apricot tea adds the right acidity and tannin to this meal.  Finish with a ginger-pear-apricot compote and coffee.  Your little guppies and friends will be “gulping” to you:  “That’s DEE-licious!”  “Try it…your tummy will be glad you did!”

Ha, ha, ha, and ho, ho, ho, merry friends!  Laughter is great.  We are at the letter “L” in our “alcronym” recipe for healthy recovery: N.A.L.E.S. (N-utrition, A-ttitude, L-aughter, E-xercise, S-leep.) A sense of humor is a gift from God.  Being able to find humor in the gravest of situations can help pull us through them.  The American Medical Association has acknowledged that laughter has healing properties.  We are not promised a bed of roses on our roads of recovery.  When bad times come, being able to laugh can help us get through them.  Set aside time to read or watch something comical, or joke with friends.  Norman Cousins, late editor of the Saturday Review laughed himself back to good health.  He was hospitalized with a serious injury.  He took charge of his recovery which included watching old Marx Brothers movies, and clips of Candid Camera.  His recovery was remarkable.
Scientists think endorphins are very much like morphine. They believe we release endorphins into our bloodstream by positive emotions. Laughter is positive.  Laughter batters the walls of melancholy. Laughing feels good.  That alone is reason enough to indulge in it.  We became addicted after we discovered a chemical that relieved our anxiety The drug was only a band-aid that covered up our anxiety.  Laughter relieves anxiety.
In 1999 Universal Studios released a film starring Robin Williams in the role of “Patch Adams.”  The movie is based on the life of Dr. Hunter D. “Patch” Adams.  “Patch” wears a clown costume when he works with his patients.  He believes healing should be a loving, creative, humorous human interchange.  Humor is an antidote in recovery.  Laughing, hugging, and clowning around, can give us a sense of satisfaction.    Laughter is therapeutic.
Sometimes when we are stressed out, making ourselves laugh is very difficult.  Our family has two quickies that work for us.  We took some ridiculous pictures of ourselves in silly poses while making goofy faces at one of those photo booths in the mall. Looking at them reminds us not to take ourselves so seriously. The other is doing the Booty Boogie.  It’s a silly little dance we made up.  We start by rolling our head around.  Next, we flap our hands and arms. Then we wiggle our feet and legs.  Finally we put the back field in motion and pull it all together.  Then we really swing it!  Come on try it!  Don’t be shy.  It works!  We guarantee you will feel so silly you will start laughing.  The next time you’re disgusted, stuck in traffic or a board meeting gets stuffy…do your new dance.  If it doesn’t get you committed, everyone around will start laughing too and definitely give you some space.  Laughter at the dinner table aids digestion.  Laughing raises our spirits and can put us in a good mood, as much as a fine hearty meal does.  Our recipe offering in this issue is an amusing little sandwich that is so simple and easy to make, you might laugh yourself silly.  Especially, if you’re doing the Booty Boogie!  This is our version of a New Orleans chopped olive muffalatto chicken sandwich.  So let’s grab our funny bones, and chef’s hats as we wiggle and giggle to the kitchen.

GRILLED CHICKEN
AND TOMATO SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:
4   skinless, boneless chicken breasts pounded ¼ inch thick
2   tablespoons vegetable oil
4   French sandwich loaves, split open
2   cloves of peeled garlic
4   tablespoons basil pesto
4  tablespoons reduced fat mayo & 2 tablespoons grain mustard mixed
8   ¼ inch slices red ripe tomatoes
8   thin slices red onions
8 tablespoons bottled green salad olives (coarsely chopped)
Kosher or sea salt & fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.)    Pre-heat grill to white-hot ash if using coals or hot on a gas grill.  Lightly salt and pepper and brush each breast with oil.  Grill 4 minutes on each side until done.  Lightly toast bread cut side down  1 minute.
2.) Rub each piece of toasted bread with a clove of garlic.  Spread pesto lightly on the bottom cut side of bread and mayo/mustard mix lightly on the top cut side of bread.
3.) Place chicken breast on bottom.  Layer on the tomatoes, red onions, and green olive salad.  Top with other half of bread.
SERVE:
Cut the sandwich loaves in half for easier eating.  Team this with your favorite baked chips, coleslaw, and pickles.  Pitchers of cold lemonade and sliced watermelon complete this summer fare.  It’s quick, easy and laughing fun to prepare.  Your brood of hyenas will be snickering, “That’s DEE-licious!”

“Try it…your tummy will be glad you did!”

“A” is the next letter in our recipe for healthy serene sobriety we call, NALES.  Attitudes can make or break us.  Our emotional and spiritual state is established by our outlook on things.  Remember when things got so
out of hand we just threw up our hands and felt we might just as well be drunk or high, we may have thought: “nobody cares.”  If you think nobody cares, miss a couple car payments.
Things are going to happen and they do matter. We many act as if every little annoyance, upset or rejection should be broadcast on the 5 o’clock news, but it doesn’t.  Feel the feelings.  Whine, yell, stomp your feet, and let the drama queen out. Then get over it.  We need to tell ourselves, “What is, is.”  It is a simple truth statement.  My friend is late. What is, is. I’m bored, hungry, lonely, or tired.  What is, is. Reminding ourselves what is, is, can lead us to a positive outlook,  It simply focuses on the reality of the moment.  It’s back to the serenity prayer.  We change it if we can, accept it if we can’t, and pray we aren’t too dumb to know the difference.   We recall one dinner in which the finale was to be a dessert to die for.   The cake came out flat.  Horrors!  We sliced it, added tropical fruits, whipped topping stuck in plastic hula dancer forks and called it Exotica Erotica!   Turning the negative into a positive is a positive.
In the Christian New Testament the apostle Paul speaks of being content in whatsoever place I am.  Content does not mean being complacent. Continuing to strive toward set goals can ward off complacency. We need to be happy where we are but we need to go forward.  Stagnant ponds get green and smelly.  Green and smelly are not part of our goal plan.  Have some of us  become jaded in our sobriety? Are we just not drinking, going to meetings, and just having a sponsor?  Are we truly giving back what was so freely given to us?   We mean  honestly sharing with others  who want and need to hear it.  That in itself is a positive re-enforcement to us.
It helps to surround ourselves with beauty.   There is an old proverb that says, “If you have 2 pence, use one to buy a loaf of bread and the other to buy a flower.”  We don’t know where you can buy a loaf of bread or a flower for a penny these days, but you get the picture.  Having beauty around us and finding the beauty around us can help us develop a positive attitude. We need positive solutions. Maintaining a positive attitude is paramount in recovery
Speaking of positive solutions, we have a positively scrumptious solution  for an entrée this month.   We have a delightful lamb recipe that will make our mouths, tummies, and all those who share it positively happy.  It’s not high calories.  It’s low fat and delicious.  So grab your shepherds staff and apron, and let’s flock to the kitchen.

LAMB STEW

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray
2 pounds lean chunk lamb stew meat
1/4 cup each, onions and celery, chopped
1  tablespoon minced garlic
1  cup white grape juice
3  cups low sodium chicken broth

1  pound scrubbed, unpeeled halved new potatoes
1/2  pound of baby carrots
1/2  pound small pearl onions
1/2  pound frozen green peas
2  sprigs fresh rosemary
1  dry bay leaf
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup water.
Kosher or sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.) Spray a 4 quart sauce pan with spray.  Heat over medium-high heat. 2.) Brown lamb chunks on all sides about 10 minutes.  3.)  Add chopped onions and celery, fry about 3 minutes until wilted then add garlic and fry an additional minute.  4.)  Add liquids, bring to a boil, turn down to low, and let simmer for 1 hour.
5.) Add veggies, and herbs.  6.) Bring back to a  boil, turn low and simmer 1/2 hour.  7.)  Stir cornstarch and water together and mix into stew.  Stir as mixture thickens and cook 3 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and serve.

SERVING:

A  regal covered tureen makes a superb serving dish for this stew.  We like creamed spinach as a side.  White cranberry/grape juice spritzers  pair nicely with this meal.  Finish off with your favorite fruit cobbler and coffee.  When you get this spring meal on your table your little sheep will be “ba-baing:”  “That’s DEE-licious!”  Try it…your tummy will be glad you did!