As winter turns to spring, we all want to start this new season fresh, starting with the foods we eat. Charleston’s culinary professionals make extraordinary food for people to enjoy, but when they’re cooking at home, they usually want the same things you do — flavorful, healthy meals. We asked a few to share their strategies and fresh ideas for lighter eating.
Lauren Furey | Charleston-based private chef
Lauren Furey offers personally curated in-home family-style meals based on coastal Italian and coastal Southern cooking. Inspired by Charleston’s diverse food and entertainment scene, Furey applies her culinary artistry honed in the kitchens of local restaurants and her passion for creating memorable dining experiences to her work as a private chef and cooking instructor.
What’s your go-to healthy ingredient?
Olive oil — a little bit goes a long way. I get my olive oil from Olinda Olives and Olive Oil (available in Charleston) and put it in squeeze bottles. Maybe you want to use a little olive oil to sauté something or create a fresh homemade dressing. You can drizzle as much or as little as you’d like.
How do you make food taste great without adding too much fat?
I love to use citrus and herbs, specifically the zest of lemons and oranges. When you chop rosemary, it makes your kitchen and your whole house smell good. When I’m cooking greens, I always like to add a little vinegar. My preference is apple cider vinegar for sweetness.
What do you keep in your refrigerator and pantry for healthy cooking?
I try to have ingredients such as chicken that I can simply bake. I’m a fan of local shrimp; you can buy them peeled and deveined at places like Crosby’s Fish & Shrimp Co. I also look for places with fresh vegetables, and I always keep capers, pistachios, whole-wheat pasta and quinoa on hand.
What are some tips for eating healthy at home?
Think about dishes you can make ahead of time, such as homemade hummus and marinated shrimp in olive oil. Even placing a bowl of clementines on your counter can be good when you’re craving something sweet.
Chef Mike Lata | Co-owner and executive chef, FIG and The Ordinary, Charleston
Recognized by the James Beard Foundation for his culinary excellence, chef Mike Lata delivers uncompromised freshness in the food created for his establishments FIG and The Ordinary in Charleston. The restaurants reflect Lata’s more than 35-year commitment to a culinary vision of working with local farmers and food producers to source the most wholesome ingredients for cooking locally and with the seasons. Whether cooking at home for his three children or at the restaurants for his guests, Lata relishes spring’s return with young, tender vegetables that star in his dishes.
What’s your favorite healthy spring ingredient?
My favorite thing is honestly the whole season. It’s the beginning of a very prolific time for farmers in the Lowcountry. In the springtime, we see baby carrots, arugula, different lettuces and greens, asparagus, peas, leeks and super sweet onions. Once spring kicks in, everything is young, tender, fresh and herbaceous.
What’s your go-to healthy meal to prepare for yourself and your family at home?
Most of the time, we’ve got short-grain brown rice, sweet potatoes and something deep green like broccolini, spinach or kale. We’ll have a protein, like a piece of fish, chicken or steak. We’ll have the rice cooker with brown rice and steam or sauté a green vegetable on a Sunday and have enough to eat on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Additionally, we might do one-pot dishes like turkey chili, which is a real win for us.
What are the must-have staple ingredients everyone should have in a home pantry?
You need to have good salt, good olive oil, a variety of vinegars and oils, and fresh spices.
What’s one takeaway you want people to know about healthy cooking?
Cooking healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. Try to buy the best ingredients you can that are good for you.
Amethyst Ganaway | Food writer, chef and culinary researcher
A two-time recipient of the Les Dames d’Escoffier Legacy Culinary Award, Amethyst Ganaway raises appreciation and awareness of the culture and foodways of the African diaspora, African Americans and Black Southern cooks. Her recipes have appeared in numerous publications, including Food & Wine and The New York Times. Ganaway serves as the chief recipe developer and content manager for Yolélé, a West African culinary brand led by chef Pierre Thiam.
When work keeps you busy, how do you find time to eat well?
I make sure to bring or make snacks that can fuel my mind and body while I’m on my feet. I love snacking on peppers, cucumbers, celery and carrots; a fresh, bright green salad for lunch or a fruit bowl.
What’s your favorite healthy go-to meal to prepare for yourself?
Some of my favorites are usually one-pot, one-pan or one-bowl dishes. I love grain bowls made with ingredients like fonio, an ancient West African grain that’s high in nutrients. I add nutrient-dense ingredients like leafy greens, beans, peas and vegetables with a variety of textures. I also enjoy smoothies for breakfast or oatmeal with apples, strawberries, blueberries and bananas. For dinner, I have seafood or poultry with some sort of rice and sautéed veggies.
What strategies would you recommend for cooking and eating healthy at home?
I recommend pre-planning your meals and having a variety of ingredients you can get or keep on hand that are easily switchable in the different meals. Maybe you planned to make salmon salad for dinner on Tuesday, but the day gets there and you’d rather have a grain bowl. An easy substitution or addition of either grains or greens can be swapped out. You should shop for your own ingredients and make meals you want to share with others. Handpicking your ingredients and then cooking them can help you have a better connection with the food and your meals. Sharing your meals or ideas for your meals with others can help you learn how to become a better cook — and help boost your mood by sharing with others.
By Michael Vyskocil
