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Shrimp and grits are a Southern tradition that can be found along South Carolina’s coast. While they are becoming more popular and popping up on menus across the country in any number of variations, there are a few requirements to be considered good. 1. Make sure you know how to cook grits. Grits should be thick and runny in the pot, allowing them to firm up in your bowl or plate. Unless they are leftovers you’re pan frying the next morning, they should not be dry. 2. Cook your shrimp whole, chop them and toss them in, big or small it doesn’t matter. What does matter is making sure you don’t over cook your shrimp. The shrimp and grits found in this recipe is a little Carolina creole meets Asia. A Charleston classic with a sweet and salty...

Clams in white wine are the essence of simple preparation to highlight quality ingredients. In this dish we reduce the amount of butter traditionally found in most clam dishes and saute the tomatoes until they burst to create a thick, flavor rich sauce. The clams are not only beautiful when presented, but this dish in particular couldn’t be more simple to prepare. The aroma of garlic, fresh thyme and white wine infuses the kitchen as the clams steam and tomatoes burst. This dish is best served with a big hunk of crusty bread to sop up every last bit of the delicious broth and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Ingredients: 6 – 8 Clams 1/4 cup white wine – Chardonnay 1 tsp butter 2 tomatoes clove of garlic 2-3 sprigs of thyme sea salt red pepper...

I would like to personally invite you to attend the Kentucky Food and Nutrition Charity Awareness event being held Saturday, April 27, 6pm at the Kitchen Concepts Showroom on Mall Road. The event is being held to showcase food and nutrition charities from our area in an effort to increase awareness and the impact they have on our local communities. They provide a diversity of services including addressing the nutritional needs of HIV sufferers, meals for the homeless, and creating farms where victims of domestic abuse can rebuild their sense of self. Food and nutrition based charities fill a vital role in Kentucky and as a health coach, lifestyle expert and chef I have a vested interest in the support network our local communities provide to those in need. The...

Oven roasted or grilled fruits make great simple desserts. Especially, when they are served with ice cream. You can change the flavor and texture by experimenting. Use plums, as in this recipe, or peaches. Pears and apples work well too. To make the caramel sauce we didn’t include measurements because you should make this sauce by texture. Want it smoother? Add more coconut milk. Want it sweeter? Add more brown sugar. Ingredients: brown sugar spiced rum coconut milk (thick) vanilla ice cream black plum olive oil sea salt Directions: Cut your plum in half and remove the pit. Roast the plum, flesh side up, with a little olive oil and sea salt in a 425 degree oven. In a skillet on medium heat add brown sugar. Add just enough spiced rum to the brown sugar to...

Cacao powder is simply the cacao bean, that through a cold-pressing process, has had the fat (cacao butter) removed. Cacao is packed with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and Pantothenic acid, loaded with antioxidants and a great source of minerals including magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese. Raw cacao also increases blood circulation which can improve focus and helps to reduce headaches. I developed this recipe while in the middle of a raw food cleanse. I was craving chocolate and had an unopened bag of cacao sitting in my pantry. I decided to play around with whatever other raw ingredients I had on hand and see what I could come up with. Rich and chocolaty these truffles are the perfect treat to curb any craving, but are packed with...

Let’s be honest, it’s hard to create a healthy lifestyle. We feel like we don’t have enough time or our friends and family don’t support the choices we make. There is so much information out there we don’t know where to start. Live It. The only way to redefine healthy living, to create a genuine healthy lifestyle, is to live it. This means to take each day for what it is – a chance to make a small change that will impact your life. Miles are measured in the small steps we make to get there. Creating a healthy lifestyle isn’t about remaking your life. It’s about living it, and making small changes along the way. Share It. Once you start to live your life with your health in mind, share it with someone. Share it...