A celebrity chef's secret weapon, kitchen tricks, 10-minute recipes, and more.
| | | | Hello, and happy Friday! Another week in the books. Can you believe it? Before we dive into the weekend, we're talking about all things food. Here's everything we're serving up today: | | | | | | Be well,
Morgan Mandriota
Newsletter Editor, Healthline | | | | |
| |  | | Written by Morgan Mandriota
April 14, 2023 • 4 min read | | | | | | | |
| |  | | Alton Brown is a celebrity chef, cookbook author, and food show star. Read our Q&A below, where he dishes on healthy snacks, kitchen hacks, and more foodie wisdom. | | *This interview has been edited for length and clarity. | | Q: | Where did your passion for food and cooking come from? And can you tell us how you got to be where you are now? | | | A: I'll be honest, I started cooking to get dates in college. I'd go to the university library and copy recipes out of Gourmet and Bon Ap, then try to convert them down to my budget. It worked a few times, but, really, I just found out that I loved cooking. | | As for getting where I got, who knows? At one point in the '90s, I decided to quit my job directing TV commercials to go to culinary school to make a food show. I'm still not sure if it worked out or not. | | Q: | Do you notice that eating different foods affects your health and the way you feel? | | | A: The less processed food I eat, the better I feel physically. There's also an emotional side to health, so occasionally, you have to dip into the cookie jar, cereal box, or whatever it is that makes you get up in the middle of the night. (No one ever gets up in the middle of the night for dark, leafy greens, you know?) | | Also, I just turned 60 and started paying attention to supporting my brain. I created this Kale and Quinoa Bowl with Salmon recipe to support brain function. | | Q: | What's your go-to healthy snack? | | | A: Hummus. It's always in the fridge in our house, and there's always something good to dip into it, usually celery. We're not purists, so it doesn't have to be chickpeas. I'll go lima beans or navy beans, and my wife often works pumpkin seeds in there. | | Q: | What are your three favorite kitchen tricks? | | | A: I handwrite every recipe I cook, whether it's mine or not. That gives my brain a chance to clearly process every step. | | I tend to trade out the fats called for in recipes. At home, we do almost all our cooking with light olive oil and homemade ghee. | | My secret weapon is anchovies. I slip a single anchovy into all sorts of dishes in place of salt. Anchovies are umami bombs. | | | | | | |
| | | | Editor faves with health perks | | | | | | |  | | Fab Slabs Medium Premium Wood Cutting Board | | I've always used plastic cutting boards from Marshalls due to cost and convenience. Although they have served me well, I've officially upgraded to this solid wood cutting board from Fab Slabs. It's eco-friendly, naturally antibacterial, and downright beautiful. The brand makes several different cuts, too, so check them out for your unique meal prep needs. | | | Every product we recommend has gone through Healthline's vetting process. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline is owned by RVO Health. | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Thanks for reading! I hope you have a lovely weekend full of delicious meals. We'll be back in your inbox on Monday with a nature-themed newsletter. 🌲
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