Flavor First: Ellie Krieger

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Fresh herbs can turn a dish from ordinary to extraordinary, and make it better for you. Ellie Krieger's Snow Pea, Scallion and Radish Salad is one such example. Christopher Hirsheimer

Ellie Krieger, author, registered dietitian and host of Food Network’s Healthy Appetite, has a new cookbook, The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, just out from The Taunton Press. It’s a beautiful offering filled with dishes destined to become family favorites. While each of the more than 200 recipes includes a nutritional breakdown, the focus always is on fresh ingredients and flavor.

Recently, Ellie talked with me about why the diet mentality is unhealthy, the connection between her favorite meals and romance, and why her 5-year-old, Bella, is her mother’s daughter.

Recipe:

• Snow Pea, Scallion and Radish Salad 

The Herb Companion: Your philosophy revolves around developing a healthy relationship with food. What’s the first step in making that happen?

Ellie Krieger: The first step is truly savoring food, and approaching it from a point of quality over quantity. We also must get out of the “diet” mentality, where you’re seeking food that’s either good for you or something you really crave. I try to help people understand that foods can be both healthy and desirable. I hope my recipes prove this.

And, cooking doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be quite simple. I’m a working mom with a 5-year-old, so I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen creating something elaborate. It can be easy, fast and at your fingertips.

HC: Do you have a personal garden?

EK: Not now. I’m sporadically a member of a CSA (community-supported agriculture) operation, and we are fortunate to have many around-the-block farmers’ markets, so I have access to fresh produce. I also go to the big farmers’ market on Union Square [in New York City].

HC: What role do herbs play in your cooking?

EK: I always say herbs are one of my secret weapons for healthy eating. Fresh herbs can turn a dish from ordinary to extraordinary, and while doing that, also make the dish better for you. That’s the kind of magic I’m always looking for: better tasting, better looking, better smelling and better for you.