CH Chef Laura Kay Kahn stresses that healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive.

For Chef Laura Kay Kahn, a lifelong Chestnut Hill resident, cooking healthy extends beyond hitting a weight loss goal, sticking to a 10 lb New Year’s resolution, or getting your body ready for bathing suit season.

“I teach the manageable and realistic cooking skills I live by – I give people the tools necessary to prepare foods that aren’t just ideal for losing weight, but recipes that will put a family on a personal journey of wellness,” says Kahn. She teaches cooking classes in Chestnut Hill homes by appointment, led a healthy eating & cooking workshop called The Path To Wellness at Deliverance Evangelistic Church, has taught several groups of children how to cook at local summer camps, and gives cooking seminars at Balance Gym among other projects. Currently, she works at Whole Foods Market as a cook.

Kahn believes her diverse background as a registered nurse, certified personal trainer, health educator, and founder of The Abington Friends School FLY Fitness program gives her the ability to see the big wellness picture and helps her create meals that are jam-packed with nutritious value.

Lighter Recipe Favorites

One of Kahn’s specialties is recipe revising. Got a recipe you’d make more often if it were lower in calories? Send a recipe revamp request to Kahn, and she’ll revise delicious high calorie favorites like cornbread and apple pie with flavorful and easy-to-make substitutions that will cut calories and sodium, without sacrificing flavor. “I enjoy helping families revise their own favorite recipes and pay special attention to making them healthier with less sugar, salt, and saturated fats,” says Kahn. Remakes are a service she offers as part of her culinary instructional services.

Keeping the Bill Down

Planning is key to creating healthy but flavorful meals, says Kahn. “I believe long-term healthy cooking habits are directly correlated to planning out your menu for the week and knowing where to shop to get the best deal,” says Kahn. She recommends buying in-season produce at farmers’ markets (Right now try Jonathan’s Best) and Asian food stores (Try Spring Garden Market at 400 Spring Garden St.). Kahn suggests writing out your full menu on Saturdays or Sundays based on what is on sale in the food store flyer.

Meal Planning as a Family Effort

Kahn says her clients have the most success passing on nutritious eating habits to their children when they include them in the meal planning and meal making process. “Ask your children what they want on whichever night you designate kid’s night, and brainstorm a meal together,” says Kahn. She also encourages having your kids help with the cooking process. This teaches the children that preparing healthy foods and meals is fun and brings the family together.

Get Started in Your Own Kitchen

Below you’ll find: A kid’s choice snack and a comfort food recipe remake. These 2 simple healthy living recipes have been passed on to many Hillers.

For Your Kids: Garden Salad Cucumber Cups

Why try it: “Your kids will love the fun of holding the cucumber cups so much that they won’t even realize they’re eating vegetables,” says Kahn.

What you need
Food Processor
Cucumber cups
4 cucumbers washed and peeled

Slaw for cucumber cup filling:
1 medium zucchini, cut into 3” segments
1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into ¼ segments
½ cup fresh parsley, stems removed
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3”-4” segments
¼ cup light ranch salad dressing

Make it
Using the mixing blade in the food processor, pulse the zucchini, red pepper segments, and fresh parsley to a fine small dice sized mix. Scrape this mix into a separate medium mixing bowl. Next, change the blade in the food processor, and use the shredding attachment to process the carrots. Add the shredded carrots to the other veggie mixture. Sir in ¼ to 1/3 cup of your favorite light ranch dressing, cover and refrigerate.

Prepare cucumber cups by washing them and trimming off the top and bottom with a knife. Next, using a carrot peeler, peel in alternating strips the outside skin away so the cucumber is striped (Prepare all 4 cucumbers in this fashion). Cut each cucumber into large bite sized cups about 1 ½” discs. Using a melon baler or kitchen teaspoon, hollow out the inside of each cucumber disc. Fill each cucumber cup with about 1 tablespoon of salad filling and place on a serving tray!

Recipe Remake: Broccoli Casserole

Why try it: “This is a recipe remake from The Path To Wellness summer 2009 series. By substituting fresh for frozen veggies, low-fat mayo, light sour cream,and egg whites we were able to trim about 160 calories off the dish per serving without compromising the rich, bold flavor,” says Kahn.

What you need:
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
½ tsp dried thyme
1 package of frozen broccoli, or 1 small fresh head of broccoli chopped into bite size pieces
2 egg whites whipped to soft peaks
1 whisked whole egg
1 cup light sour cream
½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Ground pepper to taste

Make it
In a large sauté pan, cook the sliced mushrooms in olive oil. As the mushrooms give off liquid, add in the minced garlic clove. Next, stir in frozen or fresh broccoli and heat until the broccoli is thawed or lightly cooked. Stir as needed to ensure that the veggies don’t burn. Once the veggies are cooked, remove the pan from the heat, and let the mushrooms and broccoli cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 whole egg, sour cream, light mayonnaise, ground nutmeg, and pepper. Grate the sharp cheddar cheese (1 cup total) on the side. Next, finely pulse the mushrooms and broccoli with a food processor (be sure to retain all liquids). Pour chopped vegetables into the egg, sour cream, and mayo mixture. Stir well.

In a clean dry bowl, whip the egg whites (2) to soft peaks and gently fold them into the soufflé batter, following with a fold in of the grated cheese. (Be sure to not over stir).

Lightly coat your casserole pan (a 10” pie plate works well) with cooking spray. Evenly spread soufflé in the pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until you can dip a knife dipped into the center of the casserole cleanly.

Compare it to original recipe
The total calories of fat per serving in this dish dropped from 260 fat calories to 100 fat calories. The attenders at the program loved the fresh ingredients and the light airy texture of the broccoli casserole remake.

**For additional cooking class requests or consultation queries in Chestnut Hill, please contact Chef Laura Kay directly.