Pleasing Picky Palates

When Sam Bryant saw Heather Bond at Newark Airport, as they were waiting to board the same flight bound for Denver, he was so smitten that he connived with the flight attendant for a seat next to this beautiful woman. And during their ensuing courtship, he pretended to enjoy the same healthy foods that she did. "He said he liked my baked salmon," a bemused Heather recalls, 14 years and two daughters later.

Ha! The truth is that Sam, a human-resources consultant, naturally gravitates toward the dishes of his southern roots. In other words, "If it ain't fried, it ain't food." Heather, a professional floral designer and event planner, consciously chooses the wholesome, low-fat foods of her California childhood. Both parents want to establish healthy habits for their daughters, who already have their own eating styles.

Enter Art Smith, the chef responsible for the healthy and delicious food in Oprah Winfrey's home and author of the recent Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families—Even Yours! Art is a southern boy himself and understands Sam's emotional connection to the food of his formative years, but he thinks he can help the Bryants break some of their patterns without sacrificing flavor and pleasure.

A Week's Worth of Good Eating
Art gives the Bryants a meal plan for a typical week with some of his favorite dishes from his new book, Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families—Even Yours! available at a bookstore near you.
Get the menu and 17 new recipes!

All recipes originate from Art Smith's book, Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families—Even Yours! is available at a bookstore near you. You can also find these recipes in Art's book on the page numbers listed below.

SUNDAY
Planning for the Week:
Balsamic Vinaigrette "House Dressing" (page 119), 7 days refrigerated
Make-Ahead Salsa (page 92), 3 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen
Quick Lemon Hummus (page 93), 5 days refrigerated
Spicy Black Bean Soup [uses Make-Ahead Salsa], (page 113)

Supper:
Curried Carrot Soup (page 110)
Kitchen Workhorse Italian Pot Roast (page 144)
Creamed Parmesan Spinach (page 271)
Apple-Cranberry Pudding (page 276)

MONDAY
Green salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Penne with Pot Roast Sauce [based on Kitchen Workhorse Italian Pot Roast], (page 220)
Zesty Roasted Vegetables (page 272)

TUESDAY
Spicy Black Bean Soup (reheated)
Honey-Mustard Chicken Breasts (page 177)
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Zest and Black Pepper (page 250)

WEDNESDAY
Green salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Kitchen Workhorse Roast Pork Tenderloin With Asian Glaze (page 154)
Baby Carrots with Orange Glaze (page 253)

THURSDAY
Curried Carrot Soup (reheated)
Roast Pork on Boston Lettuce Salad with Asian Pears [based on Kitchen Workhorse Roast Pork Tenderloin With Asian Glaze], (page 124)

FRIDAY
Soba Noodles in Miso Broth with Roast Pork and Vegetables [based on Kitchen Workhorse Roast Pork Tenderloin With Asian Glaze], (page 228)
Smoked Turkey, Apple and Cheddar Quesadillas [uses Make-Ahead Salsa], (page 94)

SATURDAY
Out for dinner!