When you think of Louisiana cuisine, gumbo comes to mind.  My kids live in Dallas and New York but rely on my easy recipe for this Louisiana favorite.  If you are not in a region where seafood is plentiful, this version is the answer. The secret to a good gumbo is the roux, and my secret is I use browned flour for the roux.  Not only is this a time saver, but you get that rich nutty flavor with out all the fat.  Not only does it taste great, it is so easy as you bake the roux in the oven. So, no matter where you live, you can enjoy my Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.  Remember, gumbo freezes well and so does extra rice!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC  Gulf Coast Favorites Cookbook

Chicken and sausage gumbo, a Louisiana favorite, may be prepared easily and conveniently with chicken, sausage, and seasonings. Gumbo is served over rice.

Makes 14 (1-cup) servings

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound reduced-fat sausage, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen cut okra or fresh cut okra
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch green onions, chopped

1.  Preheat oven 400ºF.
2.  Place flour on baking sheet, bake 20 minutes, stirring every 7–10 minutes until a dark nutty brown color. Set aside.
3.  In large nonstick pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, stir-fry sausage over medium heat until crispy brown, set aside.  Remove any excess grease, recoat skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
4.  Add chicken and cook, stirring until starting to brown. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery, cooking until tender. Add browned flour, stir continuously.
5.  Gradually add chicken broth, okra, thyme, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add sausage and green onions cooking 5 more minutes. Serve over rice.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 160, Calories from fat (%) 11, Fat (g) 2, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 49, Sodium (mg) 550, Carbohydrate (g) 12, Dietary Fiber (g) 2, Sugars (g) 4, Protein (g) 22, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate, 3 very lean meat

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo-Secret to a Simple Healthy Roux

Best Beef Brisket

Ever needed a great dish to feed and please lots of people? Best Beef Brisket is a delicious make-ahead recipe that will win over men and women of all ages. And you will never believe how easy it is as all you do is season the meat, pop it in the oven, and forget about it! This is great served with Roasted Vegetables and use leftover brisket…that is if you have any…to make the best sandwiches! And, someone just sent me Black Truffle Barbecue Sauce-and wow is it good with the brisket, or probably even with a spoon!

Best Beef Brisket from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Freezer Friendly Meals
The sweet-spicy sauce infuses the brisket with tons of flavor.

Makes 12 – 14 servings

1 (5-6 pound) trimmed beef brisket
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup grainy or Creole mustard
1 cup diet cola
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey

1. Season brisket with salt and pepper, set aside.
2. In small bowl, mix together onion, ginger, garlic, mustard, cola, ketchup, soy sauce, and honey. Spread over brisket, cover, refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat oven 325°F. Place brisket and marinade in oven in heavy pot. Bake, covered, 5 – 6 hours or until brisket is very tender.

To Prepare and Eat Now: Slice against the grain and serve.
To Freeze: Cool to room temperature, then transfer both the brisket and the sauce to a freezer container, label, and freeze. Freeze up to 4 months.
To Prepare After Freezing: Remove from freezer to defrost. Preheat the oven to 325°F. and bake, covered, with sauce. Slice against the grain to serve.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 286, Protein (g) 41, Carbohydrate (g) 9, Fat (g) 9, Calories from Fat (%) 28, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Dietary Fiber (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 83, Sodium (mg) 507, Diabetic Exchanges: 6 lean meat, 0.5 other carbohydrate

Best Beef Brisket

I am Holly’s father, a laryngectomee (my larynx or voice box is removed), and I speak with an artificial larynx.  I have visited many throat cancer patients in the hospital after they had an operation where they lost their voice, and I always give the patients the Eating Well Through Cancer Cookbook. After I had my throat cancer operation I was very weak. I had to have cancer treatments for three months. I also had to have nutritional meals to gain back my strength.

I was very lucky to have a daughter who is a cookbook author. In order to get me through this crisis Holly would put nutritional recipes together, send them to my wife, and my wife would prepare the recipes for my dinner. Every morning I would have a nourishing breakfast. For lunch I would eat the leftovers from last night’s dinner. For dinner my wife would cook the new recipes that Holly would send every day.  

There was 78 patients going through cancer treatments with me.  I saw many of them lose lots of weight, some had to be fed through the stomach and many of them were hospitalized because they were too weak. I believe because of this attention to nutrition I was able to exercise every day and go to the golf course driving range and hit golf balls.  I was the only one in our group that did not lose weight and gained my strength back.

Holly took the nutritional recipes that she sent me as the basis for her cancer cookbook. She collaborated with a very knowledgeable nutritional oncologist and together they wrote their cancer cookbook. Every time I visit a throat cancer patient in the hospital I give them Eating Well Through Cancer.  The great comments I receive after their cancer treatments makes me understand why this is such an important cookbook that has sold over a half million copies.

I love sweets so Holly’s comforting, trim & terrific Easy Banana Bread really hits the spot!

My Larynx Cancer and Nutrition Experience