Meet noted chef Eddie Matney at area book signing April 28
By Lynda Exley
Upon first learning about Heartfelt Cuisine: Quick & Easy Heart Healthy Comfort Food and its claim to have healthy recipes for everyday favorites like meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, pancakes--and yes, even cheesecake--my first reaction was “ya right.”
Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight or eat healthy alternative foods is familiar with the cardboard-tasting desserts, flavorless main dishes and phony tasting fare many “healthful” cookbooks offer.
But, when I found out celebrity chef Eddie Matney co-authored Heartfelt Cuisine, I decided to give it a second glance.
For those who are unfamiliar with Matney, dubbed the “Number One Chef in the Valley” for two consecutive years by Phoenix Magazine, he has owned and operated successful restaurants since 1988. His newest being Eddie Matney’s located in the heart of Phoenix’s Biltmore shopping district at 24th St. and Camelback Road.
In addition, he hosts a weekly cooking segment on Channel 5 News and is a columnist for Arizona Homes and Lifestyles.
Matney’s passion for bold flavors and creative dishes is so far-reaching that he’s attracted the attention of Poore Brothers Potato Chips and consequently teamed up with the company to produce and market several seasonal flavors of chips, including one called Chef Eddie’s Mediterranean Spiced Chips.
So how did someone with a reputation for gourmet gastronomy, which is usually associated with naughty, fattening ingredients, become co-author to a heart-healthy cookbook?
It all started with cardiac nurse Karen Pryce who co-authored Heartfelt Cuisine.
Pryce and her husband developed heart disease early in their married life and resolved to raise their family on heart-healthy versions of their favorite foods, so she started developing and compiling recipes for a cookbook.
But things didn’t really start cooking (pardon the pun) until a fellow named Larry Schneider suffered a heart attack and was restored to health by cardiologist Carman Brooks, M.D., and Pryce.
It was only natural for the three, who all happened to be heart patients themselves, to compare notes on food and eventually join forces and partner with Matney, who Schneider knew, to develop Heartfelt Cuisine.
“We created recipes that are fun to make and eat, taste great and are full of flavor, yet low in fat, sugar and sodium,” says Matney.
Stephanie Green, the registered dietician/chef they brought onboard to keep Heartfelt Cuisine on the straight and narrow path to health cooking, says that even though the cookbook’s lighter versions of its “full fat cousins” result in a significant caloric savings, the emphasis was still on flavor.
“Food is a big part of our daily life,” says Green. “It should be fun and enjoyable. After all, cooking is nurturing to yourself, to your friends and to your family.”
KeriLyn Morgan, M.D., is another fan of Heartfelt Cuisine. She says, “As a physician, I recommend this cookbook for my patients wishing to maintain a healthy lifestyle, without having to compromise their favorite foods. But as a busy mom, it makes it easy to practice what I preach.”
Heartfelt Cuisine can be purchased by visiting www.heartfeltcuisine.com, by calling 1-800-274-8810, or at Borders Books & Music. A portion of each book sold goes to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Wrangler readers can meet Matney in person at Borders of Chandler when he hosts a cooking demonstration and sign copies of Heartfelt Cuisine, 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28.
