Thursday, September 8, 2011

I NEED YOUR VOTES! AETNA HEALTHY FOOD FIGHT!

Jerk Chicken with Mango Chutney and Coconut Rice

Chef Cora with Baby Bodhi last year at San Diego's
Aetna Healthy Food Fight regional finals.
Last year I had the privilege of competing in the San Diego regional finals of the Aetna Healthy Food Fight.  I met some WONDERFUL people, including Chef Cat Cora, who just adored Baby Bodhi (but then again, who doesn't?!).  It was my first live cook-off, and it couldn't have been a more encouraging experience.  I couldn't wait for it to come up again this year and, here it is!
The format is a bit different this year, they're not only judging us on the nutritional content, but they're asking us to collect votes from the general public.  They're doing four live events instead of eight or ten, and the finals this year are in New York City for a grand prize of $10,000 in groceries.  Who couldn't use that?!
Now, I normally don't do "voting" competitions, simply for one reason.  I believe that when you judge a recipe only on the number of votes it brings in, it no longer becomes about who has the best recipe, it becomes about who has the most friends with the most time to vote for you.  The voting aspect is just one category of the judging process this year, so it's not too bad, but I do need to BEG all of you to click on the link below and vote EVERY DAY until September 18th.


My recipe this year is one a combination of my favorite cooking method and several of my favorite flavor combinations.  Did I mention that this recipe is SUPER HEALTHY?!  I absolutely LOVE slow-cooking with my crock pot and I can't get enough of tropical flavors with heat.  This recipe has it all:  mangoes, coconut, crushed red pepper and jerk seasoning.  It's a gorgeous, colorful dish with lots of flavor and tons of nutrients.  PLEASE VOTE AND ENJOY THE RECIPE!  I'll keep you all posted on the results!  Thanks!
At my cook-off station last year for San Diego's
Aetna Healthy Food Fight

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