Editor's Letter

Maybe it's because I grew up skinny. Or maybe it's because I believe portion control solves all nutritional ills. Whatever the reason, I've long subscribed to a holistic approach to well-being for F&W that embraces everything, even triple-pork pastas. I will always believe in balance, as it allows the magazine to skip over fad diets and questionable science. But there has been an undeniable shift in how health-minded people are eating: They're moving meat off the center of their plates. And that "flexitarian" attitude is leading us to great recipes.

One person who embodies the new ideal is Sophie Dahl. The granddaughter of famed British author Roald Dahl, she has written a cookbook that will be released in the U.S. this month. Her healthy recipes for F&W are incredibly enticing, beginning with a zucchini-and-watercress soup that's enriched with just a tablespoon of cream—what she calls a "voluptuous delight."

To further prove that flexitarian eating is no hardship—quite the reverse—try Su-Mei Yu's Thai dishes. Her escarole salad and stir-fried rice have minimal amounts of meat and maximum flavor. They represent Thai traditions that call for a balance of fire, water, earth and wind elements.

While I can control what I eat at home, it's harder at restaurants, especially given the current fixation on burgers and fried chicken. So I challenged six chefs to create nutritious options as a way to begin a dialogue about the future. One result: Michael Symon's roasted squash with quinoa, which our super consultant on the story, Matt Goulding, dubbed "The. Healthiest. Recipe. Ever."

Will F&W ever again celebrate the joys of a giant rib roast or a triple-pork pasta? Of course we will. But in future issues, you'll see more and more healthy recipes. We hope they'll make it easier for you to find your own perfect balance.

Follow me on Twitter@fwscout.

Published March 2010