OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management is seeking recipe submissions for its latest cookbook project, “Rebel Recipes Lite.”
The book, which focuses on healthy cooking, is a follow-up to the popular “Rebel Recipes,” a collection of nearly 2,000 of the Ole Miss community’s favorite dishes.
“Most everyone is aware of the complex relationship between food and health but may not know how to take a favorite dish and make it healthier,” said Charlotte Oakley, associate professor of nutrition and hospitality management. “We want people to meet their health goals with flavorful, healthier foods that are easy to prepare. It’s also important for the department to stay connected to our alumni and friends – what better way than to be present in their homes, associated with healthy food and living?”
A fundraiser for the department, the new cookbook will provide healthy recipes, time-saving tips and the stories behind the dishes. “Rebel Recipes Lite” will also include modified versions of select recipes from the original cookbook as well as the submitted recipes. All recipes will be reviewed and altered if necessary, lowering fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar content where needed.
This focus on healthy living complements the direction of Lenoir Dining, the student-run, on-campus restaurant housed within the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management that offers healthy meal options and reduced portion sizes.
“Our goal with the cookbook is to provide a source of really tasty, healthful recipes,” said Kathy Knight, interim chair of nutrition and hospitality management. “We want to show that you can cook good-tasting food that is healthy and that does not take a lot of time. We know there are families who make this food; they have healthy recipes that they use when they come home and are tired. We want to share them with other Ole Miss families.”
Undergraduate and graduate students will monitor and organize online recipe submissions. Some will also contribute their own recipes as part of class. Graduate students are modifying recipes from “Rebel Recipes” for the new book.
“This is an excellent learning experience in recipe development, food preparation, healthful eating and publishing,” Oakley said. “The department has a strong commitment to meeting the food and nutrition needs of our customers and training students in hospitality management and nutrition. Our ‘good food, good nutrition’ message is valued by the department.”
Since its release in 1988, “Rebel Recipes” has been reprinted at least three times. The popular cookbook focuses on the Ole Miss experience, a theme that will be carried over into “Rebel Recipes Lite.” When contributing a recipe online, submitters are encouraged to share an Ole Miss experience or memory associated with the dish they are recommending.
“Ole Miss is a family,” Oakley said. “We want this to be a family cookbook. Keeping the Ole Miss experience focus from ‘Rebel Recipes’ should make healthful cooking more inviting and even fun.”
All recipes – traditional or lightened – are welcome and can be submitted online at https://news.olemiss.edu/rebel-recipes/ through April 30.