My father was a Methodist minister and a trout fisherman. One of the great things about being a preacher’s kid is all the family and church dinners you went to. I can remember getting so excited about going to a family reunion or a church homecoming and thinking of what the ladies of the church or family were going to make and how much of it I could get on my plate at one time. There would be all types of casseroles, homemade breads and fried foods. And let’s not forget the dessert table, where you could get your chocolate, banana pudding, fruit pie or my favorite, something caramel. Everyone would pile their plates high and go back two or even three times. Now, I do not want to say I didn’t enjoy this, but I wish I had known how bad it really was for all of us.

Times have changed now, and as we age we should change how big our portions are and look more closely at what is on our plate. The new way to check your portions is to use a simple Portion Plate, and you will be able to control what should be on your plate. You should divide your plate into quarters. One quarter should be whole grains and be about the size of a slice of whole wheat bread. One quarter should be lean meat or protein and should be the size of a playing card. The other half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables and should be about the size of a medium apple and medium sweet potato. You should use fats, oils and sweets sparingly. That’s why I love to grill, due to the fact that you don’t use much of these.

If you remember this when fixing your meals, you will see that you’re eating much more healthy and getting the nutrition you need to gain more energy and feel much better. Give it a try for a week, and see what a difference it makes.

This month’s recipe is a simple one plate meal and is easy to make either in one portion or two. It can also be doubled to make more. This is a wonderful time of year to enjoy the outdoors and do some fishing, and I hope you can take someone with you when you go. The days will not be as hot, and if nothing else, you can take in some great outdoor time.

Chicken Stuffed Apple

1 Medium Sized Corn Muffin or any type of Whole Grain Muffin Crumbled

6 oz of Cooked Chicken Diced Fine (Can be any type leftover, rotisserie, or pre-cooked)

¼ cup diced celery

Large pinch of Sage

½ cup of chicken or vegetable broth

1 Medium sized Granny Smith Apple

¼ cup dried cranberries

Mix muffin, chicken, celery, broth, cranberries and sage together in bowl and set aside. Cut apple in half and core out middle to make a hole for stuffing. Put stuffing in apple. Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite green vegetable and you have a complete meal.

Morris, owner of Rhett’s in Southern Pines, can be reached at (910) 695-3663 or rhett@rhettsinc.com.