Posted on March 12, 2002 at 10:20 a.m.

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BIRMINGHAM, AL — Firefighters with the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service are staging a united front to fight fat. Hearty Fire Station Cuisine, a cookbook featuring dietician-approved, kitchen-tested recipes of Birmingham firefighters, is a project of the Good Health Program. The School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the City of Birmingham administer the wellness program for city employees.

“Firefighters have a reputation for being good cooks,” says Debra Brown, M.Ed., health education coordinator with UAB’s School of Nursing and the Good Health Program. “So we asked them to submit their best recipes. A nutritionist, Dana Kiker, analyzed the recipes for nutritional content and made simple modifications to make them healthier. She then made ‘guest chef’ visits to the fire stations to prepare the modified recipes. Recipes that passed the taste test were added to the cookbook.”

Studies showing that firefighters typically eat higher fat meals at work than at home prompted Dr. Lynn Artz, interventions consultant for the program, to propose the cookbook idea. After cookbooks were put together, they were sent to fire stations, and as an incentive to encourage their use, the program offered grocery store gift certificates to the station preparing the most recipes during January and to the station submitting the recipe voted best liked by fellow firefighters.

Station 6 (317 15th Street North) shift B sampled 25 new dishes and received a gift certificate for preparing the most recipes. The top six recipes were: Highway 280 Mac and Cheese, Beef Tips and Banana Pudding submitted by Station 32 (3995 Highway 280 South) shift B; Pork Chops and Rice submitted by Station 19 (7713 Division Avenue) shift C; Chicken and Potato Casserole submitted by Station 8 (4100 10th Avenue North) shift C and Dutch Oven Roast submitted by Station 16 (2001 Avenue I, Ensley) shift B.

Hearty Fire Station Cuisine is not available to the public but the six best-liked recipes follow and are available online at the bottom of this page. “While not all the recipes are low-fat, they are healthy or healthier than the original recipes submitted,” says Brown. “It demonstrates that you don’t have to give up taste, spend more money or spend more time in the kitchen to eat healthier.”

Since the Good Health Program began in 1985, medical insurance costs have increased more slowly, smoking rates have decreased and fitness levels have significantly improved,” says Michael Weaver, Ph.D., professor of nursing at UAB and director of the city’s nationally recognized Good Health Program. “Employees’ health is important to the city and this program helps them improve and maintain good health.”

NOTE: The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a separate, independent campus from the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. Please use University of Alabama at Birmingham on first reference and UAB on second reference.

Highway 280 Mac and Cheese

Recipe of Fire Station 32 (3995 Hwy. 280 S.) shift B
4 oz. macaroni, dry
12 oz. reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
3 egg whites
1 ½ c. skim milk

Cook and drain macaroni. Spray a 9x9-inch dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer dish with macaroni and shredded cheese. Mix mild and egg whites in a bowl; pour mixture into dish with noodles and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: Cal: 360; Carb: 29g; Fat: 14g; Pro: 33g; Sodium: 600mg; Chol: 47mg; Fiber: 1g

Beef Tips

Dredge beef tips in four. Brown meat in skillet with olive oil cooking spray. Place meat in pressure cooker for 15 minutes. Add both soups and cook on low for approximately 30 minutes. Serve over rice. Makes 8 servings. Per serving: Cal: 496; Carb: 40g; Fat: 23g; Pro: 28g; Sodium: 781mg; Chol: 73mg; Fiber: 1g

Banana Pudding

50 reduced-fat vanilla wafers In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, flour, 2 egg yolks and milk. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Layer baking dish with wafers and bananas. Pour pudding over bananas and wafers. Topping: Combine 2 egg whites, 4 teaspoons sugar and vanilla extract; beat until stiff peaks appear. Spoon on top of pudding. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Makes 8 servings. Per serving: Cal: 493; Carb: 84g; Fat: 15g; Pro: 6g; Sodium: 267mg; Chol: 56mg; Fiber: 3g

Pork Chops and Rice

Place pork chops in a 9 x 13-inch dish. Season chops with salt, pepper and salt-free seasoning. Mix together hot water, melted butter, onion soup mix and rice. Pour mixture over chops. Cover with foil. Bake for 2 hours at 325 degrees. Makes 6 servings. Per serving: Cal: 686; Carb: 88g; Fat: 20g; Pro: 32g; Sodium: 2308mg; Chol: 71mg; Fiber: 1g

Chicken and Potato Casserole

Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Layer potatoes on bottom. Mix soup, chicken, milk, parsley, thyme and onion; pour mixture on top of potatoes. Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Makes 8 servings. Per serving: Cal: 231; Carb: 25g; Fat: 4g; Pro: 24g; Sodium: 844mg; Chol: 51mg; Fiber: 2g

Dutch Oven Roast

Wash and peel potatoes and carrots. Cut potatoes in quarters and carrots in half. Wash roast and rub with seasoning mix. In a large cast iron Dutch oven, heat canola oil; sear meat on both sides and on all edges. Place carrots on bottom around roast. Place potatoes on top of carrots. Place whole peeled onions on top of roast. Pour syrup from one can of sweet potatoes in pot; cover with lid. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours. When meat is tender, add sweet potatoes pieces (do NOT add syrup) to the pot and cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 10 servings. Per serving: Cal: 612; Carb: 72g; Fat: 18g; Pro: 42g; Sodium: 466mg; Chol: 112mg; Fiber: 8g

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