An Addendum

My friend and colleague greeted me today with the words, "I am so disappointed in you." He went on to explain that he and his wife, who happen to follow this blog from time to time, were surprised to know that I used bacon -- real bacon -- in the chicken stew (see previous post). I figured I needed to defend myself, publicly. Yes, generally speaking, turkey is a good substitute for fatty pork products. However, it is imperative that you compare food labels. For example, one slice of Trader Joe's turkey bacon contains the same amount of fat and calories as two slices of Trader Joe's regular bacon. Frankly, I'd rather have the real thing. Another thing: the recipe calls for four slices of bacon, and serves four very hungry people. Just one slice of bacon once in a while can absolutely be a part of a healthy, balanced diet. Especially when the remainder of the recipe calls for healthy ingredients (tomatoes, chicken breast, beans). Of course, if you find a very lean brand of turkey bacon, it would be a great substitute for bacon. I hope this information helps to clarify any sort of mischief you assumed I was conjuring up in the kitchen. Thanks to you, Haidar, and your wife for reading!