
Homemade Live!
The Lighter Side
Season 1 Episode 104 | 26m 52sVideo has Closed Captions
Discover how to lighten up your favorite meals without losing the taste.
How do you lighten up your favorite meals without losing the taste? Kevin Curry, the inspiring creator of @FitMenCook, joins Joel and shares how he was able to lighten up his mom’s Sunday soul food dinner. And if you don’t believe you can have your cake and eat it too, Joel shows how to create an incredibly tasty, calorie-friendly apple cider donut.
Homemade Live! is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television
Homemade Live!
The Lighter Side
Season 1 Episode 104 | 26m 52sVideo has Closed Captions
How do you lighten up your favorite meals without losing the taste? Kevin Curry, the inspiring creator of @FitMenCook, joins Joel and shares how he was able to lighten up his mom’s Sunday soul food dinner. And if you don’t believe you can have your cake and eat it too, Joel shows how to create an incredibly tasty, calorie-friendly apple cider donut.
How to Watch Homemade Live!
Homemade Live! is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipJOEL: Coming up today on Homemade Live.
We'll be cooking lightened-up versions of our favorite meals.
And two layers, baby.
Don't you dare go one layer on me.
I'm not eating those donuts.
The inspiring creator of Fit Men Cook, Kevin Curry is in the house.
- Everybody would come to our house, so we would just have a whole lot of food.
Food is love.
JOEL: He'll show us how to lighten up his mom's favorite Sunday soul food dinner.
- I'm cooking like Mama used to cook.
JOEL: I'm in, I'm in.
Plus, a calorie-friendly apple cider donut.
That's what I crave.
That's me on a plate right there.
Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?
So good.
It's all coming up right now on Homemade Live.
- Isn't he wonderful?
He's so wonderful.
Hey, I'm Joel, a dad, husband, and sustainable chef in Seattle, Washington.
I believe the best ingredient on Earth isn't what's on the plate, it's actually what's around the plate-- the people, the places, the stories.
That's what inspired Homemade Live.
Each week, we go live from our kitchen in front of a studio audience with famous friends.
We share food memories and we recreate them on the spot.
Welcome to Homemade Live.
- Funding for Homemade Live is made possible by... - The American Diabetes Association has been here for more than 80 years.
- But we don't want to exist.
- We don't want diabetes to overtake us.
- To rob us.
- To break us.
- So, we're standing tall.
- Rallying for affordable care.
- Lifting up people in need.
- And seeking a cure through research.
- So we can help end diabetes for good.
- Someday you won't need us.
- Until then... ALL: We fight.
♪ ♪ - Kalorik MAXX, proud sponsor of Homemade Live.
Oven air fries and bakes, double cooktop and griddle.
♪ ♪ - Sorghum, an ancient grain that's non-GMO and naturally gluten-free.
A resource-conserving crop that's heat and drought tolerant.
(cheers and applause) JOEL: Yeah!
Thank you!
Thank you.
(cheers and applause) Hi, buddy.
Thank you, all right.
All right.
More-- no, I'm just kidding, kidding.
Thanks for being here, everyone.
That was awesome.
Today, it is all about the lighter side of things.
And I don't mean, like, your personality, like lighten up, I mean, like, lighter side of things.
Like, we want to kind of take recipes down a notch.
It's kind of perfect timing.
I did have a physical a couple of months ago.
And a physical, like, when I was little, was not that big of a deal.
Now with kids, I like-- I bring in a pimple and I look at my doctor and I'm like, "Am I going to make it?"
Like, it is-- Like, the stakes are too high right now.
So he looked at me and he said, "Listen, I mean, full honesty, everything's good, but we do got to work on the diet.
We got to work on eating healthier."
And immediately, I go into this place.
I just go into this defensive place of, "I'm a chef.
Like, don't, don't bring that on me."
And he's like, "Yeah, Joel, you are a chef.
"You have superpowers.
"You can make Brussels sprouts taste awesome.
You can make kale be delicious."
And, you know, I mean, he's right.
He's totally right.
I crave stuff just like everyone else craves things, especially seasonally, like different times of year.
In college, I got hooked on apple cider donuts.
Anyone fans of those?
(cheers and applause) For this first bite, I'm going to show you a lightened up version of these apple cider donuts.
Let's dive in.
(cheers and applause) All right, so first step is, um, these are baked donuts.
So most donuts, we know they're fried, so already, we are just saving so much right there.
I like baked donuts because they're actually faster.
Fried donuts are typically yeasted, right.
So, you have to let the yeast rise just like you would with bread, but not with these.
These are, you know, quick, quick bread donuts.
So, I've got some cinnamon, nutmeg.
This is like the flavors of fall.
You want to work that in, it's so good.
Some baking soda.
So, all that goes into some flour.
And then this is big.
You could load this full of sugar, but we actually have some zero calorie sugar substitute.
So, just like a tablespoon of that actually sweetens it up really nicely.
And then, you just want to mix that together.
Really simple, okay.
Easy?
So far, we can do this part?
- Yeah.
JOEL: Not bad, not bad, not bad.
All right, the problem with most baked donuts is that they dry out, So, we're going to talk about the wet mixture, which really makes these moist and just spongy and delicious, everything you want.
So, the dry side is done.
What makes apple cider donuts so delicious is obviously the apple cider, So, we put that in a pan and we cooked it down until it was syrupy.
Let that cool.
We add a little bit of oil.
Some vanilla, apple sauce.
Guys, this is money in the bank.
Apple sauce is what's going to really set this off.
And then, we've got some eggs.
Now, if I cracked eggs straight into here, if you got a bad egg, the whole thing is bad.
So, grab a little bowl as an insurance bowl and just crack that in.
Cool, and that way you just know if it's a bad egg, you don't plop it in there.
I don't know what it is about these donuts.
You know, I'm, like, obsessed with donuts.
I'm so glad that we kind of made this because you can kind of enjoy both.
So, at this point, I had the wet mixture.
I kind of put it right in there.
And then, you want to fold this in.
Now this is really, really key here, okay?
The folding technique-- watch the body, okay?
I know you don't think I'm limber.
I'm limber.
Okay?
(laughter) So, you kind want to get in there and scrape the bowl.
I kind of feel like I'm doing massage right here.
Um... but you kind of like working it together like this, and this keeps it light.
Again, the more you work this dough, because there's flour, it's going to get bready.
And, like, a donut... a chewy donut kind of sucks.
A nice, you know, tender donut is what we're looking for.
So you kind of bring this together and then, right when it comes together, it's okay if there's some chunkiness.
I like chunkiness, that's good... ...said no one ever.
But look at this.
That's kind of what we're looking for.
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
(audience clapping) And then, a great little tip is to grab a piping bag.
It's really hard to kind of, like, fill it and hold it.
It gets everywhere.
So, put it over your hand like this... ...place it into a jar, kind of turn it inside out, and then take the whole mixture.
So you kind of spoon that in there.
We don't have to do it all, you guys get the idea.
And then you unfold it and you're kind of left with this, right?
So, you have this ready to go.
And then, these are donut pans.
You can buy these anywhere nowadays.
If you're going to fry them, you don't need this.
But, if you're going to bake them, you've got to have that iconic shape of an apple cider donut.
So, you kind of get in there and you start right here.
And two layers, baby.
Don't you dare go one layer on me.
I'm not eating those donuts.
(laughter) I want it nice and thick, right?
So you just go around and around.
Amazing-- doesn't that look good already?
(cheers and applause) Beautiful.
(cheers and applause) Next up, we pick it up, tap it, and that gets all the air bubbles out.
Bake at 350 for about ten, 15 minutes and they come out looking... ...well, almost like this, but like that.
But they will look like this.
(cheers and applause) Yeah.
All we did with this, this, this is so easy.
We dust this in a zero calorie sugar substitute, but it's actually 50/50.
So, there is 50% sugar in here, 50% of the alternative sweetener and a little bit of cinnamon.
For me, that's what I crave and it's way lightened up.
So, that's me on a plate right there.
(cheers and applause) So good.
(cheers and applause) Oh, my gosh.
♪ ♪ Absolutely delicious.
I am covered in this.
That is a little story from me.
This is where we like to hear your homemade recipe stories.
Check this out.
♪ ♪ - Hi, Joel, I'm Calvin from New York and I want to tell you about my bubbe's matzo ball soup.
This is a soup that she would prepare every Friday night when we came over for Shabbat dinner.
And now, she probably keeps about a gallon of it frozen in her freezer at all times.
This latest batch definitely came from her freezer, but the matzo balls are fresh and they heat up perfectly.
It's always delicious.
(cheers and applause) JOEL: Amazing, amazing.
All right.
Our guest today is such an inspiring dude.
This guy is incredible.
He's the brains behind Fit Men Cook, with over two million followers.
Unbelievable.
Give it up for Kevin Curry!
(cheers and applause) (Joel laughs) What's up, buddy?
- How you doing?
JOEL: Thanks for being here.
- Thank you for having me.
What's up, y'all?
(cheers and applause) JOEL: Wow.
- Wow.
I appreciate that.
JOEL: Much louder ovation than me.
- Yeah, yeah, I like that.
JOEL: Welcome to Seattle, baby, welcome to Seattle.
Well, you are now this just iconic brand.
People look to you all over the world to kind of change the way they eat.
How did this all start?
- Yeah, it started with me being, um, like, hitting rock bottom in 2008 with the stock market crash.
Everything kind of happened.
I lost the girl, I lost the job, and I was back home on my parents' couch, and I started just to gain weight, and I was really, really just sad, you know, and depressed.
And I reached out to this personal trainer to ask me... you know, to ask for some help, and he just quoted me some ridiculous number that I just could not afford.
I mean, I'm on food stamps now after being in grad school.
JOEL: Yeah.
- So I said, you know what?
If he can figure this out, then so can I.
So I took myself over to Half Price Books and bought every single book they had.
Well, actually I didn't buy every single one.
Actually, I actually kind of sat in there and was like, "Let me just read this first.
"Okay, this one's good.
I can get this one."
(laughter) And that's how it started.
And then, so right now, it's a global community of people that just want to eat healthy, right?
But that was not my goal.
My goal was to save my diet, right?
JOEL: Yeah.
- So, I had this side hustle idea.
JOEL: Got it.
- What if I go to social media and post every single thing that I'm eating?
So people that know better will tell me, "All right, Kev, that's good, but don't do that."
So, it was a way to crowdsource my diet.
And the reverse happened.
JOEL: Interesting.
- Yeah, and the reverse happened.
People began to ask me questions.
I began to lose weight.
And so it just became this community of people who were tired of cookie cutter diets.
We don't want to eat chicken breasts and brown rice and broccoli every single day, yeah.
JOEL: We can relate to you, we can relate to you.
(cheers and applause) JOEL: I, I feel like when people put themselves out there, like, when people are transparent and real and you're not even trying to get followers, you're just trying to-- people connect to that and they feel that.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
JOEL: And that's, I mean, why you've garnered such an amazing following.
I do know food was important for you growing up.
Tell me about, like... - Yeah, in the South.
JOEL: I know Sunday was... yeah, from the South.
Sunday was a big day?
Was that... - Yeah, Sunday was a big day.
My dad was in church, like, all the time because he was a minister of music.
JOEL: Oh.
- So, we'd be in church, like, early in the morning and wouldn't leave until 3:00 P.M.
So, my mom would always prep food on, like, Saturday night and Sunday mornings.
JOEL: Okay.
- My mom kind of functioned as, like, the big mama.
So, in the sense that everybody would come to our house.
So we would just have a whole lot of food all the time.
Food is love.
JOEL: Food is totally love.
- That's how we show love to people, right?
JOEL: As a Jewish boy from the North... - Oh, well you know.
JOEL: I have looked up to these after church, like, get-togethers.
They look incredible.
- Yeah.
JOEL: I mean, the spreads look amazing, where just everyone, the whole neighborhood over, everyone makes a plate, that type of thing.
- So, my favorite one was roast beef.
JOEL: Okay.
- And candied yams, and then spinach-- well, not spinach, greens.
JOEL: Soul food, this is like-- - Oh yeah, it was soul food.
JOEL: For our next bite, we're going to recreate your mom's kind of Sunday meal soul food, but lightened up.
Should we do it?
Let's do it.
(cheers and applause) All right, so Kevin, we're starting with the chicken.
- Yes, sir, it's the most important thing, right?
The protein, people always like that.
JOEL: Yeah.
- Now, we're not doing fried chicken because we're trying to be a lot more calorie conscious.
JOEL: Yeah.
- I'm not an absolutist when it comes to foods, so if you want to eat the fried chicken, eat the fried chicken.
But every single day?
It may not push you close to your wellness goals.
JOEL: I don't think it will get you there.
- All right, so... JOEL: Step one, a little spray?
- Skin off.
- Yes.
JOEL: I like the spray.
- We're going to use the oil as a binder.
JOEL: Okay.
- All right?
JOEL: Just to kind glue it on, - Absolutely.
- And then we're going to use some low-sodium Cajun blend.
JOEL: Is this your blend?
- This is my blend, yes.
JOEL: You came out with your own spice blend?
- Yes, I did.
JOEL: Give it up for that.
(cheers and applause) That's cool.
- Thank you.
JOEL: All right, so just load it on?
- Yes, like, put it on-- JOEL: Go big?
- Yeah, you can be heavy-handed.
You can flip it over.
(Joel laughs) Just make sure that it's all seasoned.
Y'all, please season your food, you don't want to do that.
Especially for social media.
Everybody out there on social media is a professional cook.
And they're, "You didn't season it."
JOEL: Well, that's the problem-- a little bit with social media, everything looks so perfect.
And one of the things that I love about your account, and honestly why I think you've found so much success, is when I go on your account, it doesn't look like 14 people made it look pretty.
Put it on a bed of, like, corn, on a bed of, you known, grass and a golden retriever in the back.
Like, it's not, it's not, it's not set.
It just looks like the way that my food looks.
- Yeah.
Right.
JOEL: I think that you kind of, to me, feel like me.
Like you just feel like an every guy, right?
And you just are trying to make it approachable, and I think you do such a good job of that.
- Thank you.
Thank you very much for that.
JOEL: All right, so we have these.
So, you put those in, you let those air fry.
No extra oil, right?
Just that.
- Yes, absolutely.
JOEL: Okay.
- And it should be done about 15 or so minutes, right?
JOEL: Yeah, we've got some going.
- It depends on how big they are and how many pieces you put in there.
And if you have a really big one, then you don't have to do as many batches.
But just know, you're probably going to have to be doing batches if you have this egg style one.
JOEL: Now, before we get into the greens, and I know greens down South is huge.
I know you're from down South.
- Yep.
JOEL: But you spent some time up North a little bit, because you went to Texas for undergrad, and then Harvard for post?
- Yeah, yeah.
(cheers and applause) JOEL: Damn.
I love it.
So, who has better food, Boston or Texas?
- Oh, Texas by far, I mean... (audience groans) - Oh, I'm sorry.
JOEL: Wow.
- Maybe... JOEL: Wow.
- Actually, that came out too fast, right?
(Joel laughs) Boston has good food, you know.
Uh, yeah.
JOEL: Okay, that's a hard... - Yeah.
(laughter) JOEL: Yeah.
A very PBS answer right there, I love it, I love it.
All right, so talk to me through these greens.
- So, we're going to make some wilted spinach instead.
Now greens are actually good, like, by themselves, right?
And they're actually like, pretty, you know, tasty, healthy for you.
JOEL: What did your mom make?
Like, collards and kale?
- Collards, yeah.
But they just take a whole lot of time, and when you're trying to do meal prep and getting in the kitchen, you want something quick and easy.
Joel: Mm-hmm.
So, we're going to make some wilted spinach.
So, we're going to get you sauteing onions.
JOEL: Yeah, we already have some onions going.
And then, you want me to chop up this garlic?
- Chop up this garlic, please.
JOEL: All of this garlic?
- Yeah, yeah.
JOEL: Okay, let's go, baby.
I'm in.
You don't kiss anyone down South apparently.
- I'm a garlic lover, I think it adds a whole lot.
You know what I mean?
(both laughing) JOEL: I love it.
- And then we're going to add in the spinach.
Now don't be afraid about putting a whole lot in here because you know, spinach will wilt.
So, you don't want to wilt it down too much.
So, you can actually squeeze in some lemon, or actually I like to use a little bit of broth.
JOEL: Create steam.
- Just some liquid, you can use water.
But, you know, just for a little bit more flavor.
JOEL: So, it's interesting because I would normally add the garlic before that-- you add it after?
- I like it afterwards just because sometimes the garlic, you know, can, like, burn and become kind of bitter?
JOEL: Yes.
- And also, just, I like to have that garlic flavor, like, really fresh.
So, you're going to keep on going like this until it wilts down.
JOEL: Yeah.
- Now I like to have it just like this, right?
JOEL: Yeah, like barely wilted.
- Yes, barely wilted.
JOEL: If you don't cook garlic, you add it at the end like this, it's going to stay spicy.
So, garlic-- yeah, right?
- Yeah.
JOEL: So, I like that, It's going to give a little spice-- that looks really good.
That looks simple.
- And it's just, I mean, we're done with this recipe.
JOEL: That's how easy that is.
- Yeah.
JOEL: All right, so, just to recap.
That looks good.
- Yeah, some salt.
JOEL: And there is cumin.
- Yeah, some cumin too if you'd like to.
JOEL: If you want it.
Okay, so just to recap, we've got chicken that is air frying with some Cajun seasoning.
We've got some wilted spinach with caramelized onions, but garlic at the end, just to give it that heat.
Then, you've got these yams situation.
What's happening over here, baby?
- We're going to not make candied yams.
We're going to make a nice, fluffy mash.
JOEL: Because candied yams are just loaded with sugar or what?
- Yes, they are, but they're really good though.
JOEL: They're so good.
- We don't want to... JOEL: They're so damn good.
- We don't-- they're good, but just added sugar, you know, we don't really want that.
JOEL: Yeah.
- And plus, food tastes good, like, by itself.
We don't really have to add in a whole bunch of butters and oils all the time.
It just tastes good, so let it perform.
JOEL: Absolutely.
Absolutely.
- So, we're going to use this wonderful burnt orange KitchenAid.
JOEL: He loves this mixer.
He asked if he could have this mixer after.
- And he told me "yes."
Isn't he wonderful?
JOEL: Dammit!
- He's so wonderful.
JOEL: You said it on camera so there's a record.
- It's just-- JOEL: I mean.
- Thank you so much for giving this to me.
JOEL: It does match, it does match.
All right, so these just got steamed.
Then you add these into the bowl.
- Yeah, steam them.
JOEL: This is actually a great trick.
I mean, I know normally if you just have a small batch, you just mash them-- but if you put them in a little stand mixer like this and put on the paddle attachment, it kind of just does it.
- It creates air in there too as you're mixing it.
JOEL: Yeah, you want to go for it, my man?
- Yes.
So, we're going to get this going.
JOEL: What else goes in there?
- All right.
JOEL: So just kind of... - Yep.
JOEL: One overboard.
- Add in a little bit of cinnamon.
And the cool thing about cinnamon, too, is that if you love sugar, putting in this will actually help out a whole lot, right?
To actually cut that without adding in added sugar.
JOEL: Why, it just makes things taste sweeter?
- Yeah, it helps to balance out your blood sugar too.
JOEL: That actually smells incredible, yeah.
- Some nutmeg.
If you want to use the pumpkin spice, you can.
JOEL: The way he eyes spices terrifies me, I love it.
- I'm just like, "Yeah, put it all in there."
It looks about right.
I'm cooking like Mama used to cook.
JOEL: I'm in, I'm in.
- I'm cooking like Mama, you know.
JOEL: That smells so good.
- Because you know what?
At the end of the day, you have to eat this food.
JOEL: Yes.
- So it's yours, so do what you want with it, you know?
JOEL: And then we've got maple syrup?
- A little bit of maple syrup in there.
JOEL: How much you want me to go?
- Well, how much is in there?
Let me see.
Yeah, you didn't buy it, let's put the whole thing in there.
JOEL: Look at this guy.
(laughter and applause) He's bringing Texas to Seattle, I mean, big time.
- It's about two tablespoons worth.
JOEL: He's just like boom, boom.
This is like everything.
- You put it in there.
And the cool thing about maple syrup too, it's actually really good for you.
It's packed a whole bunch of antioxidants and minerals... JOEL: Totally.
And I like that it's not too sweet.
It has that kind of... - No, no, no, it's not.
It actually gives it a nice, like, for me, like a country flavor.
JOEL: Yes, yes.
I love it.
- You know?
It reminds me of that, the South.
JOEL: That smells so good.
Now I know for you-- I mean, you've changed so many lives with Fit Men Cook, right?
So many lives.
And I know for you talk-- you're very vocal about this.
It's not just about working out or eating differently.
It's actually a lot upstairs, a lot about mental health.
- Yeah, it starts in your mind.
You know, the reason why I started going down this path is I was pretty depressed.
I was seeing a psychiatrist.
I was in therapy, I was taking medication.
JOEL: Yeah.
- And so, it wasn't to try to, like, reverse that, but I just realized that after I began to, you know, like, work out... Well, it all started when someone posted this, you know, like, this Facebook photo of me.
JOEL: That's always fun.
- Now this is back at the time where they could tag you in something, and it's just on your profile and you're like "Please untag."
You need to call them up, "Untag that photo."
You know, it was before that time, right?
So that was like, "Okay, Kev, you can't be depressed and looking like this."
So, I started to do that.
And so that was a way that I began, you know, to kind of understand the link between healthy eating, and working out, and mental wellness.
And so it wasn't... (cheers and applause) Thanks.
(cheers and applause) Now, I say this too, just because, like, there's nothing wrong with people getting therapy and taking medication, right?
JOEL: No, of course.
- This just helps to accelerate and to compliment that, right?
JOEL: Absolutely.
- So, if you need to take some meds, there's nothing wrong with that.
But if you can eat healthy, and exercise and get movement, and I'm not talking about running a marathon.
You can walk around the block, y'all.
JOEL: Yeah.
- Keep it really simple.
Something just for you, I think that will help you out a lot more.
(cheers and applause) JOEL: I love it man, well said.
Church just got out.
- Church just got out.
JOEL: You invited your buddy, Joel from Seattle.
- Hey!
JOEL: It's my first church service, I'm excited.
Load me up a plate.
How do we build this?
- We just put them into separate platters.
So, we're going to put the candied sweet potatoes over here.
JOEL: Okay, and then you want me to take the chicken out?
Let's just see, this one should be done.
- And I want to point something out, y'all.
This whole thing was done in about 30 minutes.
You've got an entire thing for you, enough for dinner or, or like for meal prep, in less than an hour.
You can't really beat that.
And it's also going to be good for you in that it's nutritious.
JOEL: Okay, can I just be real about meal prep for a sec?
I'm a chef.
- Yeah.
JOEL: Meal prep intimidates the heck out of me.
- What?
JOEL: I don't have time on Sunday to cook for, like, six hours for like the whole, you know.
But, how do you-- - Okay, well, see... this is it.
This is meal prep.
JOEL: Yeah.
- This is actually like a lunchbox someone can take.
This is meal prep.
JOEL: Your idea is just to make extra, right?
- Yeah.
You got your lean chicken, you got your veggies here, and then, you also have your complex carbs.
JOEL: This looks awesome.
- There's a little bit of simple carbs with the maple, but it's done.
Let me get a... JOEL: I love how, how you just took these kind of right to the edge of wilted, so there's still just a little bit of crunch.
- Yeah.
JOEL: This looks awesome.
- And if you're not a fan of spinach, you can use whatever.
Now, the one thing that I, this is the only food that I probably dislike the most, and I may get some boos here, but Brussels sprouts.
JOEL: I love Brussels sprouts.
- I know, I know, I know.
It's so weird.
JOEL: Do your maple situation, Creole seasoning is bomb.
- It's just, it's too bitter for me.
I, I did this gene test and it said that I'm really sensitive to bitter foods.
So it said your top foods are beer and Brussels sprouts and I hate all of that, I hate both with a passion.
I'm always like, "Oh, it tastes like Tylenol, like medicine."
(Joel laughs) So yes, but that's the only thing.
But if you want to have Brussels sprouts, go ahead and do that.
JOEL: I love it.
This looks great, can we just show real quick these three things?
- Yeah.
JOEL: This is soul food done light.
(cheers and applause) A little bit of cayenne.
- A little bit of smoked paprika, cayenne on there at the very end of it.
JOEL: All right.
- Boom, hey.
(cheers and applause) JOEL: Kevin Curry.
So, this is just something we do on the show.
- Yeah.
JOEL: This looks insane, by the way.
I'm going to face-plant into that.
But I have... this is the part of the show we have quick bites.
- Okay.
JOEL: Just quick questions for you.
Don't overthink it.
- Yup.
JOEL: We have not exposed him to this yet.
- Boxer briefs.
Oh, I thought you were-- JOEL: Oh, I'll go there.
You want to go there?
- I thought you were going to say...
I don't know.
All right, all right.
(laughter) JOEL: All right, weirdest thing you've ever eaten?
- Fermented shark in Iceland.
JOEL: Horrendous.
Let's end it that way.
- They made us open it up outside because it was so powerful, fragrant.
JOEL: Was it just insane smelling?
- It was, um, yeah.
It was really strong, I can't even...
It just tasted-- it's rotten.
It's rotten shark.
JOEL: Rotten shark.
- It's rotten shark and you... and it's like those little cubes, and I ate it.
And I was, like, immediately regretted, like, "Aah!"
And I'm with the Icelanders.
I was like, "Yeah, oh, yeah."
Oh, my God.
(Joel laughs) JOEL: All right, best meal of your life.
- Food is a good memory.
JOEL: Yes.
So, my dad was really sick and my mom made a soul food dinner, and she made a roast beef.
And I just remember as a child just crying through it.
JOEL: Mm.
Um, just because it just meant so much and it felt like love.
So... JOEL: That's what food does.
- Yeah.
JOEL: Food is a hug.
- Yeah.
JOEL: Food is a hug.
- It's a hug, yeah.
JOEL: All right, this last one's intense.
Everyone hold onto something.
- Okay.
JOEL: Is a hot dog a sandwich?
- Oh, gosh.
I would tend to say no, only because... JOEL: Why?
(applause) - Yeah, thank you.
(Joel laughs) JOEL: It's no-- timeout.
Timeout, why?
- Because, if you make a sandwich, you have what?
You have two pieces of bread.
This one is just like this, and so, technically it's a full... JOEL: I'm into that explanation.
- It's like a pita burrito.
(Joel laughs) It's like, you can't do that.
It's not a sandwich.
And so folding it like this, it's connected.
It can't be a sandwich, it's a hot dog.
JOEL: That's quick bites, that's great.
I love it.
We always like to end every episode of Homemade Live with just a little bit of a toast.
- Mm-hmm.
JOEL: I've been addicted to diet cola, like cola, like...
I've had that, I don't know about you guys at home.
- Me too.
JOEL: Like, it's a... oh, my God.
It is a thing.
- I love Coke Zero, that's my thing.
JOEL: Is that your thing?
So, this is kind of a cool hack.
I'm into this.
Balsamic vinegar.
- Ooh.
JOEL: Yeah.
JOEL: Really aged balsamic vinegar, that's like thick.
So, you just do a little bit.
Are you scared about this?
This could now beat the shark.
We'll see.
- I forgot to say that I, that I...
I also dislike vinegar, but go ahead.
JOEL: Let's try, let's try.
- I'm open to this, all right?
JOEL: Yeah, yeah.
Again, we might one-up the shark, but a teaspoon of balsamic or so.
- Looks beautiful.
JOEL Yeah.
And then a little bit of maple syrup.
- Okay.
JOEL: Because I know you like the natural sweetener.
So, a little bit of maple.
- And be heavy with mine.
JOEL: Okay, all right.
All right, all right, all right.
- Yeah.
JOEL: It's the Texas thing.
And then some lime club soda.
Like, try and get the lime flavor.
Just normal club soda will work.
But look at this, it kind of looks like... - Yeah.
JOEL: ...feels like.
JOEL: Are you kind of into it?
- I mean, if you squint and look at it like that, absolutely.
(Joel laughs) I mean, I'm drinking Coke.
JOEL: Oh, I love it.
So, you give this a stir.
Does anyone want to see his reaction?
I want to see.
- Oh, God.
JOEL: I think it looks pretty good, right?
- Yes, yeah.
JOEL: All right, you get the ultra-sweet one.
Let's try.
- Thank you.
Cheers.
JOEL: Cheers, let's try.
(Joel laughs) It's not that bad!
It is not that bad!
- No, it's not...
It doesn't taste like Coke, but it's actually really refreshing.
It's really refreshing.
JOEL: Yeah, I couldn't replicate a billion dollar recipe.
- But, it's really good.
It's really refreshing.
JOEL: It's good.
- Okay.
JOEL: Well, I'll tell you what else is refreshing.
What else is refreshing is you my friend.
I think the health industry... - Thank you.
JOEL: ...is so, so intimidating.
It's hard for people to get around.
And you have created just this crowd of people who are changing their lives, taking their health by the hand, and running to their goals.
So, you're amazing.
This is a toast to you.
I want to toast to everyone in the crowd here and everyone watching at home.
Thanks for tuning in to Homemade Live.
We will see you next time.
(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ JOEL: To check out all the recipes we made today and more, visit us at homemade.live.
You'll find our free cooking class schedule where you can cook with me, live in real time.
I'll see you in the kitchen.
- Funding for Homemade Live is made possible by: - The American Diabetes Association has been here for more than 80 years.
- But we don't want to exist.
- We don't want diabetes to overtake us.
- To rob us.
- To break us.
- So we're standing tall.
- Rallying for affordable care.
- Lifting up people in need.
- And seeking a cure through research.
- So we can help end diabetes for good.
- Someday you won't need us.
- Until then... ALL: We fight.
♪ ♪ - Kalorik MAXX, proud sponsor of Homemade Live.
Oven air fries and bakes, double cooktop and griddle.
♪ ♪ - Sorghum, an ancient grain that's non-GMO and naturally gluten-free.
A resource-conserving crop that's heat and drought tolerant.
(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ JOEL: All right, give it up for Kevin Curry!
(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
Homemade Live! is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television