From the first time I ever saw him on the “Steve Harvey Show” a decade ago, I knew that Cedric “The Entertainer,” whose real name is Cedric Antonio Kyles, was destined for stardom.

He is hilarious and his sense of comedic timing, deadpan smirks and smooth Saint Louis swagger just cracks me up! Just looking at him. As soon as that lip starts twitching, you know it’s coming. He even jokes about his diet and the need to change his eating habits.

He loves great food but these days has to watch what he eats. “As I mature, broiled foods are better for me,” he told me.

Actually, they’re better for all of us. As we get older, some of the foods that we ate when we were younger - like anything fried along with too much starch or dairy - no longer appeals to our bodies. We should strive to avoid excess animal fat and replace it with leaner foods like  fish, broiled chicken and olive oil with lots of veggies, fruits and salad. Most important is good spring water and lots of it.

By the way, I’m cooking for Cedric and his crew when he brings his stand-up comedy routine to the Philadelphia Academy of Music this weekend.

I asked him what he likes. Broiled  salmon, he said, and he likes to crunch.

This menu is Mediterranean-based and heart-healthy:

• Broiled salmon with  teriyaki  glaze
• Mediterranean Couscous with sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, yellow raisins and cilantro
• Jasmine rice with parsley
• Spinach and arugula salad with cranberries,  shaved carrots, roasted walnuts and goat cheese,  tossed in a walnut/raspberry vinaigrette dressing
• Hot and teriyaki barbecued chicken wingettes
• Broccoli coleslaw with yellow raisins and Asian sesame dressing
• Deli platter with angel eggs, turkey breast, turkey pastrami, roast beef, and havarti, swiss and provolone cheeses
• Crudités with broccoli, red and yellow peppers, celery, carrots, asparagus, mushrooms and heirloom tomatoes with an assortment of  humus and pita breads

No related posts.