ABC/Image Group LA
ABC/Image Group LA(NEW YORK) — Some of Laila Ali’s best memories of her legendary dad revolve around food, so it’s only fitting that she included one of Muhammad Ali’s favorite burger recipes in her first cookbook, Food for Life.
“That’s what I remember most with my father is eating with him because my father traveled a lot,” the boxing champ-turned-lifestyle guru tells ABC Radio. “When he was home, we would be going to eat.”
She adds, “He had these burger joints and I remember him picking me up from school and stopping at a burger joint and [there was a] burger that he would order a certain way. So my burger is inspired by that burger that he used to love.”
That would be a cooked-to-perfection ground beef patty with mustard, onion and American cheese – the aptly-titled Greatest of All Time Burger.
The meal-sharing tradition she had with her dad has now become one she shares with her own family: husband Curtis Conway and their children, nine-year-old Curtis Jr. and six-year-old Sydney.
“Cooking is definitely a time to spend together,” Ali says. “It’s like, no phones, no iPads, let’s focus, let’s talk about how our days went and it’s really about family and that moment.”
Her cookbook recipes are not only perfect for family meals, there are also some delicious — and healthy — party snacks. For the upcoming Super Bowl, Ali recommends her oven-fried chicken wings, zucchini fries, guacamole and edamame succotash.
Food for Life hits stores today.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.