Healthy Alternatives While Celebrating Culinary Diversity

with campus executive chef Tom Barton

Our latest Menus of Change principle is "Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Discovery" and over the next few weeks our residential dining halls will be featuring menu items that celebrate the cultural diversity of our associates. As I was reviewing recipes in preparation for these events at both International Village and Stetson, it occurred to me that some of the ingredients in the traditional recipes could be swapped out for healthier alternatives while also remaining faithful to tradition. Here are some examples of ways to make recipes even a little bit healthier (which means you can enjoy them even more often!):

Instead of using butter why not use a fat free margarine? Canola, safflower or olive oils could also be substituted
Rather than using whole milk try a skim, evaporated skim or even plain nonfat yogurt can be used
Instead of using whole milk cheeses, look for ones that are made with part skim
Low fat or fat free sour cream can be substituted for regular sour cream
2 egg whites can replace 1 whole egg
Try simmering vegetables in a fat-free / low sodium chicken or vegetable stock instead of seasoning with many seasonings that have a high sodium content. Lightly tossing with freshly chopped herbs can also add plenty of flavor
Remove skin and fat from meats before cooking – or if the flavor of the skin is important to the dish try removing the skin before serving it
When using ground beef, look for a leaner grind such as a 90/10 blend
Instead of frying foods look for ways to bake, broil, or roast them
With stews and casseroles that are traditionally heavy on meat and light on vegetables, try changing up the recipe to incorporate more vegetables and less meat protein
When making salads use lighter vinegar-based dressings instead of the heavy mayonnaise- and dairy-based dressings
Using fruits that are packed in their own water or their own juice do not contain the added sugar that fruits packed in syrup do
Try serving half portions of traditional foods and desserts instead of full portions
Try using leaner cuts of meat such as turkey, chicken, and fish instead of red meats

Hopefully some of this will inspire you to go ahead and try some new ideas when approaching traditional foods!

Comments

Fish For Your Heart?

Cutting back on red meat is a common recommendation for both health and sustainability. What’s less clear is what we should replace the meat with. A recent study looked at this and the results may surprise you. If not red meat, what? Red meat appears on many lists of foods to eat less of due mostly to its saturated fat and cholesterol content, and the fact that we tend to eat too much of it. A recent study looked at what we should consider substituting for red meat when we follow the advice to cut back. Of all of the substitutions the study looked at, one stood out as the best choice – fish high in omega-3s. The fatty fish showed more benefits for heart health than poultry, unprocessed meat and even lean fish. Is fish safe to eat? Fish, especially the kind that gives us omega-3s, has long been considered a healthy choice. Warnings related to contamination by mercury and other toxins has left many people wondering if fish is safe to eat. For most people, the benefits of eating fish far ...

Superfood: Tomatoes

Fruit or vegetable? It is a fruit that works well as a vegetable! Tomatoes are considered a type of superfood because they are rich in lots of great nutrients. They contain lycopenes, which is an antioxidant that offers a protective effect in the body. Tomatoes are also a great source of vitamin A, E and C, which means tomatoes contain even more antioxidants than just lycopenes. Incorporate tomatoes and tomato products to help boost your immune system as well as promote skin and eye health! Good News: You should eat pizza!! Through research at the Harvard School of Public Health, it was determined that consumption of oil- and tomato-based products -- specifically tomato and pizza sauce – there was an association with cardiovascular benefits. So, choosing 1-2 slices of pizza paired with a side salad can be a healthy meal option.

Cutting the Salt!

Salt is found in more food products than you may realize. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that American's should consume fewer than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of salt (this is slightly less than 1 teaspoon of salt). Adults age 51 and older, African Americans of any age and people with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should reduce their sodium intake to 1,500 mg a day. These new dietary guidelines emphasize the importance of making meals and snacks from scratch versus choosing processed foods too often. The most common salts available are table salt, sea salt and kosher salt with the major differences among these being taste, texture, and processing. Kosher and sea salt have a larger course grain providing more air space, which in turn provides less sodium when used in place of table salt. The chefs in our kitchen across campus use kosher salt in their recipes to provide an overall reduced amount of sodium. Using items lik...

Choosing Healthy Foods

Search This Blog