Chapter 13 Building Healthy Recipes. The Art of Nutritional Cooking, 3 rd edition Baskette/Painter...

Chapter 13Building Healthy Recipes

The Art of Nutritional Cooking, 3rd editionBaskette/Painter

© 2009 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All Rights Reserved.2

Key Concepts When every main food item and accompaniment served

meets high culinary standards the diner is more likely to eat the variety and amounts of foods prescribed for healthy eating.

The first step in transforming an existing recipe to meet nutritional values and balance is to evaluate its present nutritional worth, and determine what can be changed to improve it without jeopardizing the integrity of the dish.

The caloric, cholesterol and sodium content of foods served are just as critical as the amount of fat, vitamins and minerals.

If complete substitutions make too great a change in existing recipes, then partial substitution may be more practical and still result in lower fat for the whole plate.




More Key Concepts The nutritional composition of vegetable, grain, potato,

sauce and other plate accompaniments are equally important to the main course item when trying to serve healthier meals

A great way to reduce the amount of fat used in cooking is to measure the amount of fat that is needed accurately instead of free pouring the fat into the pot or pan

Nutritional recipes need to be based on measurable information, not guess work, with controls put in place during the entire process of ordering, preparing, cooking and serving the foods to ensure nutritional goals are achieved

Kitchen and wait staffs must be trained to deliver healthier foods to the customers; interpretations and guess work can cause serious problems to the guest and the operation




The challenge

The challenge is to make a healthier plate of food that taste great and satisfies hunger without compromising the integrity, or main concept of the original recipe




Protect the Integrity of the Dish

If the integrity of the recipe can not be protected, then it is better to design a completely new recipe giving it a new name and presentation

Tournedos Rossini, for example, is a classic dish made from beef tenderloin lightly sautéed, placed on top a toasted bread crouton, crowned with a slice of foie gras, sliced truffles and sauce Madeira

how could this recipe be nutritionally improved without changing its basic concept of a beef tenderloin preparation with crouton, foie gras and roux thickened brown sauce?




Healthy Prime Rib

Prime Rib of beef which gets its name from a single item, roasted beef rib loin, can be part of a nutritious and balanced diet without compromising the original concept of the dish

the beef entrée itself can be prepared more nutritiously, smaller portions can be served, and flavorful, nutrient rich vegetables, sauces and other accompaniments can be included on the plate for complete balance




Steps to Preparing Healthy Prime Rib

Purchase select grade beef (naturally lower in fat than choice and prime grades of beef)

Trim the loin of most excess fat, especially the lip

Roast it slowly at low temperatures to reduce shrinkage and moisture loss

Serve six to eight ounce portions only Utilize the drippings from the roasting pan as an

accompanying sauce Prepare multiple nutrient rich accompaniments

to fill the plate




Fat Found in Beef

Prime beef contains the highest amount of exterior and interior fat (marbling)

Choice and select grades of beef have significantly lower amounts of fat in descending order respectively, while the nutritive values of the meat remains extremely high




Healthy Claims

The US government does not allow food manufactures or producers to advertise healthy food choices unless the product does meet nutritional standards established by the USDA especially claims for low fat and low cholesterol foods.




Recipe Transformations

The first step in transforming a recipe to meet nutritional values and balance is to evaluate its present nutritional worth, and determine which factors can be changed without jeopardizing the integrity of the dish




Answer these Questions Are the main food items heavy in fat; can they be trimmed,

or can other less fatty substitutions be made? What are the entrée and accompaniment (s) portion sizes? What fats are used for marinades, dressings and cooking,

and can they be eliminated or replaced with less saturated oils?

What flavors from vegetables, herbs and spices could be used to enhance the natural flavors of the other ingredients?

Can a lower fat or no fat cooking method replace the cooking methods specified and still create foods similar in taste and eye appeal to the original recipes?

How are sauces and accompaniments made, and can they be replaced with healthier versions considering the variety of other foods on the plate?

What flavors would be lost, if any, due to ingredient substitution or elimination, and what could be added to return distinguishable flavors to the dish?




Re-evaluate the New Recipe

The final recreation too must be evaluated for the same factors to make certain the transformation worked, and calories, cholesterol and sodium are not grossly affected

It could not be considered a healthier recipe simply because the fats were reduced, and especially when its cholesterol, sodium or caloric content increases drastically

Heavier vitamin and mineral rich foods served in combination with high fatty foods may not be enough to present a completely healthy meal either

Balance is the key to healthy eating; it is the consummate challenge for cooks and chefs to encourage the customer to eat everything on the plate and enjoy the benefits of healthy cooking




Checking Food Charts for Value

Food charts can be used to determine the nutrient values of existing and transformed recipes. They are available free from the USDA:

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 16

Nutritive Value of Foods, Home and Garden Bulletin, Number 72




Computer Programs Computer software programs now available that

will conduct nutrition analysis for cooks and chefs

can contain large data bases containing the nutritional values of thousands of different food ingredients

the chef in-puts the ingredients, including their cooking methods into the program

by stating a portion size, in weighted ounces or volume measures) the computer automatically calculates the amount of nutrition per serving




Substitute Meats and Poultry for Healthier Cooking

Many traditional recipes which call for meat that are high in saturated fat, like beef and pork, can be made with a more nutritious meat substitute without sacrificing flavor, texture and appeal

turkey, chicken, and game meats like venison and rabbit are good choices for healthier substitutions




Half and Half

Some recipes can have a portion of the meat replaced with a healthier choice and still maintain the integrity of the dish.

much like milk, which can be purchased as whole milk and in less fatty forms, and coffee, which can be purchased in regular and decaffeinated forms, some meat recipes allow for the whole or partial substitution of meats with lower fat concentrations

customers can eat their favorite meals with many of the traditional flavors they enjoy with less fat




Healthy Low-fat Turkey Turkey is one of the best meats for substitutions.

It is naturally low in fat and is suited to most cooking procedures and taste combinations

ground turkey is the most versatile to use for it is easily incorporated in a multitude of ground beef, veal or pork recipes

ground turkey is readily available through most meat purveyors, or it can be ground in-house

thinly cut and flattened turkey breast meat is also a

good substitution for chicken, pork or veal in the preparation of many cutlet dishes




Lean Venison

Venison and other game meats, which are naturally leaner than most domesticated animals and birds, also make excellent substitutes for fattier beef and poultry entrees




Ratites

Flightless birds raised today for food Emu and ostrich are other lean choices for

meat substitutions, although the price per pound of edible meat is typically two to three times as expensive as beef




A Part Fix

Meat substitutions do not always need to create drastic changes in order to deliver healthier foods

sometimes a substitution does not dramatically reduce fats but decreases them enough to balance the other foods on the plate

the overall goal is less than 30% caloric content from fats on any given plate

often a slight change in meat item or portion size in combination with other healthy foods is all that is required to achieve those goals




Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is on the rise in the US, with estimates nearing 13 million people who choose not to eat meat or limit their meat consumption

some of the reasons why people choose not to eat meat are their cultural, ethnic and religious upbringing and beliefs which promote vegetarianism

now health and diet are added to the list of reasons why more people are choosing to eat meatless entrees, salads and sandwiches in record numbers




Vegetarian Choices Soy burgers are now sold in college cafeterias

everywhere

Veggie burgers are offered at fine institutions

Many restaurants in the fast food industry sell meatless burgers as part of their daily menus

Vegetable pancakes, vegetable lasagna and vegetable stir fry




Protein Alternatives

Seitan (SAY-than): wheat gluten

Tempeh (TEHM-pay): fermented cooked soybeans

Tofu (TOH-foo): soy curd




Other Soybean Based Foods Miso: fermented soybeans made into a paste

ground with grains Soy milk: made by soaking and pressing whole

soybeans Soy flour: ground from roasted soybean Soy grits: a coarsely ground soybean Soybean oil: pressed from soybeans Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP): soybean

protein broken down by acid Textured soy protein (TSP): used as a meat

substitute or meat extender in traditionally meat-based items




Types of Tofu Firm tofu is dense and solid; it holds up

well in stir fry preparations, soups and stews. Firm tofu can also be sliced and grilled or pan-fried

Soft tofu does not hold its shape very well at all; it is used often in soups and many blended recipes

Silken tofu is made by a slightly different process resulting in a creamy, custard-like product




The Whole Plate Concept All the foods on the plate play a critical role in

achieving healthy results

The importance of the main item to contribute nutrition and flavors becomes relative to the amount of other foods on the plate

Vegetables, fruits, grains and sauces, which make up the other components on the plate, also contribute their share of vitamins and minerals offering more nutritional value with every mouth full




Colors, Textures, Flavors, Shapes, and Mouth Feel

Important factors to consider when placing two different foods together, let alone four or five different food items and half a dozen flavor components in a typical recipe




Healthy Sauces and Accompaniments

Sauces should be reduction sauces or starch thickened sauces to reduce the amount of fat on the plate

Vegetable accompaniments should have a variety of textures, and colors with flavors that complement the other flavors on the plate




Ten Tips to Healthy Cooking Tips 1-5

Purchase only the freshest products that are available

Purchase vegetables grown in your own locality whenever possible to decrease shipping and storage time

Store all products properly, whether fresh, frozen, or dried

Prepare products as close to cooking time as possible

Never store cut vegetables or potatoes in water for long periods of time




Healthy Cooking Tips Tips 6-10

If blanching is part of the cooking process, shock vegetables quickly and remove from water/ice bath as soon as cooled off

Blanch steaming retains more nutrients than blanching vegetables in water; be careful not to over cook the vegetables

If combining ingredients, learn the different cooking times of leaf, root, stem, flowering, and fruit vegetables

Cook vegetables that take the longest amount of time first, and cook the ones that take the least amount of time last

Cook and serve vegetables with as little preparatory work done to them as possible; avoid pureed or finely chopped vegetable preparations




Serving Healthy Vegetables Serving healthy vegetable accompaniments is an

important goal; serving tasty and satisfying vegetable accompaniments takes a little more planning

common vegetable accompaniments like candied carrots, broccoli and hollandaise and the infamous vegetable medley are either loaded with unnecessary calories, fat and cholesterol, or are simply not interesting enough to tempt the diner to consume them

The challenge is to get guests and customers to eat all of the accompaniments on the plate so they walk away with a complete meal full of flavors, textures and nutrients




Healthier Sauces

Traditional sauces, like velouté, béchamel, espagnole and all their derivative sauces can be thickened by using arrowroot, corn starch and other types of refined starches in place of the roux

place dry starch in a cup or container and then add enough cold liquid to thoroughly dissolve the starch

once the starch is completely dissolved (this is called a slurry) pour it into simmering stock to create the sauce

add flavoring ingredients like wine, shallots, herbs, spices and vegetable garnishes just as you would for roux thickened sauces




Healthier Stocks Make stocks: chicken, beef and seafood, using

additional flavoring ingredients in the mirepoix besides the traditional carrots, celery and onion that are always used

turnips, rutabagas and golden beets to contribute a greater variety of nutrients

fresh parsley and other fresh herbs add a number of beneficial vitamins and minerals to stocks

fat from the bones and marrow used in making stocks naturally floats to the top of stocks as they cool

remove as much of the fat as possible before making any sauce (s)




Other Ways to Thicken Soups and Sauces

Use rice, potato, dried beans (legumes) and peas (split peas) are other healthy choices as thickening agents for soups and sauces




Reduction Sauces

Reduction sauces are also a good nutritional accompaniment for they contain little or not fat

they are poor substitutions for classic or traditional sauces, but are excellent choices when creating new recipes and menu item presentations

reduction sauces are stocks and other flavoring ingredients like wine, shallots, herbs and spices, which are cooked together over an open flame to reduce the liquid content




Substituting Fats for Healthier Cooking

Although it is recommended that Americans reduce all of their fat consumption, the biggest culprits are those fats that contain large amounts of saturated fatty acids

most recipes that call for these fats can be altered by making simple substitutions that will reduce the amounts of unhealthy saturated fats and still provide a high level of flavor and taste




An Unrealistic Expectation

Problems arise when you try to take an item like pound cake, which is very high in fat and saturated fat, make substitutions based on levels of saturated fats only, and expect something that tastes and looks the same as before




Reduce Fats in Cooking

Use nonstick cooking pans or grills

Measure the amount of fat that is actually needed

Use a non-flavored vegetable oil instead of butter or margarine for frying or sauté




Subbing Fats in the Bakeshop

In rolled-in dough and pastries, such as puff pastry, Danish, and flaky pie crusts, the substitutions do not work

In cakes, muffins, and breads, oils work just as well as butter or shortening, with only a slightly lower volume




Tasty Marinades Return Flavor For meats and poultry containing a lot of

exterior fat, trim the excess fat off first, which is loaded with saturated fatty acids, and then marinade them in flavorful liquids containing less saturated vegetable oils

It is interior fat in meat muscles that, when cooked, which supplies tenderness and juiciness to the finished product

leaner cuts of meat, such as flank steak and first-cut brisket, are naturally less tender and juicier than fattier meats

in order to utilize these leaner types of meats in quality presentations you need to create some tasty marinades that help tenderize and add flavors




When Reducing Fats we also Reduce Flavor

Chefs must realize that flavor must be re-created

when fat used in part or entirely for flavor is replaced or removed from the original recipe, then an equivalent level of flavor must be added by other ingredients

this practice will maintain full taste satisfaction in the finished product

If you want the flavor of butter but the health benefits of oil, then sauté in oil and add butter, as you would any seasoning, at the end of the cooking process




Use Stocks to Reheat Veggies

In sautéing vegetables, the use of stock as the sautéing medium greatly affects the amount of fat in the finished dish

although the use of stock is not part of the true definition of sautéing, the results are the same

a carefully measured amount of butter (about ½ teaspoon per serving, for approximately 17 calories) added to the sauté pan after the vegetables have been heated through gives the taste of butter without all the fat of cooking in butter




Smoked Turkey

In place of bacon fat (a seasoning fat used by many southern cooks to flavor vegetables), try using a vegetable oil in combination with hickory-smoked turkey wings, backs, or necks




Trim the Fat

In grilling or broiling steaks, chops, and chicken, first remove all the exterior fat and skin from the meat

use a knife to trim the solid fat as close to the meat as you can

prepare a marinade of flavored liquids, herbs, and spices that can be brushed onto the item just before cooking




Other Fat Reducing Alternatives

Evaporated skim milk for heavy cream

Low-fat yogurt for sour cream

Part skim-milk cheese for whole-milk cheeses




Portioning

Proper portioning of foods that are high in fat is a simple way to control the amount of fat consumption




American Portions are Large

10-ounce filets

12-ounce rib eye steaks

16-ounce sirloin steaks

Only 3-5 ounces of protein is recommended




Reducing Portions isn’t Enough

Reducing the amount of meat in a serving will reduce the amount of fats in the diet, but if diners walk away hungry, they are likely to eat other foods later to compensate

add back volume by creating combination dinners like stews, stir-fries, and casseroles

serve beef with pasta, chicken with rice




Create New Healthy Recipes

Often cooks and chefs are given the opportunity to create entirely new recipes based on nutritional standards

it is a great challenge to make healthy food taste and look good too

these recipes need to be based on measurable nutritional information with controls put in place during the entire process of ordering, preparing and cooking the foods to ensure higher nutrition is achieved




First Answer these Questions Do you want to achieve an item with no fat, or is low

fat (under 10% calories from fat) acceptable?

Are you designing a high carbohydrate or a low carbohydrate diet; high protein or low protein diet?

Do you need to control sodium to acceptable levels or reduce it as much as possible?

What caloric content is acceptable for the meal period?

What are the vitamins and minerals you want to serve through food?




Healthy Baking

Successful healthy baking can be also be achieved when the same principles of flavor manipulation

knowledge of the ingredients, their use in the baking process, and the flavors they impart, as well as skill in manipulating ingredients according to the science of baking, are tools needed for the production of healthy desserts




Design Healthier Desserts Substitute skim milk for whole or low-fat milk. Use low-fat, mock sour cream, or low-fat yogurt

for sour cream. Try egg substitutes for whole eggs. Replace all or part of the egg requirement with

egg whites only. Add whole wheat, rye, buckwheat, or oat flours

to basic formulas. Use low-fat condensed milk or soft tofu instead

of cream. Substitute cocoa for baking chocolate. Use natural condensed fruit juices for refined

sugars.




Staff Development

Wait staffs are the salespeople and ambassadors for the restaurant

they must be trained to answer the questions customers will ask

servers must know the preparation methods and ingredients for all menu items

must also have a basic understanding of nutritional cooking so they will know what substitutions will help transform a traditional recipe to a more nutritionally balanced recipe

must also know about food allergies and intolerances and the menu items that contain suspect ingredients




Nutritionally Trained Kitchen Staff

The kitchen staff must also be trained in nutritional cooking concepts so they can make alterations and substitutions within company policy and sound nutritional guidelines




Knowledgeable Service

A well trained staff knows the ingredients of every recipe, or knows the importance of checking with management when confronted by a customer who makes any kind of health or allergy/intolerance claim

giving a customer good service includes good, accurate information regarding the food on the menu and how it is all prepared




END

Chapter 13 Building Healthy Recipes. The Art of Nutritional Cooking, 3 rd edition Baskette/Painter...

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Transcript of Chapter 13 Building Healthy Recipes. The Art of Nutritional Cooking, 3 rd edition Baskette/Painter...