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Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals. They are cholesterol-free and tend to be relatively low in calories and fat. They also add texture, color and crunch to dishes. To incorporate more fruits and vegetables into the dishes you offer:
Shift the balance between protein and vegetables (and noodles and vegetables) in your dishes to include more vegetables and less protein/noodles.
• Put a note on your menu inviting guests to request more vegetables in place of some of the protein or rice.
• Use 100 percent vegetable and fruit juices in place of some of the oils.
• Offer Asian-inspired salads.
• Serve entrées with fruit salsas.
• Include shredded vegetables – carrots, zucchini, etc. – in all noodle dishes.
• Load soups with more cabbage and greens.
• For dessert, serve sliced oranges or lychees.
Lower Sodium
For many people, high levels of sodium in the diet cause blood pressure to rise, often resulting in hypertension, which is linked to stroke and heart disease. There are many ingredients that are mainstays in Asian cooking that have high levels of sodium. To reduce the sodium levels of your dishes, cut back on the quantities of the following ingredients: seasoning salts, monosodium glutamate (MSG), meat tenderizer, oyster sauce, fish sauce, black bean paste, chili paste, packaged sauces, pickled products, tamari, hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, broths and bouillon, tamarind paste and red curry paste.
Additionally, you can:
• Become knowledgeable about which of your ingredients are high in sodium.
• Use smaller quantities of these ingredients
– even a 5 to 10 percent reduction makes a difference!
• Flavor dishes with fresh herbs and spices.
• Try low-sodium stocks and bouillon.
• If a guest is inquiring about salt or sodium, offer to reduce the quantities of all high sodium ingredients in their meal.
• Offering low-sodium soy sauce on your tables is an easy and very visible way to start.
Brown Rice
Brown rice is an excellent source of fiber and other nutrients, and many people have come to appreciate the nutty flavor and texture along with its health benefits. Here are some ideas for incorporating brown rice into your menu:
If you’re not familiar with cooking brown rice, try it at home first. Experiment with both long grain and short grain varieties.
• Combine the prior day’s steamed white rice with the leftover brown rice to make today’s fried rice.
• Do a special promotion, serving both brown and white rice to guests to encourage them to try the healthful version.
• Publicize the availability of brown rice on your menu.
Low-Fat Preparation
Methods
To keep a lid on the amount of fat in your dishes:
• When stir-frying, use the least amount of oil needed (just enough required to prevent sticking).
• Use less oil in your sauces and in fried rice.
• Experiment with substituting other liquid ingredients for some of the oil in your sauces.
• Put less sauce on your dishes.
• Serve slightly smaller portions.
• Consider replacing some of the fried dishes with others that are equally enticing but use low-fat cooking procedures.
• Blanch in water or stock instead of in oil.
• Use a spritzer to spray the oil to glaze an item.
• Use oils that consist primarily of unsaturated fat – soybean, olive, corn, canola, sesame – or blends of such oils. Refrain from oils that have partially hydrogenated fat (artificial trans fats) or saturated fats (including palm and coconut oils, as well as fat from meat such as lard, pork fat, beef fat, chicken fat).
Wondering about the nutritional composition of your menu items?
Healthy Dining can help!
HEALTHY DINING’s team of culinary nutrition experts can complete computerized nutrition analyses of your recipes, including the amount of calories, total fat, saturated fat, fiber and more. If you’d like, HEALTHY DINING’s registered dietitians will discuss easy ways to modify your dishes to be more healthful.
For more information, please contact Erica at HEALTHY DINING: (800) 953-3463 or Erica@HealthyDiningFinder.com.
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