Start the Year with Healthful, Slimming Spa FoodsAmerican Institute for Cancer Research WASHINGTON, D.C. – With their typically high-fat, high-calorie foods, December's holidays usually mean weight gains that prompt New Year's resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight. Although "spa resorts" have a reputation for offering special meals for dieters, the American Institute for Cancer Research says healthful, slimming, "spa-type" meals can be easily prepared at home, using the techniques and strategies employed by health-oriented chefs.  "You can create 'spa cuisine' in your own kitchen," according to Melanie Polk, R.D., AICR's Director of Nutrition Education. "Creating a healthful, low-fat, low-calorie meal that is beautiful, full-flavored and satisfying is a matter of following a few key principles." Slimming Meals Can Please the Palate, Help Weight Loss and Protect Health "A meal should look as wonderful as it tastes," advises Polk. "Use a combination of several vegetables, for example, that offer a variety of appealing colors, textures and flavors. That way, you also maximize the health-protective substances only plant-based foods offer, while getting that full feeling with the minimum calories." Polk also recommends relying on small amounts of mono-unsaturated oils – like canola, olive, sesame and walnut oils – that are flavorful but far more healthful than animal fats. "There's also a huge range of herbs, spices and seasonings that can add extra punch to the taste of any dish," she says. For greater health protection as well as better control of weight, AICR recommends the "One-Third/Two-Thirds" principle when filling a plate: modest but adequate portions (one-third or less) of animal meats on the plate and generous portions (two-thirds or more) of a variety of plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. "The bottom-line, however," Polk stresses, "is that size matters – portion size, that is. The most healthful, low-calorie dishes won't help you get slimmer and healthier if you eat huge, super-sized portions." Cooking Techniques Make a Difference for Taste and Health "Carcinogens are produced when animal meats are cooked at high temperatures, whether fried, roasted, broiled, or grilled," Polk warns. Although plant-based foods like vegetables are essentially unaffected, researchers have found that grilling and broiling cause muscle meats like beef, poultry and fish to produce cancer-causing compounds – HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), for example. "Vegetables, on the other hand," she points out, "benefit from high-temperature cooking." Foods like vegetables and fruits, which are comparatively high in natural sugars, develop a sweeter, richer flavor when they are oven-roasted, broiled, or grilled. Compared to other cooking methods like boiling, which can leach out nutrients as well as flavor, high oven and grill temperatures intensify the natural sweetness and create more complex flavors. "For those who mistakenly think vegetables can't be rich and sweet tasting, oven-roasting and grilling will quickly change their minds," says Polk. "A plate filled mostly with grilled vegetables, for example, will help anyone stick to a New Year's resolution to eat healthier and slim down." Toasty Oatmeal Vegetable Soup 1 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant) In large, heavy skillet over medium heat, toast raw oatmeal, stirring constantly, until oatmeal is lightly browned about 3-5 minutes. (Oatmeal can burn easily, so watch carefully.) Transfer oatmeal to small bowl and set aside. In large, non-stick 4-quart pot, heat oil until hot. Add onion, reduce heat to medium and, stirring frequently, sauté onion until softened and pale gold. Add garlic and continue sautéing a few minutes more. Do not allow onion or garlic to burn. Add vegetables and broth. Raise heat to high and bring soup to boil. Immediately reduce heat to gentle simmer and cook about 10 minutes. Add oatmeal and simmer about 2 minutes more, or until oatmeal is tender. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 101 calories, 3 g. fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 14 g. carbohydrate, 5 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 590 mg. sodium. Steamed Oriental Salmon with Pureéd Squash 4 lbs. butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded To prepare pureéd squash: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves cut-side down in baking pan. Fill pan with water about 1/2-inch deep. Bake squash 30 minutes. Turn squash over and bake additional 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and transfer squash to plate and allow to cool until easily handled. Use small metal spoon to scoop flesh from skin of squash. Transfer to food processor or blender. While pureéing squash, add lime juice and slowly drizzle in cream or olive oil, a little at a time and only enough to make a smooth pureé. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer pureé to container with lid and store in refrigerator until ready to use, up to three days. Heat in microwave before serving with salmon. To prepare salmon: Place ginger, vinegar and sesame oil in small bowl and whisk until well blended. Transfer to non-stick baking pan large enough to hold salmon pieces. (Pan should have a depth of at least 1/2 inch so any liquid produced during steaming will be retained.) Add salmon and turn to coat on all sides. Marinate up to 2 hours in refrigerator. Before steaming, bring to room temperature and season with salt and pepper, to taste. When ready to steam salmon, select a large pot in which the pan of fish will comfortably sit. Inside the pot place a heat-proof stand or rack* on which the pan can sit high enough to prevent 3 to 5 inches of simmering water from splashing onto food – about an inch above water level. Add enough hot water to pot so it comes 3-5 inches up side of pot. Carefully place pan with fish on stand or rack. Bring water to boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover pot and steam salmon until almost tender. Add snow peas to top of fish. Cover and continue steaming until fish is completely tender and snow peas are tender-crisp. Meanwhile, reheat squash pureé and divide among 4 plates in the shape of a wide letter "c." Using spatula, carefully remove fish from steamer and place in the inside curve of pureéd squash. With pastry brush, glaze top of salmon pieces with any juice left in baking pan. Arrange snow peas as garnish, between salmon and squash. Serve immediately. *A stand can be improvised by removing both ends of an empty food can, such as a large juice can. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 328 calories, 16 g. fat (3 g. saturated fat), 29 g. carbohydrate, 19 g. protein, 8 g. dietary fiber, 61 mg. sodium. Grilled Vegetable Medley with Herbed Basting Sauce Vegetables 1 large sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices Basting Sauce Combine all basting sauce ingredients in medium saucepan until well blended. Heat over medium-low heat until warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauce can be made a half-day ahead and stored in refrigerator. Before using, heat over low heat until warm. Heat grill or oven broiler. Arrange vegetables in single layer on large, non-stick baking sheet or pan. With pastry brush, lightly coat vegetables with basting sauce, tossing vegetables with slotted spoon so all sides are lightly coated. Grill vegetables until tender and lightly charred, brushing occasionally with basting sauce if vegetables seem to be drying out. Begin with those vegetables that take the longest and end with those needed the least cooking time: sweet potato, carrot, parsnip; then, zucchini, onion, bell pepper; end with eggplant, mushroom. Turn vegetables with large, slotted spoon so they are evenly grilled on all sides. As each batch of vegetables is done, transfer to serving platter and keep warm. Season grilled vegetables with salt and pepper, to taste, before serving. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 292 calories, 10 g. fat (1 g. saturated fat), 49 g. carbohydrate, 6 g. protein, 11 g. dietary fiber, 138 mg. sodium.
For more information, or to contact American Institute for Cancer Research, see their website at: www.aicr.org |
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