Figure Friendly Fabulous Fast Food By Heather Little-White, Ph.D., Food & Nutrition Consultant
WHOEVER SAID fast food has to be fatty and
sugar-laden? Fast food was so named because a meal could be had in a hurry, usually inexpensively, yet
In large cities, fast foods on the road include anything from a
regular burger to a falafel burger, a hearty fruit or vegetable salad or Italian or Chinese dishes attractively and healthily prepared. Jamaican foods have also entered the fast food arena.
Slash the fat Make your own quick, tasty and nutritious meals WHAT TO DO: Lower the total and saturated fat by using less animal products Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables to as much as five servings per day Lower sodium intake. Apart from the salt you use for seasoning, check labels for sodium-laden foods, with sodium being used as a form of preservative Read labels on products well for hidden harmful products such as lanolin which is a waxy fat from sheep's wool or suet which is hard white fat around kidneys and loins of animals Use whole grains, selecting whole wheat and whole grain products. Choose legumes (peas and beans) as a protein source, including soy products like tofu, soy beverages and texturised vegetable protein (tvp). Eat a variety of legumes each day. Include seeds and nuts to provide additional nutrition and to add texture and taste. Best to chose raw, dry roasted nuts. Adapting recipes In preparing healthy meals at home, it will be necessary to adapt recipes or change from traditional cooking methods. For example, substitute fat from animal sources (saturated) by those from plant sources (unsaturated). Try substituting plain yoghurt for mayonnaise. In making products like muffins and quick breads replace up to half the shortening, butter or margarine with fruit puree. The remaining fat to be used should come from monounsaturated oils like olive, sesame and canola. Sunflower, corn or soya oils may be used over coconut oil and animal fats like butter, shortening and lard. The burger is a popular fast food item but making them at home you can use A-grade ground beef and combined with old-fashioned oats for binding. Vege-mince (tvp) is an excellent substitute. The burgers can be grilled instead of frying. If frying is to be done, a non-stick frying pan should be used with small amounts of You can make exciting toppings combining a variety of fruits and vegetables in interesting ways - crushed pineapple and tomatoes or chopped cucumbers and corn. Oven "fried" potatoes replace French fries and they are just as tasty and may be served with roasted garlic. Fresh seasonings are better for making any dish as they are free from additives. Low fat ice creams are excellent accompaniment for dessert like baked ripe bananas or delicate oatsy orange cake. Ice creams have products like capric acid which is animal fats, but often not declared on the ingredients list. Bleached white flour should be replaced with unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour. An enjoyable healthy twist to the Jamaican Bulla when it is made with whole wheat flour, molasses with a hint of ginger. Meals in a flash Keep chopped seasonings in store Freeze where possible or store in oil Pre-prepare items for recipes Pre-season and freeze meats in portions that you will need for a meal For Chinese rice to accompany a home-cooked Chinese dish, buy Chinese rice from a restaurant and take home if you have difficulty finding it or cooking it well. Minute rice is a quick cooking rice. Flavoured rice are also available in supermarkets. Keep healthy home-made sauces with your secret ingredients in your refrigerator. An all-purpose basting sauce (see recipe) will make a difference to any meal. Cook ahead and freeze basic ingredients like peas and beans Fast food ideas to make at home
Crispy Crusty
"Oven Fried" Chicken
1 3 lb. chicken, jointed or 2 to 2 1/2 lbs chicken legs or breasts Salt, black pepper, garlic to taste 1 cup milk (skim milk if preferred) 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs 1 cup corn flakes 1 cup nuts METHOD 1. Wash chicken pieces with vinegar2. Wipe with a clean damp cloth or paper towel. Season to taste 3. Combine bread crumbs, cornflakes and nuts. 4. Dip chicken pieces in milk, then in crumb mixture.5. Arrange in a single layer on a shallow baking pan/tray6. Bake uncovered for 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until done. Serve with corn bread, corncakes (see recipe), garlic bread or rice dish of your choice. Yield 4-5 servings
Oven Fried Potato Strips
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into julienne strips 1 tbsp. olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp. paprika METHOD Combine all ingredients, except potatoes. Add potatoes and coat well. Place in a baking dish, in a single layer, and bake at 350 degrees F until crispy. Serves 2.
Special Bruschetta
A quick and easy Italian recipe that is healthy and tasty. 2 cups tomatoes, diced 3 tbsps. olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce (add extra if desired) 1 tsp. basil 1 tsp. oregano 1/4 cup peanuts, finely chopped 1 French bread, cut in 1" diagonal slices. METHOD Combine all ingredients and leave to stand for two hours or refrigerate overnight. The longer left to stand the better. Toast bread slices and spoon on tomato mixture. Best served with orange or lemon tea for a snack or great for entertaining. Serves 6
Basic Fruit Smoothie
2 ripe bananas 3 cups fresh juice (fruit in season) 3 tablespoons old-fashioned oats, seeds or nuts 4 ice cubes Blend in blender until smooth Variations include: mangoes, apples, starfruit, pineapple and other fruits in seasons. Serves 3 Fresh Corncakes
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup lowfat milk 1 egg, separated 2/3 cup fresh corn kernels 2 tbsps. minced scallion 1 tsp. minced fresh or 1/4 tsp. dried oregano Freshly ground black pepper to taste Vegetable oil cooking spray 2/3 cup lowfat Gouda or Mozzarella cheese, freshly grated Fresh oregano for garnish METHOD In small saucepan, combine cornmeal and milk. Cook about Beat egg white until stiff. Spray a large non stick skillet with cooking spray and place over low heat. Place mixture in pan by heaping tablespoonfuls (1 per cake), being careful that cakes don't touch; sauté, turn and brown until done in the centre, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Spray pan Sprinkle each cake with 2 Yields 16 small cakes
Herbed Potato Skins
4 medium baking potatoes Herb seasoning Salt or garlic salt to taste METHOD 1: Scrub potatoes thoroughly and set aside to dry. 2: Using a paring knife, peel 3/4-inch wide strips of skin from the potatoes. Peel end to end. Make sure to remove a thin layer of potato pulp with each strip. Drop peeled potatoes in cold water to cover and reserve for another use. 3: Place potato peels, skin side up, on a shallow baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until potato skins are crisp and golden. Sprinkle with seasonings. Potato skins may be made ahead of time, refrigerated or frozen and then reheated at 450 degree F for 5 to 10 minutes. Serves 4 Recipes from Little-White
and Associates
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