Exploring New Taste Horizons
Kale, kohlrabi, kumquat, pepino, plantain, pomelo : when did you last buy an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable? Eat in anew-to-you ethnic restaurant? Try a new recipe? Are you a food adventurer ... or are your taste buds stuck in a rut?
Flavor Adventure: For the Health of It! How many different foods do you eat? Many people choose the same 10 to 15 core foods over and over again. Trying new foods in place of those you may be bored with can help you reach your healthy eating goals —whether you’re trying to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, or less fat and saturated fat, less added sugar, less sodium. Different choices can add flavor, texture and color to your plate, too. Besides the added interest and pleasure, consider a few nutrition benefits: Eating recommended amounts of colorful fruits and vegetables can add nutrients: try red tomatoes on a sandwich, pink grape-fruit in fruit salad, purple eggplant layered in a casserole, blueberries on toaster waffles or deep-green collards in a stew. Switching to hearty whole-grain foods can boost fiber: for example, whole-grain breakfast cereal, whole-grain barley in vegetable soup, brown rice in chicken paella, bulgur in pilaf or whole-wheat bread for a sandwich. Exploring ethnic and regional dishes can add interest to healthful eating: consider Asian stir-fried vegetables with lean meat, Latin American fiber-rich beans with rice, Mediterranean dishes prepared with olive oil (mostly monounsaturated fat), hearty whole-grain breads of northern Europe, vegetarian dishes of India and coastal seafood dishes of the United StatesNew Flavors: What’s "In Store" for You?
Make grocery shopping a discovery trip. Try this! See what’s new! Roll your cart slowly down one supermarket aisle weekly and buy a new-to-you food." Season" the flavor. Take advantage of seasonal choices when available: many more varieties of fresh apples, berries, melons, peaches, pears, plums, squash ... foods often sold only in season, such as fresh cranberries, Rainier cherries, watermelon, pomegranates, peas in the pod and winter squashes! Go beyond the basics. Perhaps start with Romaine lettuce, purple potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, wild rice or pinto beans. Try a new variety. Buy a different type of cheese (cheddar, feta, gorgonzola ,mozzarella), fruit juice (orange, tangerine, passion fruit) ... different flavors of yogurt or milk ... different "combos" of familiar packaged foods (stuffing mixes, boxed pasta dishes, prepared soup, ready-to-eat cereal) .Shop ethnic. Find unfamiliar ingredients in the ethnic food section of your supermarket. Or try an ethnic food-store — a great place for tips on preparing ethnic dishes.
Taste Adventures ... in Your Kitchen!
Experiment: with new ingredients or with different ways to use familiar foods! Make a switch — use a different ingredient in a familiar dish. Try salad with canned salmon or crabmeat instead of tuna; focaccia bread as your burger "bun" or hummus as a sandwich spread. Eat the rainbow. Add one colorful fruit or vegetable to your plate today — and make it something new! Chill out. Used to hot soup? Instead find a recipe for chilled: gazpacho, fruit, cucumber, pumpkin or broccoli soup! (Tip: calcium-rich milk or yogurt is used in many creamy chilled soups.) Add crackle and crunch— adding texture adds interest. Try crumbled crackers on soup, sliced almonds on veggies or in rice dishes, crushed cereal on pudding or ice cream.
Beyond Your Kitchen
Want more ways to get food savvy?�Sign up for a cooking class. Or learn about a new dish from a TV chef. (Great for kids, too.) �Flip through your cookbooks, food magazines or newspaper food section. Find new recipes and try them! �Become a restaurant adventurer. Try a new restaurant. Ask about unfamiliar ingredients. Order a dish you’ve never eaten.�Take your taste buds on vacation. Taste regional dishes —then prepare them at home!
Stir-Fry Salad With Rice Prep:10 minutesCook:10 minutes 1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips1cup each broccoli florets, red pepper strips and yellow zucchini slices1/2cup KRAFT LIGHT DONE RIGHT Italian Reduced Fat Dressing, divided2Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce1pkg. (10 oz.) salad greens1cup MINUTE Brown Rice, cooked COOK and stir chicken and vegetables in 2 Tbsp. of the dressing in large nonstick skillet 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp. MIX remaining dressing and soy sauce. TOSS chicken mixture, greens and rice with dressing mixture. Serve immediately. Makes 4 (2-cup) servings.
Flavor Adventure: At Any Age!
Just for kids ...Choose a color or an alphabet letter. Let kids pick a new food that matches. Have kids find a new food idea in a storybook or children’s magazine. Prepare it together . Turn the experience of trying new food into learning, as children describe the different colors, shapes, tastes, smells, textures and sizes of new foods. With teens ...Get creative in the kitchen: set up a pizza or taco station or salad bar where teens can add their own veggie toppings, or let them make smoothies blended with unusual fruits. Encourage ‘net surfers to search food websites for new recipes they can try at home (stand by to help if needed). For adults of any age ...Update traditional comfort foods, perhaps meatloaf made with ground turkey, chicken soup flavored with ginger or lemon grass, or potatoes (skin on) mashed with shredded cheese or wasabi. For older adults, perk up flavors with new foods, herbs and spices to compensate for age-related taste loss. When you entertain ...Go for potluck! Invite your guests to bring a unique family dish. Swap recipes. Make entertaining a reason to try a new dish. Create a theme party. Try an ethnic menu: perhaps Greek, Mexican or Thai!
Nutrition Bonus:
Round up the gang to enjoy this down-home main dish. In addition to being low in fat, it includes foods from four of the five food groups! Nutrition Information Per Serving:320 calories, 5g total fat, 1.5gsaturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 580mg sodium, 54g carbohydrate, 7gdietary fiber, 11g sugars, 15g protein, 20%DV vitamin A, 15%DVvitamin C, 10%DV calcium, 20%DV iron.Exchange:3 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 Meat (L)Looking for a new twist on familiar favorites? Here are two ideas that may give you "food for thought."
Vegetarian Chili MacPrep:5 minutes Cook:15 minutes1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner1 cup canned kidney beans, drained, rinsed1 cup drained canned diced tomatoes1 cup frozen peas, thawed1 tsp. chili powder PREPARE Dinner as directed on package following Light Preparation Method. ADD beans, tomatoes, peas and chili powder; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 (1-1/4-cup) servings. Kraft Kitchens Tip Great Substitute: Substitute canned pinto beans or black beans for the kidney beans. Dietary Exchanges based on Exchange Lists for Meal Planning© 2003 by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association.
Nutrition Bonus: Celebrate East-West fusion with this super stir-fry salad. The vegetables provide a good source of vitamins A and C. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 270 calories, 8g total fat,1.5g saturated fat, 65mg cholesterol, 550mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 3g sugars, 28g protein, 40%DV vitamin A,35%DV vitamin C, 6%DV calcium, 10%DV iron. Exchange:1 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 3 Meat (VL), 1 Fat