It's Time for the High Flavor Diet
By Bill Daley and Renee Enna for the Chicago Tribune

Maybe it's time to stop thinking of a diet as a bad, calorie-restrictive nemesis and to approach it as a day's worth of fantastic, great-tasting food. Diet-friendly foods are all around, and we don't mean packages with "low-fat," "no-fat," "low-carb" or "lite" on their labels (and cardboard tastes within). We're talking about dishes with big-impact ingredients that leave their fattier brethren in the dust.

That they happen to be low-fat, low-carb and easy on the calories is simply a bonus.

"It's not about dieting," said Kathleen Daelemans, author of "Chef Kathleen's Cooking Thin Daybook: A 52-Week Plan to Lose Weight, Get Fit and Eat Right" (Houghton Mifflin, $14.95). "Have the mindset that you want to clean up the food you're eating."

March, which is National Nutrition Month, is a great time to change your mindset. And a great way to start is by using powerfully flavored ingredients to replace some of the oil or butter or mayonnaise—all of which are perfectly good foods but best used in moderation.

"For a growing number of Americans, healthy can be delicious and is delicious," said Ellen Haas, author of "Fit Food" and chairman and chief executive officer of The FoodFit Co., a Washington, D.C.-based firm (foodfit.com).

Haas said a "strong consensus" has grown over the past 30 years that the wrong diet can contribute to chronic diseases, despite some recent studies to the contrary.

Nearly 62 percent of adults have a body mass index greater than 25, meaning they are technically overweight, according to The NPD Group Inc., a consumer-research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y. More surprising was The NPD Group's finding that as Americans get fatter, more have grown tolerant of their condition.

"Perhaps Americans have found that the easiest way to deal with their weight is to change their attitude... and buy bigger clothes," said Harry Balzer, NPD vice president.

Lindsey Williams, author of the cookbook "Neo Soul" (Avery) and the grandson of the famed Harlem restaurateur, Sylvia Woods, is not among that group. He tipped the scales at 400 pounds before launching himself on a regime of exercise and eating right that whittled away 220 pounds.

"It's hard," he said of his weight-loss attempts. "I gave up trying so many times. It's the most frustrating process I ever tried to do in my life."

Williams, who calls himself a food addict, eschews flour and sugar and weighs and measures his food. The way he eats today is not a "diet"; that sounds temporary to him.

"I think of it as my daily food plan," he said. "This is the way I have to eat for the rest of my life." For adding flavor, he is a self-described fanatic for black pepper. He also uses organic low-sodium broth in many dishes that call for water.

Not ready to surrender in the waistline wars is Haas, who served as U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services during the Clinton years. She said consumers can and should integrate food, taste and health.

"You can't give up on any of them," she said. "I think today that wellness, fitness, is a priority in people's lives like convenience was 20 years ago."

Recipes and advice on how to combine food with flavor and health abound in books, Web sites and water-cooler chatter. Some are more useful than others, and people need to find a personal regime that best fits their lifestyle. And it is important to remember that few people are lucky enough to be able to eat whatever they want, whenever they want.

That said, cooking at home is a great place to start good eating habits—but often where problems begin.

"People overeat when there's no flavor in the food and they aren't satisfied," said Kim Shambrook, executive chef and owner of Chicago's Bespoke Cuisine. Her advice: Keep the cooking simple and use the highest-quality ingredients you can afford.

When cooking with salt, fat and sugar, choose wisely with an eye for getting maximum flavor with the minimal amount. Artisan olive oils, for example, usually carry more flavor and fragrance than the "ordinary" commercial brands found in markets.

"Don't skimp, buy the good stuff," Shambrook said. "You get a lot more flavor."

Shambrook also said the biggest mistake is underseasoning food, followed by overcooking.

"What a lot of people do is season at the end of the process instead of in the beginning," she said. "They taste (the nearly finished dish) and dump salt on it. They should use a little seasoning throughout the process."

Overcooking, Shambrook added, simply leaches out whatever flavor is left.

There also is a misconception that fatty foods have lots of flavor and healthful foods don't. But Haas, for example, said a fresh corn and tomato salsa can replace a heavy gravy on a chicken breast and provide more taste at less cost to your waistline.

Home cooks may have to experiment with new ways of cooking and new ingredients.

"Going to specialty food sections of the supermarket, or going to specialty markets occasionally, is a great way to find condiments with a lot of flavor," said Jim Romanoff, author of "The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook," from the editors of EatingWell magazine (The Countryman Press).

Kocoa Scott-Winbush of Kocoa's Kitchen Inc., a chef and food consultant, offered similar advice and specific strategies for reducing salt, sugar and fats in the diet.

Put down the salt shaker, she said, and try just a little of the coarse-grained varieties on the market. Substituting salt with garlic is another way "to deal with the salt issue," Scott-Winbush said.

Consumers also should avoid higher-fat foods, like red meat and pork, she said, and focus on low-fat fish or poultry (remove the skin to cut more fat and calories).

Haas said a food's texture is an important part of making food more appealing. Chicken or vegetable stock replaces butter and milk in her "skinny mashed potatoes" but still provides creaminess, she said. Applesauce can provide the "juiciness" of butter in banana breads and carrot cakes, she added.

Along with changing your cooking style, consider a change of attitude.

"Don't think of it as a diet for today," Haas said, "but an everyday lifestyle that is very much in keeping with living well."

Hold the Calories—And Bring Me Another Serving
Here are seven ingredients—some familiar, some not-so-familiar—that add spark (but few calories) to recipes. When applicable, pay attention to the Nutrition Facts labels on jars and packages—not just the calorie content but also the calories in proportion to serving size. Fifty calories per tablespoon is twice the amount of 50 calories per 2 tablespoons, etc.

Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegar, made mainly from trebbiano grape juice, gets its intense flavor and silky texture from aging in wooden barrels. The better the vinegar, the longer it has been aged and, typically, the higher the price—but also the higher the calorie content. For everyday use, lower-priced brands will do fine; they generally have 5 to 15 calories per tablespoon.

"Vinegars in general are a great pantry item to add big flavor without adding lots of fat and calories," said Jim Romanoff, author of "The Eating Well Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook." "Most supermarkets have phenomenal selections of vinegars." He suggests having sherry vinegar, red wine and white wine vinegar and cider vinegar on hand. "It's something that keeps forever," Romanoff added.

Ideas: Instead of oil-and-vinegar dressing and its typically 5-to-1 ratio of oil (at 120 calories per tablespoon) to vinegar, opt for a vinaigrette instead, which lowers the proportions as low as 3-to-1 oil to vinegar. Add herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Romanoff also suggests adding a splash of red wine vinegar to a finished pasta dish.

Mustard
Mustard's zingy intensity comes with zero to 5 calories per teaspoon. Think of it as free flavor, whether it's yellow, Dijon or brown. Markets are stocking a greater variety of flavored mustards, too, that will bring additional nuance to recipes. Some may be a bit higher in calories, but not much.

Ideas: Replace 1 teaspoon mustard for 1 tablespoon mayonnaise in a sandwich and you've saved yourself as many as 100 calories. (Not enough punch? Add another teaspoon.) When you're ready to slather butter on cooked vegetables, use a third as much and replace with mustard to taste. You also can make your own flavored mustard: Kathleen Daelemans, author of "Chef Kathleen's Cooking Thin Daybook: A 52-Week Plan to Lose Weight, Get Fit and Eat Right," adds fresh chopped dill or tarragon to honey Dijon mustard, then "paints" it on salmon, which she then bakes at 425 degrees.

Ginger root
The gnarly and intimidating look of ginger root belies its marvelous flavor, with its unique blend of citrus-meets-pepper. "It adds so much flavor to recipes," Daelemans said, adding that pickled ginger (sold in jars) brings the same flavor but with added convenience.

Idea: "Pickled ginger is fun to just add to salads—it's a surprising little bite and it's an easy thing to do," Daelemans said.

Garlic-chili sauce
You can find this low-calorie, high-powered Asian condiment, a combination of hot ground chilies, garlic and vinegar, in the ethnic aisles of most supermarkets and in Asian stores, Romanoff said. "You're going to use it for something you want to add heat to, and it has complexity because of all the chopped garlic in it," he explained. "It keeps for at least a year in the refrigerator and it's inexpensive. You get a lot of bang for your buck."

Idea: Add it—sparingly!—to soups, stir-fries, base sauces and marinades, Romanoff said. "You're going to get heat from it, the tanginess of vinegar from it, and obviously the savoriness of garlic," he said.

Red pepper spread
The zesty flavor of roasted red peppers forms the basis of these creamy spreads that are showing up in more markets. Typically, they have 15 calories per tablespoon-half the calories of onion dip. They're low in fat and healthful too. Italian and Middle Eastern markets typically sell many brands; Trader Joe's sells a dynamic roasted red pepper-and-eggplant spread and an Indian pinjur spread; we found a version by Bella Cucina at Treasure Island.

Ideas: Use red pepper spread instead of fatty dips; it's great with raw vegetables. Romanoff also uses it in lieu of pizza sauce, and tops it with "small amounts of an assertive cheese" such as feta, and caramelized onions.

Fresh herbs
Fresh herbs can be pricey, but a little goes a long way. They add brightness and punch to absolutely any dish they join. Each herb provides a different flavor, and it can be fun to buy a different fresh herb each time you go shopping and play with it throughout the week. It will enhance your cooking acumen too.

Ideas: Add a few leaves of basil to a sandwich or sprinkle chopped mint or tarragon into your salad—you won't need nearly as much mayonnaise or salad dressing. Fresh herbs should be added to the end of cooking, but there are exceptions: Sturdy rosemary can be added to a pot of stew or soup.

Lemons
Lemons bring a sunny splash of color and flavor; 1 tablespoon of the juice has about 5 calories. Its potent taste can be obtained from the zest (the colored, outer layer of the fruit) or the juice within. "Lemon adds brightness to any dish—and it has the kinds of flavor properties that spread throughout something," Romanoff said. "It gives (a dish) a whole overtone of citrus and acidity ... rather than getting lost in a group of complex flavors."

Idea: "I love to slice them paper, paper thin and toss them into a salad just like a lettuce leaf," Daelemans said. She uses a V-slicer but a mandoline also can produce superthin slices. "Shave some Parmesan and dress the leaves with a drizzle of good-quality extra-virgin olive oil and cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice."

The sauce in this recipe puts honey mustard to work for a delicious spark of flavor. By adding the flavorful ham and basil, you can cut down the amount of chicken per person, but still be satisfied. Adapted from "Chef Kathleen's Cooking Thin Daybook."

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 small slices prosciutto or smoked ham
2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 4 slices
8 basil leaves plus 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons honey mustard
1 clove garlic, minced

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a slit horizontally in each piece of chicken. Cut each piece in half crosswise to make four portions. Insert a slice of prosciutto, a slice of cheese and 2 whole basil leaves in each slit. Secure well with a toothpick.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add the chicken. Reduce heat to medium; cook, turning once, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a baking pan. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Meanwhile, heat the broth, mustard and garlic to a boil in the same skillet over high heat; cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in sliced basil; pour over chicken.

Nutrition information per serving: 206 calories, 42 percent of calories from fat, 10 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 69 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrate, 25 g protein, 602 mg sodium, 0.3 g fiber

"Chinese cooks typically stir-fry shrimp in their shells for a more flavorful dish," writes Jim Romanoff, author of "The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook." He suggests you do the same in this recipe from the book, but remove the legs from the shrimp first. You can serve this with braised greens, such as chard or spinach, or rice.

1 pound raw shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), deveined
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger root, peeled, minced
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into 1-inch dice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3 cup Sichuan sauce, see recipe

Peel shrimp if desired. Place shrimp in a colander; rinse under cold water. Drain, pat dry.

Heat wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil; add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry 10 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil and the shrimp. Stir-fry until the shrimp just begin to color, about 1 minute. Add bell pepper and salt; stir-fry 30 seconds.

Add Sichuan sauce; stir-fry until the shrimp are just cooked, 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving: 173 calories, 45 percent of calories from fat, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 168 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 19 g protein, 442 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

This easy sauce can be used in a variety of stir-fries, said cookbook author Jim Romanoff. "You could also stir some of it into a chicken soup and get some great flavor out of it," he said. It is easily tripled or quadrupled and will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Adapted from "The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook." Chinkiang vinegar, a dark sweet rice vinegar, is sold in many Asian specialty markets.

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon each: sugar, reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 12 calories, 34 percent of calories from fat, 0.5 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 0.3 g protein, 78 mg sodium, 0.2 g fiber

This recipe, adapted from one by Kim Shambrook, executive chef/owner of Chicago's Bespoke Cuisine, epitomizes her belief that high-quality ingredients and simple preparations fuel the taste of a dish. "I don't think many people are familiar with fennel and the flavor it can add to food, especially salads," she said. She uses Stilton cheese in this salad, but goat cheese also would work well.

1 1/2 bunches fresh asparagus, cut diagonally into bite-size pieces
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, bulb sliced into thin slices, fronds reserved
1 can (14 ounces) hearts of palm, drained, sliced into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue or goat cheese
Mixed greens, arugula or bibb lettuce

Blanch the asparagus in boiling water 3 minutes; place in a bowl of ice water to cool completely. Pat dry.

Combine the asparagus, fennel and hearts of palm in a large bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste; toss. Sprinkle the cheese into the mixture; gently combine. Divide the greens among 8 plates. Top with asparagus mixture.

Nutrition information per serving: 106 calories, 49 percent of calories from fat, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 504 mg sodium, 4 g fiber