Chef Dave’s Corner

My wife Mary is from Connecticut and she was raised by the coast. Seafood is as fresh as it gets along the New England coastline and whenever we return to visit family, seafood is always on the menu. This past summer we took the boys to a strawberry field and came back with over 15 pints that we picked ourselves.

In addition we had fresh crab at the beach house from a boat excursion we took the day before. Berries and seafood go well together in salads, and putting the two ingredients together has since become a family favorite.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave

Strawberry Salad with Crab and Red Onion

Servings: 6

Salad Dressing

3 Tablespoon raspberry vinegar

3 Tablespoon water

1 Tablespoon honey

2 Tablespoon canola oil

1/8 Tablespoon salt

1/8 Tablespoon pepper

Salad Mixings

3 cups strawberries, quartered

10 ounce spring mix blend salad greens

2 teaspoon pine nuts

6 ounces can lump crab meat

1 small red onion, sliced thin and ringed

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients and stir well with a whisk.

2. Combine strawberries and green.

3. Add the salad dressing; toss to coat.

4. Sprinkle with pine nuts.

5. Top with crab and red onion rings.

6. Serve.

Nutrition: 160 calories, total fat 8g, saturated fat 2g, sodium 190mg, carbohydrates 14g, fiber 3g, sugars 9g, protein 9g.

I recently traveled to Seattle Washington for a weekend getaway. I have often heard of this magical place filled with the freshest fish, seafood, fruits and vegetables. The Public Market located at the end of the famed Pike Street is nothing short of spectacular. Flying from Oklahoma it’s a short 5 hour flight to a foodie’s paradise. Seattle is known for the Space Needle which was built for the 1962 world’s fair, Mount St. Helens, and the first Starbucks. With its breath taking views and great food, Seattle did not disappoint and offered more than expected.

I arrived Saturday morning and was greeted by my friends, Karen and Ron. Not only are they funny, but they understood the history of the city and knew where the best local food hot spots where. I knew a city of this magnitude would need to be navigated and only having 2 days to do it in would take a little planning and a lot of energy.

The first stop was lunch and I ate at Palomino. The food was light in typical Seattle flair and the flavors where uncomplicated with a punch of flavor. I started with a thin crust brick oven garlic and tomato pizza for an appetizer and finished with a smoked turkey salad with havarti dill all topped onto locally grown organic mixed baby lettuces with an Orange Ginger Vinaigrette.

With my stomach full I set off to see the Seattle space needle. Rising over 500 feet and taking 43 seconds to get to the top, the breath taking view is well worth the $16.00. From the top you can view the international water landing strip where sea planes depart almost every 15 minutes. Also visible is Mount Rainier and a 360 degree view of Seattle. This land mark was a must see on my list of things to do, and gives you a true perspective of how large the city is.

Leaving the Space Needle I headed to Bellevue. This city is just outside of Seattle and is the home for companies such as Microsoft, and Yahoo. This is also the city in which Bill Gates lives. My trip to Bellevue was to find Mr. J’s. This culinary whimsical of a store has been a landmark just outside of Seattle for over 20 years, and has the largest inventory of any cooking store I have ever been in. This store is a must see and is located directly next to a specialty foods market.

Sunday morning I was picked up by Karen and Ron, and we set off to spend the day at the Public Market. This market is world renowned for its fresh open markets and Pikes Fish Market. There is no questioned that I had arrived when I was greeted by the Public Market signed that stood well over 20 feet tall and 30 feet wide. Starting at the beginning we entered this long hallway which was filled with little shops on both sides. I could smell fresh baked bread, homemade doughnuts made to order, and scents from exotic flowers that I have never seen before. Let’s just say my senses where on overload. At the far end where the market takes a sharp right is the Pike’s Fish Market. Pike’s market is known for its large variety of fish and seafood, believe me, you won’t find it fresher anywhere else. In addition they are known for team work and “Throwing of the Fish” across the market and being caught by workers and guest alike.

When leaving Pike’s fish market you enter into a chef’s dream, as far as the eye can see there is nothing but vendor after vender selling fresh farmed fruits and vegetables. I saw peaches as big as grape fruits and grapefruits as big as honeydews. You can see the pride these local venders take in the food they are selling and never hesitate to offer you a free sample. The prices are affordable and in most cases cheaper then at the local grocery stores. Mixed in among the fruits of vegetables are locals selling honey, locally made jams and jellies, homemade breads, and an occasional t-shirt shop to remind you where you have been.

Lunch was at a movie landmark. Located in the middle of the market is Athenian Seafood. This was where some of the scenes for Sleepless in Seattle where filmed. This seafood restaurant promises everything on the menu is the fresh catch of the day, and the view of the harbor is spectacular.

After lunch I had only seen half of the market, and was ready to take on the rest. The second half of the market led me outside to local art venders, musicians, and Starbucks #1. Although the first Starbucks is not nearly as nice as your local store I couldn’t stop thinking about how this world renown icon started out by the harbor on Pike Street.

As a final salute to Seattle a grabbed a cup of coffee from Starbucks #1 and took a horse and carriage ride around the city. The tour was amazing and I learned about the cities proud heritage and even a few surprises. Did you know that Seattle was built on top of the old city which burnt down in 1889 for a glue fire?

I will never forget me first trip to Seattle and can’t wait to visit again. Along with a few kitchen gadgets, and packages of jams, fruit and vegetables being sent via the mail to my home I will always remember this culinary paradise.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave Fouts

I’m always approached by people wanting more breakfast ideas that are healthy. After several attempts in my kitchen the “Crust Less Vegetable Quiche” was a winner. I did not want a crust because I wanted to keep this breakfast dish light and full of veggies and the crust would turn soggy within 30 minutes. I like to top this dish with fat free sour cream and mild salsa.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave

Vegetable Crust Less Quiche

Servings: 6

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Medium carrot, cut length

1 cup asparagus tips

3 medium green onions, minced

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

2 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

4 large Eggs, beaten

2 Tablespoon Low fat milk

2 ounces low fat feta cheese, crumbled

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

Dash black pepper

½ cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven 375F.

2. Heat oil in large skillet.

3. Add the carrots and asparagus tops and sauté, over medium heat for 3 minutes.

4. Stir in the green onions and sauté for 1minute.

5. Stir in peas and parsley and remove from heat.

6. In a small mixing bowl, combine beaten eggs with the milk, feta and thyme.

7. Stir in the skillet mixture and add a little pepper.

8. Using pan spray coat a 10 inch round pan until all sides are coated.

9. Next line the bottom with half the crumbs and pour the vegetable mixture in.

10. Top with the remaining crumbs.

11. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until set and top is golden brown.

12. Let stand for 10 min before cutting to give the pie a chance to set and hold together when sliced.

Nutrition: 150 calories, total fat 7g, saturated fat 2g, sodium 260mg, carbohydrates 13g, fiber 2g, sugars 4g, protein 9g.

Dining Out 101

My favorite line when going out to eat is “I’m a cheap date!” Truth be told, my bill ends up being almost the same as it was before, just with a few modifications. Here are a few tips for making your night out on the town a success.

First, know where you’re going. By knowing the establishment you will be visiting, for the most part, you can plan you meal before you get there. Next, look at the appetizer section first. Most appetizer menus offer main course proteins, without the extra side dishes. Remember to stay away from the fried foods.

When ordering your main course always ASK “What’s in it?” and “How is it prepared?” You don’t want anything made with flour or corn starch or foods that contain added sugar, and “I don’t know” is an acceptable answer from your server. Also, remember how food is cooked has a lot to do with how moist and tender it will be.

Take your time! Don’t rush your eating. You will find, when a bunch of friends or family get together, they all eat at the same pace. Don’t fall into the trap. Hold steady and take your time. Remember your meal should take at least 20 minutes.

Restaurant Tips

· Know in advance where you’re going

· Plan your meal before you get there

· Order clear soups

· Ask what’s in it, and how’s it prepared

· Order from the appetizer menu

· Take your time eating

Dessert Anyone…

When it comes to dessert and eating out, the temptation is great. The lovely wait person comes to your table with a tray full of dessert. This is a hard sell! Then your eyes begin to focus on the dripping chocolate sauces and the glistening caramel, and the banana bread pudding with a white chocolate brandy sauce catches your eye. Ouch, now that’s going to hurt! When choosing dessert, always pick the lesser of two evils, and let dessert just be DESSERT.

Soup or Salad

One of the first questions asked when placing your order from the wait person is…Soup or Salad? I say go for the soup, it has both solids and liquid, you ask? Correct it does, but choose the broth soup. Instruct the waiter that you would like all broth. Most restaurants can accommodate this request.

There are a few rules you need to follow. If it a cream-based soup or thick soup, such as bean, or tomato based soup do your best to skip these types of soup. These are thicker, and in most cases will cause you to feel full before your main course arrives. Also remember to ask how the soup is made. You always want to make sure you know what you’re eating before you dig in.

If the soup they are offering does not appeal to you then order a salad, but have it come with your dinner. This way you can eat your salad along with your main entrée. Your salad would count as your vegetable. As a reminder, always order your dressing on the side.

How lean is lean…

Understanding how protein reacts during cooking will help you decide how lean your protein choice should be. The leaner the protein food, the less fat and/or marbling the food will have. In addition, the leaner cuts contain fewer calories ounce for ounce, because the amount of fat per serving is less. It is important to understand that fat does not change the grams of protein per ounce, but does change the calories per ounce. On average, lean protein and medium lean proteins have an average of 7 grams of protein per 1 ounce.

Very lean proteins such as white meat poultry with the skin removed, fish such as sole and cod, shellfish, non-fat cottage cheese, egg whites and beans are generally the leanest of the proteins. These proteins should never be over cooked and non-stick pans should be used to keep these foods from sticking to the pan. As a rule, chicken retains its moistness when being grilled or roasted with the skin left on. When ready to eat the skin should be removed and discarded.Fish and shell fish can be grilled, poached, steamed, or baked and if not overcooked, these proteins will remain moist.

Lean proteinssuch as dark meat poultry, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and herring are great choices. In addition all low fat cheeses, low fat cottage cheese, and center cut loin chops from pork, lamb and veal are low in fat. As for beef, the leaner cuts such as flank steak and London broil will work but must be marinated and cooked low and slow to keep the meat from becoming chewy. I recommend using a crock pot when preparing these meats.

Medium fat proteinsare the protein foods which contain the most fat per serving and should be eaten infrequently. Most beef cuts fall into this category as well as whole eggs, whole mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Tofu is also a moderate fat protein, but unlike the above is heart healthy and is cholesterol-free.

Please see charts below for more information.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave Fouts

Very Lean Protein choices have 35 calories, 7 grams protein, and 1 gram of fat per serving. One serving equals:

Lean Protein choices have 55 calories, 7 grams protein, and 2-3 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

Medium Fat Proteins have 75 calories, 7 grams protein, and 5 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

This information is posted on the Department of Health and Human Services.

Source: Based on American Dietetic Association Exchange List

Eggs, we all eat them, and they are used in thousands of food products, but how much do you really know about the “Incredible Edible Egg”. For a while eggs had a bad rap, being high in cholesterol, and saturated fat. All the while all the positives an egg had to offer was lost. Do you know the difference between Grade AA and Grade A eggs? How about the difference between brown eggs and white eggs?

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and can be used to meet your protein needs. A large egg contains 6 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of fat (1.5 of which is saturated fat), and 213 milligrams of cholesterol, 22 percent less than previously thought based on a 1989 study. A large egg contains 80 calories each. Egg whites are basically pure protein. One large egg white contains 17 calories, 4 grams of protein, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol and 55 milligrams of sodium. When large eggs cost $1.90 a dozen, they are only $1.26 per pound.

Eggs are used to bind ingredients in meatloaves and croquettes. They can also leaven such baked high rises as soufflés and sponge cakes. Their thickening ability is seen in custards and sauces. They emulsify mayonnaise, salad dressings and Hollandaise sauce and are frequently used to coat or glaze breads and cookies. They clarify soups. In boiled candies and frostings, they hinder crystallization. As a finishing touch, they can be hard cooked and used as a garnish.

You may not have known but the USDA has a grading system for eggs. Grade AA is when the shell is clean, normal-shaped and unbroken. In addition when first broken, the eggs spread remains compact; has a clear, thick egg white, and a firm, centered yolk. Grade A eggs are almost the same. the shell is clean, normal-shaped and unbroken. However, when first broken, the egg spreads slightly; has a clear, reasonably firm egg white and fairly high yolk. Last, Grade B eggs the shells may be slightly stained and/or misshapen. When first broken the egg spreads over a wide area; has a clear, watery egg white and an enlarged, flattened yolk.

Egg Trivia

• A hen requires 24 to 26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts all over again.

• The egg shell may have as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavors and odors. Storing them in their cartons helps keep them fresh.

• Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator.

• About 240 million laying hens produce approximately 5.5 billion dozen eggs per year in the United States.

• White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes.

• Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D.

Did you know egg substitutes are made from real eggs? Using only the egg whites; vitamins, and other nutrients are then added that to make up for the nutrients that are lost when the yolk is removed. By eliminating the yolk, all of the fat and cholesterol and more than half of the calories are cut out. Egg substitutes are colored with beta carotene to make them yellow. In addition egg substitutes have a shelf life of up to 90 days from the time they leave the production line. With proper refrigeration, egg substitutes must be used within seven days of opening. The product can be frozen if unopened. Do not freeze part of an opened package. Also, once the product has been thawed, do not refreeze.

From scrambled eggs, meatloaf, and baked goods, the egg is one of the most diverse foods. So the next time you reach in your refrigerator for an egg, think of the hen and the many hours she spent to make this amazing all-in-one food.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave Fouts

Resources

Iowa Egg Council

Incredible Edible Egg

Rhonda C. asked…

“Greetings, Chef Dave.

I recently met you at the Carson City support group meeting and again, thank you for speaking to us and making your book available. I have shared a few of the recipes with a co-worker who is diabetic and she is thankful.

My question, when it comes to baking, can you substitute whole wheat natural flour in recipes calling for all-purpose flour? Does it matter? Is there a difference? What other ingredients may need to be added/substituted when doing this?

Thank you for your assistance and have a great day.”

I wish the answer was as simple as switching out one type of flour for another. However, that is not the case. Baking is chemistry and my best advice would be to purchase a baking with whole wheat flour cook book.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave

Christine Wrote…

“Hi Chef Dave,

My name is Christine and I’m 4 months post-op. I’ve lost 82 pounds so far but in the past month I’ve been having problems with digesting chicken. Do you know of any different ways to cook chicken where it stays moist? I’ve tried putting the chicken in Pam olive oil spray and Mrs. Dash but that seems to dry out. I’ve tried grilled chicken and that’s even worse. I have yet to try baked chicken but that doesn’t seem like the best idea because most likely it will dry out in the oven unless I could use Shake N Bake but that doesn’t seem very healthy to me. Please email me back if you have any suggestions!

Thank you,

Christine”

The key to poultry is not choosing white or dark meat, but the cooking temperature. 95 percent of the time the reason your chicken is dried out and hard to eat is because of being overcooked. Chicken is cooked and moist when cooked to 165 F degrees for white and 180 F degrees for dark; anything more, even by two degrees, will make the chicken overcooked and dried out.

Cook Time:

165°F for white meat, cook until juices run clear

185°F for dark meat, cook until juices run clear

Chicken Do’s:

Pound Boneless skinless chicken breast or boneless skinless thighs thin and sauté over medium high heat for 3 minutes on each side.

Roast chicken in the oven uncovered at 350F. The cook time varies depending on the weight of the chicken, and your oven. A good estimation is 8 to 10 minutes per pound. (Use a cooking thermometer to test the internal temperature of the chicken in the thickest part of the muscle.)

Grill chicken over medium heat, being sure not to overcook.

Chicken Don’ts:

Boil

Poach

Simmer

These cooking methods will pull all the moisture from the chicken.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave

Joyce asked:

Hi Chef Dave,

I love reading your articles in WLS Magazine. I live alone and need recipes with the following qualifications for ease:

1. 5 ingredients or less

2. 30 minutes prep time or less

3. Any cooking method, especially crock pot is OK

4. Meets needs of WLS person

I am adapting some recipes that I used prior to WLS and some Weight Watcher recipes that meet the first 2 needs. Just wondered if you had any suggestions. Getting in enough protein is always the challenge since I can’t drink too many protein shakes made with fat free milk. I go in and out of lactose intolerance and I get hungry too fast after drinking one.

I am 16 months out from WLS, lost 100#, and have 50-70# to go after I have knee replacement surgery and can exercise again. Trying to decrease stress has been important for me this year and having easy recipes contributes to that need.

Looking forward to hearing from you if you have time. Thanks for all you do!

Blessings,

Joyce

What a great question.

I would highly recommend Sautéing as your cooking method of choice. Sautéing is to cook food over medium high heat with a minimum amount of fat. This quick and easy method will allow you to only use one pan to keep from having a lot of clean up and will cook your food in less than 10 minutes.

Your 5 ingredients:

1. Protein- is anything that has a mother or comes from a mother. This protein should be cubed small or sliced thin and be evenly proportioned so the protein will cook quick and evenly. If you choose to have a few vegetarian meals, use extra firm tofu, tempeh, and veggie soy crumbles.

2. Lots of vegetables! The produce sections of your local grocery stores now have fresh vegetables that are already cut up and ready for cooking. To make sure your vegetables cook evenly, make sure they are chopped or diced small, or sliced thin. Do NOT use frozen veggies because this will water down your sauté and keep your food from staying crisp. I like to buy the already prepared fresh salsa, sliced mushrooms, small baby carrots, fresh spinach, and fresh cut green beans.

3. Fresh fruit makes a perfect side dish to almost any meal, and can also be used in your sauté. Fresh pineapple and bananas work well.

4. Herbs and spices are needed to flavor your sauté. Always have on hand garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, thyme, oregano, basil, Chinese five spice, curry powder, salt and pepper.

5. Oil is also needed to keep your food from sticking to the pan and to help the herbs and spices to spread all over your food. When sautéing, very little is needed and in most cases only 1 to 2 teaspoons are needed.

How do you sauté:

Place sauté pan over medium high heat and add oil.

While you oil is heating in the sauté pan, season your protein and veggies/fruit.

Once oil is heated, add seasoned meat to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes.

Next, add veggies/fruit and sauté an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Serve.

Note: You may need a little more cooking time pending on the thickness of your protein and the types of vegetables you use.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave Fouts

Cassidy H wrote:

“Hi Chef Dave,

My surgeon sent me your cookbook and I am trying a few of them now. Very good! Can you make a recommendation for an inexpensive Burgundy for the recipe? Can you substitute another wine?”

What a great question: I use Joseph Drouhin “Givry.” It has a great taste and costs about $16.00 a bottle. You can also use an inexpensive Port wine as well. The flavor will vary slightly.

Cook Smart…

Chef Dave