[December 07, 2017] |
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20 Healthy Holiday Hacks from the Experts at Aramark and the American Heart Association
Celebrating the holidays with food, family and friends is what makes
this time of year special. Aramark
(NYSE: ARMK), a global leader in food, facilities and uniforms, that
serves more than two billion meals each year, and the American
Heart Association (AHA), the nation's largest voluntary organization
dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, have teamed up to dish
out recipes, tips and tricks from their experts, to help families create
a healthy holiday celebration.
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Aramark and the American Heart Association have teamed up to dish out recipes, tips and tricks from their experts, to help families create a healthy holiday celebration. (Photo: Business Wire)
Aramark and the American Heart Association are working
together to improve the health of Americans 20% by 2020. Through
healthy menu and recipe innovation, health awareness and education
programs, Aramark and the AHA are encouraging individuals and families
to make healthy eating a part of everyday life, including during the
holidays.
"The holidays are all about tradition, heritage and family togetherness,
which can often include indulging in your family's favorite meals," said
Annette Gray, Lead Chef, Culinary & Innovation Aramark. "With all of the
tasty temptation, there are plenty of tips and tricks to help maintain a
balance of incorporating healthy foods, while still enjoying traditional
holiday favorites."
"It's okay to indulge sometimes during the holidays, just enjoy in
moderation," said Rachel Johnson, PhD, RD, a Professor of Nutrition and
Medicine at the University of Vermont and spokesperson for the American
Heart Association. "Extra calories, sodium, saturated fats and added
sugars are hiding in a lot of traditional holiday treats. The good news
is, you can make some simple changes to swap out the unhealthy
ingredients without sacrificing flavor or fun."
COMFORT
FOOD SWAPS: There's no reason to cut out traditional holiday
foods. Enjoy holiday favorites by swapping out a few ingredients with
healthier ones, or reimagining signature holiday flavors.
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Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes- Steamed cauliflower can be mashed
or blended, just like potatoes. Top with herbs and other seasonings.
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Spaghetti Squash- Roasted spaghetti squash strands make a great
substitution for traditional pasta. Pair the roasted squash with
popular pasta toppings, like marinara or pesto.
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Whole Grain Stuffing- Bump up the fiber and nutrients in your
stuffing by switching to a whole grain bread instead of white bread.
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Fruit Crisp- Fruit crisps are a delicious alternative to a
traditional fruit pie. Make pie filling according to recipe
instructions and replace the double crust with a topping of oatmeal
and bake.
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Pumpkin Pie Smoothie- Eat dessert for breakfast! Switch up
breakfast with a sweet and spicy smoothie blended with canned
pumpkin, banana, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla almond milk and chia seeds.
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Sweet Potato, Carrot and Zucchini French Fries- Baked sweet
potatoes, carrots or zucchini, tossed with spices and olive oil, are a
great tasting, untraditional side dish.
HOLIDAY SUSTAINABILITY TIPS: Enjoy the holiday season, while being
mindful of the planet, with these tips and tricks.
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Reinvent Your Leftovers- Utilize holiday leftovers in more ways
than one when the celebration is over. Avoid food waste by turning
scraps into soups, casseroles, sandwiches and more.
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Freeze the Feast- Enjoy holiday foods longer by freezing
leftovers. Place leftovers in single portions for easy enjoyment later
on. The freezer is great for foods like meat and other poultry that
may spoil quicker.
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Reduce Plate Size- Minimize waste by utilizing a smaller plate
for holiday meals. Eating off a smaller plate encourages guests to
take less food and reduces the likelihood of waste occurring.
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Potluck Power- Invite family and friends to bring their own
dish to holiday celebrations, to avoid excessive cooking. Store
potluck dishes in on-the-go containers for guests to take home and
enjoy later, once the party is over.
HEALTH
& SAFETY TIPS: Keep safety top of mind, when preparing a
holiday feast, by remembering these tips from Aramark's safety experts.
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Wash Your Hands- Hands must be washed AFTER using the restroom,
coughing, sneezing and handling raw foods and garbage. Always wash
your hands BEFORE starting to prepare food and in between tasks.
Handwashing is critical to preparing safe food.
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Thaw Frozen Food Properly- It is recommended that a
refrigerator is used to thaw frozen food, so plan ahead. For every 5
pounds (2kg 270g) of large frozen food, allow 24 hours of refrigerator
thawing time. Place the food in a tray or container deep enough to
collect any draining fluids to prevent contamination of other foods in
the refrigerator.
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Use Proper Cooking Temperatures- Cook raw meat products to the
minimum internal temperatures as stated on the product packaging.
Insert a thermometer (digital is preferred) at several spots including
the thickest part of the meat product. Achieving the proper internal
minimum cooking temperature is critical to preparing safe food.
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Avoid Cross-Contamination- It is important to thoroughly clean
kitchen counters, cutting boards and utensils to avoid cross
contamination. Always clean kitchen counters, cutting boards and
utensils in between tasks. Ideally use separate cutting boards for raw
and ready-to-eat foods.
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Transporting the Food- Keeping cold food cold is key, so pack
food with ice or frozen packs, in a closed cooler, when traveling.
Cold food should be stored at 41°F (5°C) or below. Protect food from
cross-contamination, by keeping raw meat, poultry, and seafood
securely wrapped.
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Storing and Reheating Leftovers- Leftovers must be cooled to
below 70oF (21oC) within 2 hours, and then to 41oF
(5oC) or below within 4 hours. Large items should be broken
down into smaller items by either physically breaking items apart or
placing the item in multiple small shallow containers. Keep
refrigerated leftover for 3 days from initial cooking or freeze for
longer storage and reheat leftover food once to 165oF (74oC)
for 15 seconds.
MAKE
IT MEATLESS: Turkey, ham or roasts don't have to be the only
stars of the holidays. Fill your plate up with plant-based options that
make the most of seasonal vegetables.
Butternut Squash Bisque Squash
and sweet potatoes blended together into a creamy bisque with pumpkin
pie spice, onion, celery, carrots, gingerroot and other seasonings.
Ingredients:
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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½ cup chopped onion
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½ cup celery pieces (1-inch)
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½ cup carrot pieces (1-inch)
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2 teaspoons grated, peeled gingerroot
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2 tablespoons vegetable soup base
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1 quart water
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3/4 cup diced, seeded, peeled butternut squash
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1 can (15 ounces) sweet potatoes, drained and cut into 2-inch pieces
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¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
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½ teaspoon kosher salt
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¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1/8 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Preparation:
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In a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Stir in onion,
celery, carrots and gingerroot. Cook until onion is translucent, 3 to
5 minutes. Stir in base.
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Stir in water, squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie spice, salt,
pepper, nutmeg and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer until
squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
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In blender, process soup in batches on medium speed until smooth.
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Strain through a mesh strainer.
Sweet Potato Poblano Salad Sweet
potato cubes, poblano chili peppers (or sweet bell peppers), sliced
scallions, and celery paired with dressings and other seasonings.
Ingredients
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2¼ cups peeled, diced fresh sweet potatoes
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? cup seeded, diced fresh poblano chili peppers and/or large sweet red
peppers
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? cup sliced scallions
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¼ cup diced celery
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Dressing (recipe follows)
Preparation
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Cook sweet potatoes covered in ½ inch boiling water until tender.
Drain. Chill.
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Combine chilled sweet potatoes, poblano pepper, scallion, celery and
dressing.
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Toss to coat. Cover. Keep chilled.
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Dressing: In bowl, combine 2 tbl. vegetable oil, 2 tbl. lemon juice, 2
tbl. honey, ¾ tsp. chili powder, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp.
black pepper and ¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce. Whisk until well blended.
Cinnamon-Glazed Root Vegetables Roasted
vegetables glazed with olive oil, cinnamon, margarine and brown sugar. (Compliments
of the American Heart Association)
Ingredients
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1 small raw sweet potato (cut into 1-inch cubes, peeled if desired)
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1/2 cup baby carrots (cut into 1-inch pieces)
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1 small turnip (cut into 1-inch cubes)
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1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
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1 Tbsp. light tub margarine
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1/2 tsp. cinnamon
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1 tsp. brown sugar
Preparation
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Combine vegetables in a medium mixing bowl and toss with olive oil to
coat.
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Spread vegetables on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
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Stir vegetables and bake an additional 20 minutes until vegetables are
tender (pierce easily with a fork) and are lightly browned.
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Return vegetables to mixing bowl and add margarine, cinnamon and brown
sugar.
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Toss until margarine is melted and vegetables are coated with cinnamon
and sugar.
Nutrition Analysis (per serving)
Calories 105, Total Fat 5.0 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g,
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg,
Sodium 71 mg, Carbohydrates 15 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugars 5 g, Protein 1 g. Dietary
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.
Curried Pumpkin Soup Pumpkin
puree with vegetable broth, tofu, milk, maple syrup, curry powder, salt,
cayenne and fresh herbs. (Compliments of American Heart
Association)
Ingredients
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1 teaspoon olive oil
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1/4 cup chopped shallots
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Two 15 oz cans pumpkin (not pie filling)
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2 cups fat-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
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12 ounces light, firm tofu (drained, patted dry, chopped)
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One 12 oz can fat-free evaporated milk
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2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
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2 teaspoons curry powder
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
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1/4 cup unsalted shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds), dry-roasted
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2 tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro
Preparation
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In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat, swirling to
coat the bottom. Cook the shallots for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft,
stirring occasionally.
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Stir in the pumpkin, broth, tofu, milk, maple syrup, curry powder,
salt, and cayenne.
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In a food processor or blender (vent the blender lid), process the
soup in batches until smooth. Carefully return the soup to the pan.
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Cook, still over medium-low heat, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the
soup is heated through, stirring occasionally.
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Just before serving, sprinkle with the pepitas and cilantro.
Nutrition Analysis (per serving)
Calories 188, Total Fat 5.0 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g,
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.0 g, Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 3 mg,
Sodium 202 mg, Carbohydrates 25 g, Fiber 7 g, Sugars 17 g, Protein 14 g. Dietary
Exchanges: 1 starch, ½ fat-free milk, 1 lean meat
This recipe is reprinted with permission from The New American Heart
Association Cookbook, 9th Edition.
Copyright © 2017 by the American Heart Association. Published by Harmony
Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Available from
booksellers everywhere.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves Fortune 500 companies, world
champion sports teams, state-of-the-art healthcare providers, the
world's leading educational institutions, iconic destinations and
cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around
the world. Our 270,000 team members deliver experiences that enrich and
nourish millions of lives every day through innovative services in food,
facilities management and uniforms. We operate our business with social
responsibility, focusing on initiatives that support our diverse
workforce, advance consumer health and wellness, protect our
environment, and strengthen our communities. Aramark is recognized as
one of the World's Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE as well as an
employer of choice by the Human Rights Campaign and DiversityInc. Learn
more at www.aramark.com or
connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (News - Alert).
About American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart
disease and stroke - the two leading causes of death in the world. We
team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for
stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and
information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based
association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization
dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get
involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or
call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171207005220/en/
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