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March / April 2007 Article

Trans-Fat Free Tasty Menus

Cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, French fries and potato chips…it seems the FDA’s list of major food sources of artificial trans fat contains all the good stuff. But, by now we all know that it is bad stuff for our hearts and arteries.

Hence, the move to ban artificial trans fats from our lives. When these man-made substances were created around the turn of the last century, they were hailed as a good way to give processed foods a longer shelf life, more stable flavor, and to require less refrigeration. Unknowingly, we traded a few benefits for a lot of drawbacks.

Fortunately, just as science and medicine has ferreted out the dangers of trans fat, new research has created ways to replace it, without losing the main benefits. We’ve come a long way on two fronts.

The Loews Hotels move to remove trans fats is being phased in over a six-month period. By Feb. 1, the use of trans-fats in all frying oils and French fries was eliminated. On April 1, salad dressings, pastry items such as pie dough, fudge and buttercream frosting, and other frozen foods will be trans-fat free. By June 1, the full ban takes effect, eliminating trans-fats from waffles, pancakes and prepared mixes.

The phased-in time frame will allow hotel chefs to experiment with suitable substitute ingredients. In homemade cookies, for example, shortening will be replaced with real butter. In the mini-bar, Loews Hotels will replace trans-fat-filled snacks with trans-fat free products such as Sunchips, Miss Vickie’s Kettle Cooked Chips, Baked Lay’s and Power Bars.

For your own cooking, Gregg Wangard, executive chef of Loews Santa Monica Beach, recommends, “Make all of your dishes yourself and use less processed ingredients and pre-prepared foods so you know where all of your food is coming from.” He sees a trend among chefs to use local farmers markets to create unique menus. In replacing the trans fats, he is relying on butter, olive oil and various natural ingredients.

For your menu planning, Chef Wangard offers these sample suggestions as healthy choices:

• Breakfast--Granola Fruit Sushi Roll (recipe follows) and Fresh Fruit Smoothies in shot glasses
• Meeting break snacks--Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Lunch--Grilled fish and chicken in wraps instead of sandwiches
• Reception hors d’oeuvre--Mache Salads in Chinese take out boxes, Spring Rolls in rice paper wraps
• Dinner--grilled fish and chicken

He says the move to the healthier food is likely to create higher food costs, but as the ban on trans fat become more extensive, the cost will go down.

His prime advice for meeting planners: “Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and be creative with your dishes, and ask to speak to the chef directly.”

When asked what one sinful food he would find the hardest to give up, his response was “French Fries.”

Growing up in the small town of Brandon, Wisconsin, Chef Wangard developed an appreciation for farm fresh ingredients and artisinal cheeses at an early age. Before joining the Loews Hotels in 2004, he held positions at The American Club in Kohler, WI, and Rosewood Caneel Bay Resort, St. John, Virgin Islands, among others. For both personal and professional meal planning, he frequents the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market.

Loews Denver Hotel, Loews Lake Las Vegas, Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, and Loews Ventana Canyon Resort are members of the Krisam Group. For more information about these hotels, please contact your Krisam representative or e-mail newsletter@theeventinsider.com.

The Recipe: Granola Coconut Sushi Roll

Francisco Lozano, Executive Pastry Chef
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

Yields approx. 10 servings.

1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups water
2 Tsp sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup frozen coconut puree
1/2 cup finely chopped granola
1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut

Process:
Bring rice, water and sugar to a boil, lower heat and steam until rice is cooked.
Add the coconut puree, coconut milk and granola, turn heat back on (low) and stir until liquid disappears. Mix in the shredded coconut. Let it cool.

When it has cooled, roll right away in plastic wrap and later cut into portions and top it with thinly sliced fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, and mango.
Serve with chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce.

Chocolate sauce can be made by melting equal parts of semisweet chocolate and heavy cream. Bring cream to a boil and add to the chocolate; stir until chocolate is melted.

Raspberry sauce can be made by blending frozen raspberries (defrost them first) with a little sugar depending on sweetness of raspberries (sometimes sugar is not needed). Strain in a fine sifter to get rid of the seeds.