Sensei Talks  

1. Love gravy with your meat? Once your turkey or roast is cooked and resting, strain the gravy and pour it into a shallow glass dish. Leave it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until the fat has somewhat solidified. Remove the fat with a spoon then heat the remaining gravy. Feel free to adjust the seasonings with your favorite herbs and spices, but be sure not to add butter.


2. You can do the same thing if you’re making a stew-type dish where the meat is cooked in its own juices. Before serving, put the ingredients in a serving dish, cover and keep in a warm oven. Meanwhile, pour the gravy into a shallow glass dish and put it in the freezer until you can remove the solidified fat with a spoon. Heat, adjust seasonings and pour over the stew. Remember, no butter though!


3. Veggies on the menu? Roast vegetables instead of boiling them so you won’t have to add any fat to enhance the flavor. One of my all time favorites is roasted acorn squash…it makes a beautiful presentation and is naturally sweet! Leave the skin on, layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little seasoning salt and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Place under a medium hot broiler until it starts to turn golden and then flip. They’re ready to eat when they have a golden color and are easily pierced with a fork. Add to a festive meal with different colored vegetables. Try multi-colored small potatoes, asparagus, pearl onions, miniature peppers, zucchinis, carrots or even small Brussels sprouts.


4. Instead of fattening desserts, try poaching some fruit in red wine or juice. For example, peel some fresh pears (leave the stem attached), then poach them in orange juice or red wine until you can pierce with a vegetable knife. For added sweetness, drizzle a little chocolate sauce on top or try reducing the cooking liquid until it’s a syrupy consistency then drizzle that on top.


5. Avoid adding too many ingredients in a salad! Keep it simple and elegant with some nice Bibb (Boston head) lettuce. Add a little a red color with pieces of radicchio or thinly sliced radishes and toss with a simple dressing of oil and vinegar. Sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top for a sweet twist.

Labels: Healthy Cooking, Holiday Eating, Josee