Stealthy, Healthy and Wise

Most people would make better dietary choices if the smart selections were as tempting as the unwise ones. As culinarians, you can help your customers stay on the path to good nutrition by enhancing the craveability of your most healthy selections. Grapes can assist you in these "stealth health" techniques. They boost plate appeal and can often replace less wholesome ingredients, so you can offer your guests dishes they feel good about ordering.

Note that the stealth-health approach doesn't call attention to itself. That's the stealth part. You don't need to signal that you've slashed the calories or reduced the sodium. To customers, that reads like a sacrifice.

Instead, consider some of these under-the-radar techniques:

Use grapes in place of foods with less desirable nutritional attributes. Serve pork chops with a colorful couscous and grape salad in lieu of mashed potatoes. Make a chicken salad with grapes, toasted walnuts, and vinaigrette instead of with eggs, sugary relish, and mayonnaise. Serve a grape salsa with fried fish instead of tartar sauce. Offer grapes as an alternative to fries or chips.

Add grapes to an entrée and reduce the meat portion. That's a nutrition-wise tradeoff for diners, and good for your bottom line, too. Two pounds of pork can make kebabs for eight if you add grapes to the skewers and pair the kebabs with a warm spinach or frisée salad. The grapes add juiciness so there's no need for a sauce. And the grilled kebabs suit the “street cart” way of dining that consumers are embracing today.

Use grapes to make whole-grain dishes fashion-forward and inviting. Recipes made with whole grains can sometimes seem stodgy and depressingly good-for-you. Grapes—red, black, and green types—can remake that image. Whole-wheat pancakes with warm grape compote. Bulgur pilaf with grapes and pecans. Whole-wheat spaghetti with grapes, walnuts, and feta. Nothing stodgy about that.

Featured Recipe: Chef Samuel's Grilled Spiced Pork and Grape Kebabs start with a highly seasoned marinade and are served with a Spinach and Grilled Red Onion Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette.

Featured Recipe: Chef Samuel's Grape and Brie Quesadillas with Green Grape and Arugula Salad , Champagne Vinaigrette and Shaved Parmesan are a flavorful and healthful appetizer or lunch. The arugula salad alone could accompany a petite steak, duck breast, or roast chicken.

Featured Recipe: By adding roasted grapes to his Chicken Tagine, Chef Samuel stretches two pounds of thighs to serve eight.