Cajun Country Cuisine Children should have access to healthy food and be able to make healthy food choices wherever they are at home, in school, and in the community. Improving the health of the nation s children and reversing the childhood obesity epidemic is a shared responsibility and will take the commitment of parents, the foodservice industry, the media, and schools working together. The vision of USDA s School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children is to improve the health of school children through better nutrition. Implementing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in school meals will have important health benefits for children. About Cajun Cuisine Gumbo, etouffee, and jambalaya are characteristic one-pot meals of Cajun Cuisine that rely on the abundant local ingredients. Another characteristic of this popular cuisine is the use of the holy trinity of seasoning sweet bell pepper, onion and celery. This is the south s variation on the French s mirepoix onions, celery and carrots. Other seasonings widely used include parsley, bay leaf, onion tops or scallions, and dried cayenne pepper. Menu-Planning Practices for Reducing Sodium in Healthy School Meals Purchase garlic, onion, and celery powders or granules, not garlic, onion, or celery salts, which have more sodium. Purchase seasoning mixes that do not contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) or have salt as a primary ingredient. Only lightly salt fresh and frozen vegetables and entrees. Gradually reduce the amount of salt. Experiment with herbs, spices, and lemon for seasonings to use in place of part of the salt. Reduce the salt in the cooking water when preparing rice, or pasta. USDA Food Program USDA Foods are better than ever. Over the past two decades, USDA has reduced the levels of fat, sodium (salt), and sugar in commodities while keeping them tasty and acceptable to children. USDA is offering new low-sodium canned vegetables through the USDA Food Program. Schools can also order frozen vegetables as a lower sodium option. For more information about USDA food products visit: www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/foods/sy09-schfoods.pdf. Did you know? Rice Ninety percent of the rice consumed in the United States is grown in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas where the climate and soil suitable for commercial production. After rice is harvested it is milled to remove the inedible hull. From this step it can be left as brown rice with the bran layers intact or further milled to white or polished rice. Brown, or whole-grain, rice has more fiber than white rice and is high in vitamins and minerals. Its nutritious high-fiber bran coating gives brown rice its light tan color, nutlike flavor, and chewy texture. Consider serving more whole-grain rice in your school. Culinary Resources National Food Service Management Institute. (2009). Culinary techniques for healthy school meals. University, MS: Author. National Food Service Management Institute. (2005). Healthy cuisine for kids. University, MS: Author. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2007, January). The road to SMI success-a guide for school food service directors. Washington, DC: Author. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2007). HealthierUS school challenge: Recognizing nutrition excellence in schools. Washington, DC: Author. Regional Ingredients Rice Sweet potatoes Onions Celery Bell peppers Cayenne pepper Bay leaf Sassafras Thyme Hot sauce Okra Tomatoes Pecans Catfish Gulf shrimp Andouille sausage Did you know? Okra Okra grows in an elongated, lantern shape vegetable. It is a fuzzy, green and ribbed pod and is known by its rows of tiny seeds and slimy or sticky texture when cut open. Okra is a member of the cotton family and is now commonly grown in the southern United States where there is little frost. It is commonly associated in Southern, Creole, and Cajun cooking since it was initially introduced into the United States in its southern region. Okra is commonly used as a thickening agent in soups and stews because of its sticky core. It may also be steamed, boiled, pickled, sautèed, or stir-fried whole and goes well with tomatoes, onions, corn, peppers, and eggplant. National Food Service Management Institute The University of Mississippi 6 Jeanette Phillips Drive Post Office Drawer 188 University, Mississippi 38677-0188 800-321-3054 nfsmi@olemiss.edu For more information, visit us on the Web at www.nfsmi.org 1
Nutrition Feature: Be Salt Savvy Nearly all Americans consume more sodium than they need. Often we don t know how much sodium we are getting. Taste alone may not tell us which foods are high in sodium. Table salt (sodium chloride) isn t the only source of sodium. Look at ingredient lists for other sources, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium alginate, and sodium nitrate or nitrite. Children s taste for salt is a learned habit. By gradually reducing the salt and sodium in school meals, students tastes can change. Offer lower sodium versions of popular menu items and recipes at the beginning of a school year. Students may hardly notice the difference. Be salt savvy and help students enjoy the taste of the food instead of the salt! Too much salt and sodium are linked to high blood pressure. Reducing dietary sodium can lower blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that both adults and children get less than 2,300 mg of sodium (approximately one teaspoon of salt) per day. Many students eat nearly double the daily recommended amount! The typical school lunch contains more than 1,000 mg of sodium. Strive to offer school lunches with less than 800 mg of sodium. Cutting back on sodium in school meals can help students learn to enjoy foods for their natural tastes. Kicking the salt habit may provide health benefits for a lifetime. Be Salt Savvy Serve more fresh foods and fewer processed foods. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium. Modify recipes that use high-sodium ingredients such as cheese sauces, canned soups, tomato sauce, paste, or spaghetti sauce, canned vegetables, chips, and taco shells. Use lower sodium versions or use less. Remove salt from recipes whenever possible. (Note: Do not leave out the salt in a recipe for baked goods because it could affect the baking process.) Use fresh or dried herbs, spices, lemon or orange zest, or fruit juices to jazz. Growing Herbs with Students Planting a school or home herb garden can be a wonderful learning experience and another way to teach students about nutrition. Gardening can be incorporated into a nutrition lesson in a science class or health class. The fresh herbs grown in the students' garden can be used in the school's foodservice program. This is a great way for everyone to reap the fruits of the students' labor. Herbs like oregano, mint, and basil are easy to grow and can be readily incorporated into school meals. Introduce the herbs to the children. Show the herbs growing and let students smell the leaves. Highlight where the herbs grown in the students garden were used on the school s lunch menu. A picture of a sprig of leaves on the menu next to the items is a great way to link agriculture and healthy foods. Another good idea is to offer a description of the herb and a recipe using the herb printed directly on the menu. Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services, (2005). Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Washington, DC: Author. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2005). MyPyramid for kids. Washington, DC: Author. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2008). Fact sheets for healthier school meals: Be salt savvy cut back on sodium for healthier school meals. Washington, DC: Author. 2
Turkey and Sausage Gumbo Serving Size: 1 cup Number of Portions: 100 Thanks to Sylvia Dunn, Foodservice Director at the St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana, and Robin Blakeman, Foodservice Manager at Cypress Cove Elementary in Slidell, Louisiana, for sharing their flavorful gumbo made without fat in the roux. Flour (prepared the day before) 1 pound Okra, frozen 5 pounds Sausage, sliced 3 pound 3 ounces Onions, chopped 3 pounds 8 ounces Celery, chopped 2 pounds Green peppers, chopped 2 pounds Whole tomatoes, canned, chopped 1 #10 can Garlic, chopped 1/3 cup Parsley, fresh 1 1/2 ounce Creole seasoning 1 tablespoon Tabasco 2 teaspoons (elementary) 2 tablespoons (high school) Bay leaves, whole 2 each Stock, chicken or turkey, fat skimmed 1 gallon 3 quarts Turkey roast, boneless, cooked, cubed 10 pounds Filé (optional) 2 tablespoons 1. Place flour on a sheet tray. Bake in a 350 F oven for approximately 3 hours. Stir every 1/2 hour. Browning the flour is the first step in making a fatless roux. Refrigerate until needed. 2. Place okra on a sheet tray. Bake in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes. 3. Sauté sausage on medium heat. Remove any excess fat. 4. Add onions, celery and green pepper. Cook until onions are transparent. 5. Add chopped tomatoes. Simmer 5 minutes 6. Add garlic, parsley, Creole seasoning, Tabasco, and bay leaf. Add stock. 7. Add roux (browned flour) gradually, stirring constantly. 8. Add turkey. Stir thoroughly. 9. Add okra and stir. Simmer gumbo for 30 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat. Add filé (optional). Calories 157 Saturated Fat 1.5 g Iron 2.6 mg Protein 19.1 g Cholesterol 49 mg Calcium 36 mg Carbohydrate 10.5 g Vitamin A 317 IU Sodium 246 mg Total Fat 4.0 g Vitamin C 13.8 mg Dietary Fiber 1.65 g Source: St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana 3
Baked Cajun Catfish Serving Size: 1 piece Number of Portions: 50 Fried catfish has been found on school menus across the south for many years. This lower-fat version will be certain to please students. Paprika 2 teaspoons Granulated garlic 2 teaspoons Onion Salt 2 teaspoons Red pepper 3/4 teaspoon Ground black or white pepper 3/4 teaspoon Dried oregano 1 teaspoon Dried thyme 1 teaspoon Frozen fish portions (3 ounces each) 9 pounds 7 ounces 50 each Lemon juice 1/2 cup Margarine or butter, melted 3/4 cup 1. Mix paprika, granulated garlic, onion salt, red pepper, black or white pepper, oregano, and thyme in a small bowl. Reserve for step 3. 2. Place 25 fish portions into each ungreased steamtable pan (12" x 20" x 2 1/2"). Use 2 pans. 3. Pour 1/4 cup of lemon juice over the fish. Brush margarine on top of each fish portion. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon 2 teaspoons of seasoning mix over the top of each pan. 4. Bake: Conventional oven: 350 F for 15 minutes Convection oven: 350 F for 10 minutes Fish should flake easily with a fork. CCP: Heat to 145 F or higher for at least 15 seconds. 5. CCP: Hold for hot service at 135 F or higher. Calories 128 Saturated Fat 1.75 g Iron 0.63 mg Protein 12.58 g Cholesterol 43 mg Calcium 9 mg Carbohydrate 0.43 g Vitamin A 220 IU Sodium 145 mg Total Fat 8.12 g Vitamin C 1 mg Dietary Fiber 0.1 g Source: Adapted from Baked Cajun Catfish, D - 46, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service & National Food Service Management Institute. Recipes for child care. (2005). 4
Okra with Tomato Serving Size: 1/2 cup Number of Portions: 50 Okra is widely grown and used in dishes such as gumbo and as a side vegetable. Vegetable oil 4 ounces Onions, finely chopped 4 ounces Garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon Okra, washed, trimmed, sliced 9 pounds (fresh or frozen) Stewed tomatoes 3 1/2 pounds Salt 1 teaspoon Black pepper 1/2 teaspoon 1. Heat oil in pan. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. 2. Add okra and tomatoes and sauté until tender. 3. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer mixture for 15 to 20 minutes longer. Calories 54 Saturated Fat 0.2 g Iron 0.8 mg Protein 1.9 g Cholesterol 0 mg Calcium 76.9 mg Carbohydrate 7.7 g Vitamin A 355 IU Sodium 125 mg Total Fat 2.4 g Vitamin C 21.2 mg Dietary Fiber 2.65 g 5
Bread Pudding Serving Size: 1 piece Number of Portions: 50 A variety of dried fruits may be used sweeten this classic dessert. Try dried cherries, cranberries, raisins, or blueberries. Sugar 1 pound 2 cups Salt 2 teaspoons Lowfat 1% milk 2 quarts 3 cups Vanilla 1/4 cup Frozen whole eggs, thawed 1 pound 8 ounces 3 cups OR OR Fresh large white eggs 14 each Frozen egg whites, thawed 8 ounces 1 cup OR OR Fresh large egg whites 6 each Enriched whole wheat, 16 ounces 4 quarts soft bread cubes Ground nutmeg (optional) 2 teaspoons Raisins, dried fruits (optional) 1. In a bowl, whisk sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla until blended. 2. In a stainless steel bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites until foamy. Add to the milk mixture and whisk until blended. 3. Into each pan (9" x 13" x 2'') which has been lightly coated with pan release spray, place 3 oz (3 cups) soft bread cubes. Use 2 pans. Pour 4 lb 8 oz (2 quarts) of liquid into each pan. Sprinkle nutmeg (optional) on top. 4. Set the pan in a larger shallow pan. Pour hot water around the dish to a product depth of 1". 5. Bake until knife inserted in center of custard comes out clean. Conventional oven: 350 F for 1 hour 25 minutes. Convection oven: 300 F for 1 hour 20 minutes 6. CCP: Hold for hot service at 135 F or higher. Or, CCP: Cool to 70 F within 2 hours and from 70 F to 41 F or lower within an additional 4 hours. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut each pan 5 x 5 (25 portions per pan). Calories 92 Saturated Fat 0.79 g Iron 0.33 mg Protein 4.22 g Cholesterol 60 mg Calcium 77 mg Carbohydrate 13.65 g Vitamin A 196 IU Sodium 163 mg Total Fat 2.06 g Vitamin C 0.5 mg Dietary Fiber 0.1 g Source: Adapted from Bread Pudding, B-01B, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service & National Food Service Management Institute. Recipes for child care. (2005). 6