International Cuisine: India
From Our KitchenDating back 5,000 years, India is an amalgamation of diverse cultural, religious, and culinary influences. You might be surprised to learn that many foods that seem to embody Indian cuisine – rich, tomato-based curries and the piping-hot potato and pea samosa stuffing – include ingredients that aren’t native to the country. Portuguese and Dutch colonization brought items such as tomatoes, potatoes, vinegar, and grilled bread to India. A reflection of the diverse nature of this Southeast Asian country, India...
Celebrating Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month
Articles, From Our KitchenMay is Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, which celebrates the rich cultures, traditions, histories, and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout the history of the United States. As a dining services provider, our celebration revolves around food, so it’s only natural to highlight this month through that lens. Let’s take a look at some of today’s notable Asian American and Pacific Islander chefs and their culinary contributions and achievements. Chef Cristeta Comerford is in charge of the food...
From Our Dietitians: Immune-Supportive Recipes with Probiotics
Nutrition, From Our Kitchen, From Our ChefsOne of the ways you can protect yourself from the COVID-19 pandemic is to incorporate a balanced group of immune-supportive nutrients in your diet. We’ve shared information and recipes to help you learn more about and increase your intake of vitamin C, vitamin D, beta-carotene, zinc, and protein, and now we’re featuring probiotics! Probiotics are live, helpful bacteria that occur naturally in fermented foods, such as yogurt. They help your body digest food, support your microbiome (the collection of bacteria...
From Our Chefs: Livening Up Your Leftovers
From Our Kitchen, From Our ChefsDuring any school week, but particularly this year, convenience is a key part of meal planning. One-pot and one-sheet meals, make-ahead freezable meals, and meals big enough for leftovers are your friends when you need to get dinner on the table between after-school activities, homework, and the bedtime routine. Balance efficiency and creativity with your weeknight food prep by finding different uses for a large piece of meat. The example we’re using is a 10-pound boneless chuck roast, but you...
2021 Food Trends
From Our Kitchen, From Our ChefsAs we welcome the new year, SAGE Executive Chef Rob Coutu and our Registered Dietitians share food trends you might see popping up on menus in 2021. Bread: The COVID-19 pandemic brought out a bunch of bakers! While people have been learning how to keep sourdough starters alive and what “levain” means, they’re developing an appreciation for artisan breads. Look for bakeries making loaves from local and organic grains, heritage wheats, and ancient grains. Hyper-regional cooking: Food descriptions are including...
Ideas for Holiday Leftovers
From Our Kitchen, From Our ChefsIf you’re cooking a holiday meal and are wondering what to do with leftovers, we have some interesting ideas to help you use up extra ham, beef, and turkey. Add your leftover meat to: Noodles: mac and cheese, tetrazzini, and lo mein Sandwiches: banh mi, sliders, panini, and gyro Soups: pho, chili, gumbo, and posole Tortillas: enchiladas, fajitas, chimichangas, and tacos Rice: risotto, fried rice, and jambalaya Egg: frittata, quiche, and breakfast casserole Vegetables: lettuce and cabbage Here are a...
From Our Dietitians: Immune-Supportive Recipes with Protein
Nutrition, From Our Kitchen, From Our ChefsWhile navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be looking for ways to support your immune system. No single food or nutrient is the solution, but a well-balanced diet with select nutrients can help. After sharing information and recipes for vitamin C, vitamin D, beta-carotene, and zinc, we’re doing the same for protein! This macronutrient is necessary for a variety of functions within our bodies, including helping with immunity. Proteins help form antibodies, which protect the body from harmful bacteria and...
From Our Dietitians: Immune-Supportive Recipes with Zinc
Nutrition, From Our Kitchen, From Our ChefsAs we all navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that washing hands, physical distancing, and wearing masks to cover the nose and mouth are of highest importance. You might also be making changes to support and strengthen your immune system. By itself, one food or nutrient won’t protect against illness, but eating a balanced diet with specific nutrients can help. We started with vitamin C, vitamin D, and beta-carotene, and zinc is up next. Zinc helps protect the body from...