Healthy Eating: Asian can be healthy!

[magickalmom]

Ya'll know me... even though I love to cook, I often find myself too tired (or too busy) to cook. With my "worldly pallet" I find myself craving anything but "American" foods. Dishes with an Asian influence are something that I commonly opt for. Even though there are a lot of Asian foods that are completely healthy, most of what we find here have been "Americanized"-- deep fried, cooked in way too much oil, or slathered with high sugar sauces. Before I grab my chopsticks I find myself a small "family joint" and I talk with the staff. I know... not everyone is as crazy as I am but I am telling you, it is worth the effort! I have a handful of restaurants that I am faithful too (and I recommend to all of my friends) because I know that I have already built a rapport with the cook so if I request alterations to my food, he/she isn't going to spit in it. LOL!

My Rules of Enjoying Chinese or Korean

Avoid dishes that is breaded and deep-fried.

Avoid rice and noodles (or enjoy in moderation).

Steer clear of sugary or high fat sauces; instead opt for more spice/seasoning for flavor.

My most frequent choices are kung pao chicken, beef/onion/broccoli, shrimp/snow peas, mushroom or garlic chicken, Mongolian steak, etc

I always ask the chef to go easy on the oil (in other words I avoid Chinese bars and opt for restaurants that cook to taste).

My Rules of Enjoying Thai

Satay dishes are my friend as are the soups!

I also enjoy protein & veggie stir-fry dishes, steamed fish, or protein lettuce rolls!

I try and avoid fatty coconut milk curries, noodles, and rice.

My Rules of Enjoying Indian

Chicken, lamb, beef, or shrimp Tikka

Veggie dishes such as bhagan bharta (whipped eggplant), saag paneer (spinach with cheese), aloo gobi (marinated steamed cauliflower), vegetable jalfrezi (mixed vegetables).

Avoid high fat curries, rice, and naan bread.

And of course all of my rules are flexible! To constantly avoid a particular dish would set myself up for failure if it were a dish that I love and crave. My secret to enjoying the foods that I love but should only have in moderation is to enjoy it with friends. Ask any of my foodie crew from KY. We'd all pile in our cars and go enjoy Indian on a regular basis. We'd each order a separate dish and then we'd pass it family style. So we're all getting a small taste of everything without going overboard on one dish that perhaps isn't so great for us. And of course we'd plan ahead and do a bit more exercise that day! LOL!