MIX F O O D F L AV O R S I D E A S W I N T E R 2 0 0 9
To Your Health
Healthy Menu Makeovers PG. 4
Meet the Millennials PG. 8
Easy and Nutritious Recipes PG. 16
Natur ally Inspired. INTRODUCING MINOR’S ALL NATUR AL BASES. Wholesome, fresh taste made with pure ingredients. Ž
It’s what more and more customers are searching for. And it’s the reason we created our new line of bases. Grown from the desire to help you add nutritional options and noticeably superior flavor to your menu, our
new beef, chicken and vegetable bases are carefully crafted with the finest ingredients for a fresh, natural taste.
H;NOL;F CHAL?>C?HNM .I ;>>?> -3' .I JL?M?LP;NCP?M IL BS>LIA?H;N?> ICFM A NL;HM ;H> M;NOL;N?> @;N J?L M?LPCHA F?MM MI>COG Learn how all natural bases can make your menu flourish by calling 1-800-243-8822. Visit nestleprofessional.com to find recipes like the Italian Vegetable Soup shown above. *25% less sodium than traditional base NESTLÉ PROFESSIONALTM and MINOR’S Ž are trademarks owned by SociÊtÊ des Produits, NestlÊ S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.
This Issue
Sharing the Commitment
To Nutrition, Health and Wellness At Nestlé Professional™, we take your concerns very seriously: The complex, ever-changing needs of the foodservice operator are always Job One for us. And one of the most significant and far-reaching concerns of the foodservice industry right now is the whole area of consumer nutrition, health and wellness. The search for a balanced, healthy lifestyle is much on the minds of today’s consumers—not just dieting, per se, but an effective model for integrating nutrition and enjoyment into a long and fulfilling life. It’s a complicated and sometimes confusing arena, affecting almost every corner of foodservice operations, from understanding who the customer is and what they really want, to successfully executing against those demands, every single day. That’s one of the reasons why we devoted this entire issue of MIX to the subject of nutrition, health and wellness—and why Nestlé Professional has set itself a goal of becoming your go-to source for solutions and products that will help you address the healthy lifestyle concerns of your customer base. In this issue, you’ll see all kinds of easy, achievable ideas for performing a healthy makeover on your operation, from the menu to back-of-the-house equipment and systems. We’ll share great new recipes and an arsenal of information about healthy Nestlé Professional products, including MINOR’S® All Natural, Low Sodium and No MSG Added Bases in addition to satisfying entrées and side dishes from STOUFFER’S® LEAN CUISINE®. And we’ll introduce you to what could be the most demanding generation yet: The Millennials, those children of the Baby Boomers who are poised to change the world as we know it yet again.
While you’re reading MIX, be sure to make note of the links in every article to expanded content on our website, NestleProfessional.com, where you can find out more about every subject covered in the magazine. In addition, you’ll find lots of other resources, including over 1,500 recipes, insightful articles, trend information, and featured operator stories, as well as information about our trusted brands and products. But that’s not all. To celebrate a new year and a new chapter in our goal of helping you grow your business, we’re launching an exclusive complimentary series of operator webinars (online seminars). The first one is dedicated to the subject of Nutrition, Health and Wellness in the foodservice industry. To learn more, go to NestleProfessional.com and register to become part of our growing family of operator-partners. Finally, we’re excited and proud to announce the opening of our brand new state-of-the-art Nestlé Professional Customer Innovation Campus in Solon, Ohio. Our new “NPCIC” will function as a global center for product and resource innovation, and as a real-world product development facility where our operator-partners can work with us to find unique solutions for their own challenges. For more information on our dynamic, new NPCIC, turn to the back page of MIX, and look for more announcements in the months ahead. It’s a new era and a new beginning for us all. Karla Bendel
| M enu Inspirations
Healthy Menu Makeovers pg. 4
| S tirrings
Healthy Enhancements for Beverages pg. 7
| C onsumer Connections
Sustaining Millennial Interest pg. 8
| O perational Insights
A Healthy New Approach pg. 10
| In The Kitchen
Healthy Patients— and Employees pg. 12
| P roduct Spotlight
Exciting, Nutritious Products from MINOR’S® and STOUFFER’S® pg. 14
| R ecipes
Easy and Nutritious pg. 16
| T he Back Page
The New Customer Innovation Campus pg. 18
Director, Corporate Marketing NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL, North America
Please contact your NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL Sales Representative or call 1-800-288-8682 for more information. Visit us online at www.NestleProfessional.com.
Check Out What’s Inside
On the cover: Curried Carrot & Coconut Milk Soup made with MINOR’S® All Natural Chicken Base and Shrimp with Cajun Spice.
Menu Inspirations
Healthy Menu Makeovers The year 2009 just may be the dawning of a new age in nutrition, health and wellness. Consumers are demanding information and options, including better-for-me foods that also taste great and offer variety and on-trend experiences—including the occasional indulgence. The Hartman Group singles out better eating as the single most influential cultural practice in years ahead, citing not just the latest diet or health statistic, but the whole “complex intersection between healthy eating and wellness.” In fact, in the wake of widespread disillusionment about fad diets, and conflicting evidence about foods like seafood—loaded with good Omega-3s or with potentially dangerous mercury?— consumers are seeking more balanced and sustainable ways to stay healthy. It’s a lifestyle thing, in other words. Food and beverage are a central component in the wellness lifestyle, and the foodservice industry is responding. According to a recent National Restaurant Association SmartBrief operator poll, more than 70% of respondents have added health-conscious items to their menus, although only half of them indicate such options on the actual menu.
Fortunately, the fact that consumers expect a variety of different options means that you don’t have to rewrite the entire menu to satisfy them. A few new items here, a tweak or two there, and a few more nips and tucks are all most operators need to adapt to the trend. Think of it as a menu makeover, not a whole new redesign.
Look to Your Ingredients Manufacturers are doing their part to introduce products with healthier profiles and more nutritious ingredients, at the same time addressing problem areas like additives and sodium. Evaluate the items you’re using in recipes and on the menu to see where you can make improvements. TIP
MINOR’S ® new All Natural Beef, Chicken
and Vegetable Bases are made with 100% natural ingredients. And all MINOR’S Bases are free of preservatives and artificial flavors and colors, and have 0g Trans Fat and 0g Saturated Fat per serving.
Mid Summer’s Night Soup with MINOR’S® All Natural Chicken Base
4 MIX WINTER 2009
Examine Portion Sizes Nutrition experts and the health-conscious alike are beginning to realize that it’s not any one particular food—such as carbs or chocolate—that causes weight problems, it’s portion sizes that are simply too big and high in calories. The food industry’s tendency to offer value through quantity has caused it to become a target of consumer interest and regulatory bodies. Take it upon yourself to look at portion sizes, as chains like TGI Friday’s and Village Inn have done with their “right size” menu programs. TIP
LEAN POCKETS ® brand Stuffed Sandwiches
in addition to entrées and side dishes from STOUFFER’S ® LEAN CUISINE ® will help you satisfy the healthful yearnings of your guests as well as the flavorful cravings of their palates, in formats that offer easy portion control.
How To... Make Roasted Squash Sauce
Primavera Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes with MINOR’S® Sautéed Vegetable Base
1
Replace Fats with Flavor It’s a well-known fact that fat adds to satiation, in part because it’s such a remarkable carrier of flavor. But there are other ways to add flavor while cutting or eliminating the use of butter and oil. Using applesauce, plum puree or even mashed avocado in baked goods bolsters flavor and also replicates the luxurious mouthfeel of fat. Spicy, sweet-sour, umami and other full-bodied or complex flavors entrance the tastebuds and obviate the need for added fat, as well as salt, excessive fat and other dietary problem children. TIP
Sauces from MINOR’S ® and STOUFFER’S ®
and concentrates from MINOR’S ® Signature™ Flavor are all tailor-made for creating reduced-fat menu items that are loaded with distinctive flavor. They can be used as-is or customized to produce a marinade, glaze, sauce or dressing that really delivers on-menu trends and taste.
Stouffer’s® Smoky Black Beans Griddle Cakes with Minor’s® Bourbon Style Sauce 2
Retool Cooking Techniques Foods that are fried and sautéed may be popular, but they’re not always healthy, at least not as a steady diet. High heat to the rescue: Searing foods on a grill or in a relatively dry skillet browns the surface and creates flavor-building caramelization, as does broiling and high-temperature roasting. Foods can also be coated with a vehicle for crusting—such as herbs, nuts or breadcrumbs—before being grilled or roasted. Many slower cooking techniques also lend themselves to healthy preparations, including smoking, poaching, slow-roasting (which concentrates the flavors), and sous vide. Trendy braising not only builds flavors and tenderizes cost-effective cuts of meat, it also gives the opportunity to skim fat from the dish as it cooks. Continues on next page.
3
4 STEP 1 Prepare stock by whisking MINOR’S® All Natural Vegetable Base into hot water in a saucepan and mix thoroughly. STEP 2 Split and clean butternut squash and arrange on hotel pans. Fill cavities of squash with butter, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and roast; remove when done and allow to cool until the squash can be safely handled. STEP 3 Remove the roasted squash flesh from the shell using a large sturdy spoon and transfer to the container of a blender. Ladle in heated prepared vegetable stock and pulse to puree.
Mushroom Ravioli made with MINOR’S® Mushroom Base in Butternut Squash Sauce
STEP 4 Strain squash puree through a china cap or other fine-mesh strainer, using the back of a ladle or spoon to strain out any lumps, fibers or other solid material. Set finished sauce aside for service.
For the recipe, see pg. 16.
Menu Inspirations
Menu Makeover Checklist
Iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing made with MINOR’S® Culinary Cream
Many recipes and menu items are easy to adjust for a healthier profile. This refers not only to calories, fat, sugar, sodium and other components, but also to trigger foods such as peanuts and soy products. Experiment with leaner alternatives, such as Canadian bacon or turkey ham instead of bacon or sausage, or ground turkey instead of ground beef Offer fresh fruit, sorbet, angel-food cake and other healthy dessert alternatives Provide alternatives to half-and-half for coffee, like non-dairy COFFEE-MATE® Creamer Make meatloaf and other ground-meat mixtures with chopped or ground vegetables such as mushrooms and onions, instead of breadcrumbs Use lower-calorie pita instead of sliced bread or rolls for sandwiches Replace mayo in items like chicken salad and sandwich spreads with fat-free yogurt or sour cream Make mashed potatoes with stock instead of milk or cream; or mash with pureed vegetables such as broccoli for color, texture and flavor
Choose menu foods that take time to enjoy, such as steamed mussels, whole artichokes and crunchy crudités with salsa
Offer a side salad or steamed vegetable instead of fries or chips with sandwiches and other center-of-plate items
Identify common allergy trigger foods clearly in menu copy, such as shellfish, soy products and nuts, and make them optional where practical
Encourage customers to share indulgences like desserts, either with menu copy or a verbal cue from servers
WEB
For more information on food allergies, go to NestleProfessional.com/mix
Create flavored water options with sparkling water, low-cal syrups, fruit juices, bitters and other flavorings Avoid salty, high-fat snacks on the bar; substitute crudités, flavored popcorn or pretzels instead Menu broth- and vegetable-based soups; people who are watching their calories love to start off a meal with a healthy serving of soup
Use grains and pulses like spelt, quinoa, barley, lentils and brown rice instead of pasta and potato in side dishes and as starch accompaniments to foods, and offer a few whole-grain bread options as well WEB
For more information on healthy grain, go to NestleProfessional.com/mix
Make it easy for customers to make reasonable substitutions, perhaps with a mix-and-match menu format that lists choices of side dishes, sauces and so on Give people the option to have bread; don’t just place it on the table If possible, serve salad dressing and condiments like mayo “on the side”
Substitute antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes for potatoes in side dishes, baked stuffed potatoes or home fries Serve saucy dishes over sautéed spinach or steamed chard instead of pasta or mashed potatoes
6 MIX WINTER 2009
Curried Carrot & Coconut Milk Soup made with MINOR’S® All Natural Chicken Base and Shrimp with Cajun Spice
Stirrings
Healthy Enhancements for Beverages
Banana Smoothie with Nescafé® Latte Specialty Coffee
Strawberries are believed to ward off aging. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants. Pomegranate and açai berries have been called “superfoods.” And beverages such as milk and orange juice are being fortified with everything from calcium and probiotics to Omega-3s. See a pattern here? Beverages aren’t just good for menu variety and profits. Under the right circumstances, they can also be surrounded by a halo of health-giving benefits. While science has yet to definitively prove the advantages of so-called nutraceuticals (ingredients that are derived from food and offer the health benefits associated with that food), healthconscious consumers are very, very interested in them. And beverages offer an easy and enticing way to deliver these nutritious benefits in liquid form. WEB
For more information on functional foods, go to NestleProfessional.com/mix
In 2007, $27 billion was spent on healthenhanced beverages. Ready-to-drink, single-ingredient beverages such as pomegranate and cranberry juices, iced green tea, rice and soy milk, dark chocolate cocoa, and kombucha (an ancient fermented tea that’s gaining popularity with consumers) also add a health-giving aura to beverage menus. Many operators are also experimenting with creating their own beverages that convey a healthy image. Ruby Tuesday’s new Fruit Teas feature fresh-brewed iced tea with bits of real fruit, including blackberry, mango and cherry. Cosi’s beverage list includes strawberry banana and blueberry pomegranate smoothies. And ARAMARK’S AquaFresca concept features a variety of Mexican-style juice-based “fresh waters.”
The popularity of smoothies and juices enhanced with ingredients like wheatgrass and whey protein certainly proves that there’s a market for enhanced beverages. The growing availability of off-theshelf products touting everything from goji berries or extra vitamin C to soy or echinacea has made it easy for operators to add such beverages to their menus.
Everyday Enhancements These readily available foods are widely regarded to convey health benefits to those that consume them—and they’re relatively easy to serve as-is, or blend them into beverages: Blueberries
and Other Berries
Dark Kiwi
Cranberries Oranges/Orange Tea
Juice
(green or black)
Tomatoes/Tomato Yogurt
Chocolate
Juice
(choose low-fat or fat-free)
Bananas
Nestlé is an acknowledged global leader in the beverage field, with new products, technologies and equipment that meet consumer demand for products with a better nutritional profile than carbonated soft drinks. These include Nestlé® Nesquik® Powder, with 33% more calcium than milk alone and 25% less sugar than other brands, and Nestle® Juicy Juice®, made from 100% fruit juice with no added sugar. One of the latest introductions is the new BOOST Kid Essentials, which uses an innovative packaging straw enhanced with probiotics to deliver balanced nutrition and immunity protection to healthy kids. These products and more show that Nestlé understands that beverages can be great-tasting and good for you.
Soy Carrots/Carrot
Juice
Cherries
Cookies and Cream Hot Chocolate made with NESTLÉ® Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix and Crumbled NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Cookie
Iced Raspberry Latte with Nescafé® Latte Specialty Coffee
7
Consumer Connections
Sustaining Millennial Interest If you think the Baby Boomers are demanding, you haven’t met their kids. 30-year swath she’s dubbed the Renaissance Generation (“Ren Gen” for short), including the large group of boomers who wanted to change the world in their youth, bookended by an even larger segment of Millennials who still have their idealism intact. They’re cause-oriented and eco-aware—many of them believe it will be up to their generation to fix the earth’s environment. But Generation Y has grown up in a different world. They’ve been marketed to more than any other generation in history; they believe in brands, they expect choice and convenience, and they assume that they’ll be able to get whatever they want, whenever they want it. And for Millennials, being connected is a way of life—some 97% have a computer, and 94% own a cell phone. Collaboration and teamwork are important to them, according to marketing consultants Just Kid Inc. Meet the Millennials, a.k.a. Generation Y or the Echo Boom, the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s. Although opinions vary on the precise parameters of their birth years, the group born between 1982 and 2000 comprises more than 70 million consumers, spending more than $170 billion per year. Thanks to their Baby Boom parents, Millennials grew up in a culture of wealth and success, and—despite the uncertain economic climate now—this is one generation with high expectations for its own comfort. They’ve been provided for since the moment of their birth by a group of people who have earned the description “helicopter parents.”
8 MIX WINTER 2009
They’ve grown up influencing the decisions and policies of first their families, and then their schools and employers, and they continue to involve their parents in their lives to an unprecedented degree. The fact that many savvy companies take steps to involve the parents of perspective Gen Y employees in the job-selection process is testament to the fact that these two generations are still inextricably linked. Like their parents, the Echo Boom is also an idealistic lot. Author and marketing consultant Patricia Martin has identified a psychographic group encompassing a
They’re confident, optimistic and resultsoriented. They want to achieve but not at the expense of their personal freedom and a normal family life. And they expect technology to play an important role in helping them meet these goals of a balanced lifestyle. This is a generation of immediate downloads.
Millennials have clear expectations for what they want to achieve. What implications does this have for companies in general and foodservice operators in particular?
In addition to offering the choice, variety and customization that now come with the territory, operators can take additional steps to attract the influential Echo Boom consumer base:
Don’t Give Up on Cause Marketing A recent article in Advertising Age cautioned brands against giving up on “purpose branding,” or building brand awareness around emotionally laden missions backed by cause marketing—despite the prospect of looming recession. Not surprisingly, Gen Y is every bit as demanding as a labor pool. Millennials have clear expectations for what they want to achieve, and how soon they want to achieve it. The sense of entitlement they grew up with persists as they move into the workforce, and savvy companies who are courting this group are implementing focused career development pathways and lifestyle-oriented perks that appeal to their demand for job satisfaction and balance. And, yes, they’re even involving their parents in the decision-
Research Update 42.5% of Millennials believe it’s important to influence social values – UCLA’s annual survey, “The American Freshman–National Norms for 2006” 18 million of those aged 13-28 use social network sites on a daily basis; 66% recruit peers to visit their favorite sites – Just Kid Inc.
making process—some companies even send details of job offerings to the prospective employee’s folks, who are consulting on this major move just as they have every other stage of the Echo Boomer’s life. WEB
For more tips on dealing with Generation Y, go to NestleProfessional.com/mix
Embrace Sustainability There’s a reason so many colleges have become completely transparent about where they source their food and other efforts to adopt “green” policies, such as recycling and using environmentally friendly products: Their customers demand it. Successful foodservice brands like Chipotle, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Pizza Fusion and the Compass Group have differentiated themselves around green initiatives, from
Nearly 38% of the Millennial generation is a member of a minority group – The Pew Research Center 93% of Echo Boomers believe that feeling passionate about something will help them succeed in life – Just Kid Inc. 28.4% of Gen Y consumers “strongly like” technology that enables them to place orders or pay for meals without dealing with counter workers – Restaurants & Institutions, 2008 “New American Diner” Study
serving natural meats to using more energyefficient lighting systems.
Get Out There on the Internet It’s not enough to have an effective website anymore. Depending on your audience, consider establishing a presence on Facebook, MySpace or another online social network. Investigate high-tech options such as PDA-enabled ordering or news updates. Provide information about any and all sustainability efforts.
WEB
For more ways to take advantage of the internet, go to NestleProfessional.com/InternetAge
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Operator Success Story
Simply Thyme Catering Business has been good for the owners of Simply Thyme Catering, serving the Pacific Northwest from its home base in Vancouver, WA. “We have the same economic challenges everyone does, but because we serve several different markets we’ve been doing very well,” says Tamara (Tammie) Leibfarth, executive chef and co-owner of the three-year-old catering company. “We do everything from businesses and social events to providing meals on private jets.” The aviation catering, in particular, has been growing, and the company is also focusing much of its energy on corporate events and self-service platters, as well as the Thyme to Go division which provides heat-and-eat meals for home consumption. Simply Thyme’s seasonal menus focus on fresh local products, like wild salmon and hazelnuts, and selections run the gamut from casual barbecues to more upscale fare. Approximately 20% of the company’s events involve custom menus. “We’ll sometimes be working on a dozen or more different events at one time, so we have learned to prep for multiple menus at one time,” explains Leibfarth. “And we don’t have much freezer or storage space so we can’t carry a lot of inventory.” That’s one of the reasons that sauces from MINOR’S ® and STOUFFER’S ® have been so handy, allowing the crew to make several different signature sauces from a few basic products. “We’ll make several different mayos at once, and we’ll use the Chipotle and Roasted Garlic flavor concentrates,” Leibfarth says. “And we have several sauces that have been developed to work equally well with meat dishes, chicken, even fish, like our Bourbon Barbecue sauce, which uses MINOR’S ® Bourbon Style RTU Sauce mixed with a barbecue sauce.” A signature dish for Simply Thyme is the marinated flank steak with wild mushroom demi-glace. “We use MINOR’S ® Demi-Glace as a building block for a number of different sauces, like a Port or Pinot Noir reduction,” says Leibfarth. “Over the holidays, we use lots of au jus prep and turkey gravy concentrate. And during soup season, it’s MINOR’S ® Culinary Cream, which adds stability and texture. We really need products that can multi-task and hold up well.” www.simplythymecatering.com
Operational Insights
A Healthy New Approach Offering healthier menu options is more than just a matter of the food itself. Depending upon how ambitious your efforts are, the strategy may also affect such issues as purchasing and equipment, kitchen and front-of-the-house training, and marketing.
Equipment Step away from the fryer! Many healthy cooking styles focus on foods that are grilled, baked, steamed and poached. And while it’s great to have new equipment, there are also ways to introduce new healthy recipes without it. Combination Oven/Steamers (aka combi-ovens) provide both dry heat and gentle, pressureless steam—as well as a combination of both—to cook a variety of foods; some models include a smoking feature. In addition to being ideal for low-fat and other healthy techniques, they also are faster than conventional ovens and reduce shrinkage, which may help defray their initial costs (which can range upwards of $50,000 for new equipment). Some include programmable controls, which also help to reduce labor costs. Grills are the centerpiece of many healthy kitchens. Charbroilers and wood- or gas- fired grills are great, but foods can also be seared on griddles such as a flattop, in pans and on sizzle platters.
For thick cuts of meat, many chefs do the initial browning or searing in a pan, then transfer the item to the oven for complete and even cooking. Convection Steamers are great for cooking and retherming large quantities of vegetables and seafood, as well as pastas and grains, egg dishes and some meats. Convection steam ovens can also be used for sous vide, although circulating water baths are preferred by many chefs for this increasingly popular cooking method.
Purchasing Healthy menuing is not just a matter of purchasing such raw ingredients as chicken, fish, lean meats and lots of produce—although that’s certainly part of it. Manufacturers are also stepping up to the plate with fully prepared items and components that can be used for healthy menu items. In addition to providing convenience, such items also help to address issues of kitchen resources, labor, consistency, and food
Cocoa Rubbed Pork Tenderlion with Minor’s® Blackberry Balsamic Sauce
entrée vegan (meaning it contains no animal products whatsoever, including honey) or just vegetarian? Is there cream in the broccoli soup? What is the fish sautéed in? Many operators give front-of-the-house staff the same product specs or recipes the kitchen uses, so that everyone’s on the same page. The other piece of the training puzzle is attitude. Customers who ask a lot of questions or make special requests aren’t trying to make the staff’s life difficult, and a spirit of gracious cooperation is crucial to meeting the needs of an increasingly healthconscious and savvy consumer.
Marketing
safety. Fully cooked rotisserie chicken, for instance, is available in a variety of formats (whole, in pieces, etc.) and flavors (such as barbecue and lemon pepper), and is versatile for center-of-plate applications as well as sandwiches, salads, soups and other menu items. And purchasing it fully cooked instead of making it in-house eliminates the need for the equipment and skilled staff to operate it, and it does away with the potential food safety hazard of handling raw chicken. Many operators are intimidated about offering nutritious menu items because they lack nutritional knowledge. Nestlé Professional™ has made a strategic commitment to nutrition, health and wellness, with products and expertise to provide solutions. STOUFFER’S® LEAN CUISINE® offers an ever-increasing variety of entrées and side dishes that help you satisfy the healthful yearnings of your guests as well as the flavorful cravings of their palates.
Training When menuing healthier menu items, one of the most important things management can do involves staff training—not just the kitchen crew, but also table servers and counter people. Front-of-the-house staff should know what goes into every dish so they can answer questions, from sources of fat and calories, to the presence of such allergy triggers as nuts. Is that meatless
How to get the word out about healthier menu options can be one of the thornier questions involved in a menu makeover. And, to a large degree, the answer depends on what kind of market you serve. Healthconscious college students or employees dining in the onsite café probably want to know what they’re dealing with in terms of calorie counts and nutrition information, and many appreciate daily features that spell it all out for them. Folks out for a weekendnight dinner, not so much. In restaurants of all kinds, horror stories abound about “heart-smart” designated menu items that were ignored and other efforts that backfired. One of the smartest strategies for full-service restaurants is to simply provide menu details about ingredients and cooking techniques and let diners draw their own conclusions. But many casual restaurant chains have had success with merchandising healthy lifestyle choices, like Chili’s with its Guiltless Grill. WEB
For more information on marketing healthy choices, go to NestleProfessional.com/mix
STOUFFER’S® LEAN CUISINE® Beef Lo Mein with Whole Grain Noodles
11
In The Kitchen
A Healthy Menu for Healthier Patients Lee Memorial Hospital Fort Myers, FL It’s no secret to anyone in the healthcare foodservice industry that this is a particularly challenging segment. Take the normal complexities of a high-volume foodservice operation, add the confusing situation with the healthcare system, a population largely consisting of sick patients and stressed families, mix in the current economic climate, and you have the perfect setting for problem-solving. “We do keep busy around here,” laughs Crissy Tucker, site director at Lee Memorial Hospital (LMH) in Fort Myers, FL. Over the past several years, parent company Lee Memorial Health System has consolidated production of all patient meals and core cafeteria items for four of its dozen-plus facilities in the remodeled commissary kitchen at LMH. “It’s much more financially beneficial to have one central trayline than four separate ones.”
Now, with the costs of fuel and packaging skyrocketing, the organization is experimenting with a modified decentralization program in which the bulk of the prep and assembly will still be done in the blast chillers and combiovens at LMH, with component cooking and retherm done onsite. The system will better complement the roomservice-style patient menus that have also been implemented throughout the system, according to trayline manager Kathy Ferraiolo. Obviously, the system relies upon foods that can perform well under the rigors of transport, reheating and service, for both patient and retail meals—with a volume of more than 2,600 trays a day in season, plus public cafeterias and catering in each facility. “Although we focus on scratch preparation whenever possible, we’re always on the lookout for high-quality prepared products that meet our nutritional need,” says Tucker.
Enter STOUFFER’S® LEAN CUISINE®, favorite core entrées in the patient menu cycle. “People love the lasagna,” notes Ferraiolo. “It’s comfort food that’s still appropriate for most diets.” Other standards on the multiple-choice patient menu include STOUFFER’S LEAN CUISINE Salisbury Steak and Macaroni & Cheese. The organization has also recently rolled out a Healthier You program in its retail operations, consisting of entrée salads and hot selections that are designed to provide recommended portion sizes of low-calorie, low-fat and low-sodium foods. “These are complete meals for people in a time crunch, who have just 30 minutes for lunch and simply don’t have the time to figure out what they should be eating and assemble the meal themselves,” says Tucker. “And it’s been tremendously well-received by staff and visitors alike.”
TREND + FLAVOR WATCH: Eco-Friendly To-Go Containers Going green can be a time-consuming and challenging proposition, but going green is coming. In fact, the average American eats more than 125 takeout meals a year, and many municipalities have enacted or are implementing regulations that restrict the use of products like Styrofoam—and even ban composting of used cardboard packaging. The Green Restaurant Association recommends using disposables that are either recycled (made from materials that are collected from post-consumer or postindustrial waste sources), biodegradable
12 MIX WINTER 2009
(can be decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria) and/or chlorine-free (unbleached or whitened with alternatives such as hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, and ozone). Some of the newest forms of food packaging are made from, well, food: so-called bioproducts, manufactured from such agricultural byproducts as bagasse (leftover from sugarcane) or from potato- or corn-
based starches. Although products like these tend to be more expensive than traditional takeout packaging, many operators use them because they believe it’s the right thing to do. And as the packaging industry catches on, it’s a good bet that the selection will increase, and prices may go down.
New products. New promotions. New packaging. All for very good reasons so you can get some nice new income. But if you’re a spy, you already knew that.
nestleprofessional.com 1-800-288-8682
All trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.
Product Spotlight
Improved! Now with less sodium STOUFFER’S® Noodles Romanoff* Real egg noodles in a Parmesan and White Cheddar Cheese sauce, now with reduced sodium and a great new flavor profile. It’s perfect as-is, as a side dish or a satisfying vegetarian entrée, or enhance with sautéed mushrooms and onions, roasted garlic, or a protein such as shrimp or chicken to create your own menu solution.
Improved! Now with less sodium STOUFFER’S® Meatballs in Marinara Sauce* The classic favorite is now lower in sodium—tender, “hoagie size” Italianstyle meatballs made with beef and chicken and sprinkled with Parmesan and Romano cheeses, breadcrumbs, and spicy seasonings and served in a chunky red tomato sauce with onions, peppers and garlic. Use as a topping for pasta, in a sandwich, or an appetizer or side item.
New! STOUFFER’S® Chicken Thai Curry – featuring All Natural Chicken* Made with succulent pieces of all natural chicken, this delicately sweet and spicy signature dish features a rich curry sauce enlivened by chile garlic sauce, soy sauce and spices, and brightened with colorful strips of red pepper. Serve with rice or stir-fried Asian noodles for a complete menu item.
Improved! STOUFFER® LEAN CUISINE ® Beef Lo Mein with Whole Grain Noodles Tender beef, red peppers, carrots, and water chestnuts, tossed with whole grain noodles and sauce made from soy, ginger, hoisin, sherry wine, sesame oil and cracked red pepper. The Asian flavor profile adds extra excitement to menus, and the product goes exceptionally well on a steam table or buffet.
14 MIX WINTER 2009
MINOR’S® All Natural Bases* Answer the call for all natural with this line of high-quality bases that offer mouth-watering flavor in a format that’s made with 100% natural ingredients, and no added MSG, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, or hydrogenated oils. These bases are available in Chicken, Beef and Vegetable.
MINOR’S® Low Sodium Bases* Filled with full, natural flavor of Chicken, Beef or Vegetable, without the salt and with no added MSG. Rub on meats for flavor enhancement, make stocks for soups, sauces and gravies, without the need to add salt. Add flavor to a wide range of potato dishes, vegetables, casseroles, dressings, stuffings, and more. Easy to use in standard recipes—simply replace current base with an equal weight of Low Sodium Base.
TRIO® Low Sodium Gravy Mix* Prepare convenient, low-sodium poultry gravy and brown gravy. TRIO® Low Sodium Poultry Mix creates a full-flavored gravy enhanced with chopped parsley and seasonings, while Low Sodium Brown Gravy Mix offers a hearty, meaty gravy flavored with sweet onions and cracked black pepper. Both of these economical products offer one-minute prep and convenience.
COFFEE-MATE ® Original Lite America’s #1 selling non-dairy coffee creamer brand, COFFEE-MATE®, is available in a Lite format that’s lower in calories and has none of the fat found in other regular creamers, providing an easy and healthy solution for your coffee operations. COFFEE-MATE® Original Lite is available in portioncontrolled single-serve packets, or a convenient 11-oz. canister.
*Shown as serving suggestion
15
Recipes
Mushroom Ravioli in Butternut Squash Sauce
Minor’s® Mushroom Duxelles Ravioli Filling
Yield: 9 oz. Ser ves: 1 (9 oz.)
Yield: 50 ½ oz. Raviolis Ser ves: .5 oz. por tion fillings
INGREDIENTS
WEIGHT
Butternut squash sauce
ME ASURE
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups
Shallots, diced
WEIGHT
¼ cup
Butter
Salt and pepper, to taste Mushroom ravioli, pre-blanched
3
Water, as needed
ME ASURE 4 Tbsp.
Button mushrooms, fine diced
1 lb.
Crimini mushrooms, fine diced
1 lb.
4½ cups 4½ cups
Sweet butter
1 Tbsp.
MINOR’S® Mushroom Base
1½ Tbsp.
Goat cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp.
Basil, fresh, chopped
½ cup
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp.
Bread crumbs, unseasoned
½ cup
Black pepper, ground
To taste
PROCEDURE
1. Warm the butternut squash sauce and check seasoning. Adjust accordingly. 2. Warm the pre-blanched raviolis in a pan with a splash of water and butter. 3. Ladle the soup into a pasta bowl and place the ravioli in the soup. 4. Garnish with the crumbled goat cheese and olive oil.
PROCEDURE
1. In a large preheated sauté pan or skillet, add shallots and 2 Tbsp. of the butter; sweat for 2 minutes. 2. Add diced mushrooms and remainder of the butter. Stir the mushrooms in the pan and sweat until half the liquid has evaporated. Add the Minor’s ® Mushroom Base and stir into the duxelles. 3. Reduce the liquid in the pan by one-quarter. Add the basil and bread crumbs. Check seasoning and add pepper to taste. 4. Chill the mushroom duxelles and use for pasta filling or Beef Wellington.
Coffee Banana Smoothie YIELD: 16 oz. Ser ves: 1 (16 oz.)
Primavera Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes
INGREDIENTS
WEIGHT
NESCAFÉ® Latte Specialty Coffee, prepared, cold
4 oz.
ME ASURE ½ cup
Banana
2 oz.
½ banana
Yogurt, vanilla, nonfat
2 oz.
¼ cup
Honey
½ oz.
1 Tbsp.
Ice
8 oz.
2 cups
Banana chips, crushed
½ oz.
Garnish
Yield: 3 -3/4 lb. Ser ves: 10 (6 oz.) INGREDIENTS
WEIGHT
ME ASURE
Orzo
30 oz.
2¾ cups
MINOR’S® Sautéed Vegetable Base
1 Tbsp.
Yellow squash, brunoise, sautéed
1 oz.
2 Tbsp.
Zucchini, brunoise, sautéed
1 oz.
2 Tbsp.
Radicchio, washed, small rough chop
1 each
Chives, fresh, minced Feta cheese, fresh, crumbled
1 Tbsp. 5 oz.
Parsley, fresh, chopped Yellow heirloom tomatoes, fresh, sliced in half,
1 cup 1 Tbsp.
20 oz.
5 whole
hollowed out PROCEDURE
1. Prepare orzo per instructions using the Minor’s ® Sautéed Vegetable Base and let cool. 2. Fold in the squash, zucchini, radicchio, chives, feta, and parsley until well mixed. Season to taste. 3. Stuff tomatoes with 3 oz. of orzo salad mixture. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Complements grilled fish, chicken or meat. Substitute 4x5 hothouse tomatoes if yellow tomatoes are not available.
16 MIX WINTER 2009
PROCEDURE 1. Place Nescafé Latte Specialty Coffee, banana, yogurt and honey in a blender canister. Add ice, cover blender with lid, and blend until smooth. 2. Coat rim of a 16 fl. oz. serving cup with crushed banana chips. 3. Pour mixture into cup and serve.
Grilled Vegetable Napoleon with Stouffer’s® Fire-Roasted Pomodoro Sauce Yield: 5 lb. Ser ves: 10 (8 oz.) INGREDIENTS
WEIGHT
ME ASURE
Eggplant, washed, sliced, sprinkled with salt to
3 lb.
2 ea.
Bermuda onion, peeled, sliced
2 lb.
3 ea.
Squash, yellow, washed, ends trimmed, sliced
1.5 lb.
4 ea.
Zucchini, washed, ends trimmed, sliced
1.5 lb.
4 ea.
draw out the moisture
Olive oil
As needed
Salt
As needed
Pepper
As needed
Cocoa Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Minor’s® Blackberry Balsamic Sauce
STOUFFER’S® Fire-Roasted Pomodoro Sauce
64 oz.
1 pouch
Goat cheese, crumbled
11 oz.
1 log
Yield: 12.5 Ibs. Serves: 10 (5.5 oz. pork, 6 oz. vegetables & 2 oz. sauce)
Fresh pea tendrils, basil, or Italian parsley
INGREDIENTS
WEIGHT
ME ASURE
Cocoa powder, unsweetened
1½ oz.
4 Tbsp.
Black pepper, coarse ground
1 oz.
4 Tbsp.
Coriander seeds, toasted, ground
1½ Tbsp.
Kosher salt
5 oz.
6 Tbsp.
Pork tenderloin, cleaned
4½ lb.
3
Sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, rough chopped
2½ lb.
4 ea.
Potatoes, red skin, washed, split
1¾ lb.
10 ea.
Parsnips, washed, peeled, 1" diced
1½ lb.
6 ea.
Salt
As needed
Pepper MINOR’S® Blackberry Balsamic Sauce
As needed 1½ oz.
1¾ cups
PROCEDURE
1. Mix the cocoa, pepper and coriander together. Season the pork tenderloin with salt, and rub each tenderloin with ¹/³ of the cocoa rub. Grill to proper temperature and reserve for service. 2. Season the sweet potatoes, red skin potatoes and parsnips with salt and pepper and roast in a 375°F oven until they are fork tender. 3. Slice the pork tenderloin and serve upon the mélange of roast root vegetables. Pool with the Minor’s Blackberry Balsamic Sauce.
As needed
PROCEDURE
1. Season the eggplant, onion, squash and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill. Reserve for service. 2. Heat the Stouffer’s Fire-Roasted Pomodoro Sauce thoroughly until a temperature of 165°F has been reached and hold in a bain marie for service. 3. Ladle 4 oz. of the Stouffer’s Fire-Roasted Pomodoro Sauce in the center of a warm plate. Layer 1 slice grilled eggplant, 2 slices yellow squash, 2-3 slices grilled onion, 3 medallions grilled zucchini, 2 slices onion and finish with a slice of grilled eggplant. 4. Garnish with fresh pea tendrils, basil sprig, or Italian parsley and dust with 1 oz. of crumbled fresh goat cheese. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Accent the plate with Minor’s ® Olive and Herb Signature TM Flavor.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Use leftover pork tenderloin for cold sandwich preparations or dice leftover pork for empanada filling.
Libby’s® Pumpkin Tarts Yield: 20 ½ lb. Ser ves: 60 (5 ½ oz.) tar ts INGREDIENTS
WEIGHT
Pie shells, 4 in., premade
ME ASURE 60
Eggs
1 lb., 9 oz.
13
LIBBY’S® 100% pure pumpkin
6 lb., 10 oz.
1 #10 can
Sugar, granulated
2 lb., 4 oz.
5 cups
Sugar, dark brown
12 oz.
1¹ ³ cups
Salt
1½ Tbsp.
Cinnamon, ground
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp.
Cloves, ground
1 Tbsp. +1 tsp.
Milk, whole
1 qt. + 1½ cups
NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
4¼ cups
PROCEDURE 1. Prebake tart shells. 2. In a 20-qt. mixer bowl, combine eggs and pumpkin. Combine sugars, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Gradually add milk and evaporated milk; mix until smooth. 3. Fill each tart shell with 3 ½ oz. pumpkin filling. Bake in 350°F oven for 20 minutes, or until filling sets. Cool on rack to room temperature.
All NESTLÉ PROFESSIONALTM recipes were developed in Nestlé Culinary Services Kitchens, with a special thanks to Greg Ische, Manager/Culinary Innovation of NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL North America, and Wynne Nord, Senior Foodservice Specialist.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve tarts with whipped cream, pressed yogurt or crème anglaise.
17
In the Next Issue of MIX
MIX FOOD
F L AV O
RS
2009 SPRING IDEAS
THE PERIMETER OF THE MENU Now more than ever, it’s all about Business Performance. In the next issue of MIX, we’ll focus on the “perimeter” of the menu, emphasizing such valuable sources of add-on sales as appetizers, desserts, beverages and meal alternatives, with recipes and Nestlé Professional products that will help you build these important segments. We’ll also take a look at how you can protect margins in a tough economy, with operational tactics designed to increase efficiency and keep the lid on costs. And we’ll tackle the tricky issue of how to keep fickle consumers loyal in times of fierce competition. It’s all you’ve come to expect from MIX—and more.
Contact Us We’re always interested in learning more about your business and discovering ways to apply our insight, partnership, brand power and solutions to help you grow. Please give us a call and we’ll be sure the right team gets in touch with you. Contact your NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL Sales Representative or call 1-800-288-8682. Visit us online: www.NestleProfessional.com.
Welcome to
the Nestlé Professional Customer Innovation Campus ™
November 2008 marked an important milestone in the history of Nestlé Professional: The opening of the new Customer Innovation Campus in Solon, OH. Years of thought, planning and strategy went into the creation of this state-of-the-art showplace, which will serve as a product development center and training facility for both branded and custom foodservice solutions. At the Nestlé Professional Customer Innovation Campus (NPCIC), the Nestlé team will collaborate with its customers to provide creative branded food and beverage solutions by looking at their business in a variety of ways—culinary, nutrition, health and wellness, operational, marketing and profitable growth. Working side-by-side with the NPCIC staff, operators will draw upon the expertise of Nestlé team members including chefs, food technologists, product developers, culinary management, and marketing professionals.
The 67,000-square-foot facility utilizes a unique, flexible kitchen design, which can be customized to mirror the customer’s own operation, enabling operators to work in the NPCIC kitchens the same way they do in their own kitchens. The new center also brings together all functional areas of the Nestlé Culinary organization—from Marketing and Culinary Services to Product Development and Technical Services— under one roof. This strategy will not only facilitate innovation but will also allow products and product applications to be developed from concept through completion in one seamless and time-sensitive process. Look for additional information in the coming months, including news about our evolving program of educational resources, as well as a virtual tour of the new Nestlé Professional Customer Innovation Campus on our website. WEB
Go to www.NestleProfessional.com/NPCIC to learn more about the NPCIC.
We always value your input. Please email us at MIX@NestleProfessional.com with your comments, questions and suggestions. Unless otherwise noted all trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé, S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.
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Nutrition, Heath and Wellness The Nestlé Professional Commitment ™
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