While “saucy” people can add playful feistiness to any gathering or meal, we will discuss saucy foods here — what types, how much, recipes, sauces when eating out, and hidden culprits.
Gettin’ saucy with our food can work in many ways. When dining out or ordering in, the amount of sauce in your dish can be overwhelming. Even if you make a healthy selection of tilapia, what comes on top of the fish can lead to excessive calories, fat, and/or sodium. Maybe you want to avoid being the customer who asks for sauce on the side. However, remember…you are looking out for you🌟. As you desire to eat as healthfully and joyfully as possible, whether dining out or ordering in, you must speak up😮! While you do not have to get every sauce on the side every time, be attentive to what you are putting in your body. Ordering sauce on the side, asking for less sauce, or pushing it off to the side can help you keep your dish in the 300-400 calorie range versus 600 calories or above, 10–15 grams of fat versus 20–30 grams, plus save you on the sodium content. From dips to red sauce to Asian sauces, gettin’ saucy is undoubtedly tasty but can also be tricky.
All kinds of sauces can keep us in the game or make us feel like benchwarmers. You should feel energized🏃🏿♀️after your meals, not immediately like a couch potato. Learning how to keep those saucy stats in line with the rest of your healthy choices can enhance your food enjoyment.
Let’s dip in. Dipping sauces are delicious😋 but can be high in added sugars, sodium, and fats. They can quickly spin a healthy meal or snack into a downward health spiral. However, let’s not discredit the unique flavors and tastes these sauces can bring. Here are a few tips to keep the dips in line with your desire for a balanced meal or snack:
- 🥣 Forgo mayo-based dips, especially those from a restaurant and pre-packaged dips from the store. Just say no! Instead, ask for a salsa or other veggie-based dip when out. At home, replace any mayo in a recipe with non-fat Greek yogurt or light or non-fat sour cream. A tablespoon of mayo is 50 calories and 5 grams of fat, with half a gram saturated. A quarter cup is a more realistic dip serving, with four times the amount, setting you up with 200 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 2 grams of saturated fat. Yes, it adds up quickly. On average, a quarter cup of salsa is about 30 calories, with zero fats. On average, a quarter cup of nonfat greek yogurt is about 33 calories, with zero fats. You can still enjoy some creaminess without loading up your arteries.
- 🍅 When ordering from a restaurant, red sauce is usually made with fresh ingredients, including many tomatoes. They are your leaner option 98% of the time. A creamy sauce, of course, contains cream and, therefore, excess fat and calories. Yes, tomatoes contain some natural sugar, but natural is good. However, certain store-bought brands of red sauce have a lot of sugar. A half cup of some favorite brands contains three teaspoons of sugar or 12 grams. That is a lot if you are saving room for a piece of dark chocolate after your meal. Look for the brands with just 4 grams or less of added sugars. When looking at a food label, “added sugars” is the key phrase! Thank you, FDA, for finally straightening this out in 2021!
- 🥡 A teriyaki sauce or garlic sauce is a tasty choice, but sodium is usually a concern when the ingredients are not under your control. The dietary guidelines recommend less than 2300 mg daily of sodium, about a teaspoon of salt. The recommendation is less than 2000 mg daily if you have high blood pressure. Sodium is an essential nutrient that the body needs in relatively small amounts (except when you are working up a sweat, then more is required) to maintain a balance of body fluids and keep muscles and nerves running smoothly. However, most of us overeat it. When ordering from a restaurant, sauce on the side or less is best.
Are red sauces usually the healthier choice? They are typically used when dining out, but these tasty sauces are trickier when purchasing at the store. The amount of sugar lurking in your favorite marinara sauce is not a place we usually think of as a sweet treat. How about ordering or dining out to eat delicious Asian food? How do these tasty sauces line up? I thought this was sauce it up?! Yes — when you know what you are dipping your fork into, absolutely sauce it up! Knowing what you are ordering or putting into your sauce at home, the additional flavors and spices can take any boring or repetitive dish and turn it into something exciting and delicious. A sauce can be tricky when dining out, but when creating it at home, you have complete control over what your concoction might contain. And they do not have to take hours to prepare. Scrumptious and straightforward is absolutely a thing. Yet, that can be a thing if you desire the all-day sauce. Where are we going when it is freezing rain, snow, and ice out there?
CREAMY TOMATILLO SAUCE
Spicy is always fun, but adding creaminess can take the fun to another level. I love this sauce as it is filled with fantastic flavors and a comforting creaminess, making any protein absolutely delicious. The prep time is worth it!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 jalapeño peppers, rinsed, sliced in half, and seeded
2 shallots, peeled and sliced in half
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
dash of salt
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to high broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick foil. Place the tomatillos, peppers, and shallots on the baking sheet. Broil on the rack second from the top for about 5–10 minutes, checking frequently until the skins are charred. Flip to broil the second side, checking frequently until the skin is charred. Remove from heat and cool for about 10 minutes. Peel off all the skins and discard them.
Add tomatillos, peppers, shallots, and garlic to a blender, along with cilantro, vinegar, lime juice, cumin, and salt. Puree until smooth. Add yogurt and blend one more time. Serve with baked or grilled chicken, seafood, or tofu.
AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE
I cannot speak of creamy Mexican flavors without the infamous avocado cream sauce. A little goes a long way to turn up the yummy on any taco, salad, quesadilla, or burrito. You can dip it in fresh carrots, jicama, or celery.
INGREDIENTS
2 large, ripe avocados, halved and pitted
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (or nonfat sour cream, if preferred)
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
juice from two limes (about 3–4 Tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
PREPARATION
In a food processor or blender, scoop out the avocado and blend it with yogurt, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt. Pour the mixture into a bowl and season with black pepper to taste. Serve as a dip or topping. If refrigerating, wrap tightly with plastic wrap. It will last up to 48 hours. Makes 6–8 servings.
BALSAMIC TOMATO SAUCE
Vinegar can be an exceptional ingredient when creating a lean yet tasty sauce or dish. There is quite a variety out there! Some of my favorites include balsamic, champagne, and red wine vinegars. Experiment to see what flavors and brands you like best on salads and pasta dishes, as well as with this sauce. I included a fun thickening method here, which you can opt in or out of. This sauce works great for roasting veggies, tofu, chicken, and fish.
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups canned diced tomatoes, no sodium added
1/2 cup chicken or veggie stock or broth, low-sodium
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional: Beurre manie= 1 Tablespoon flour + 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
Freshly ground pepper to taste
PREPARATION
In a small saucepan, add olive oil through stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer here for 10–15 minutes until it reaches the desired thickness. Or, for some additional luster to your sauce, while the sauce is simmering, mix flour and butter with a fork to form a smooth paste in a small bowl. Then, roll teaspoon-sized amounts of the paste into balls. Add one ball to the sauce, increase heat, allow the mixture to return to a boil, and cook for at least 1 minute to thicken. If your sauce is not as thick as you’d like, add more Beurre manie. Serve over or roast with veggies, protein, polenta, rice, or pasta. It makes approximately 2–2 1/2 cups of sauce, about 1/4 cup per serving.
Food is my lens, but people are my focus.
Shakirah Simley, Director, Office of Racial Equity, for the city and county of San Francisco, California
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