Sometimes if you talk the diet talk, you have to walk the low-fat walk. Tasting a never-ending buffet of dishes each day in the kitchen, chefs are especially prone to packing on the mega calories. But not anymore.
But this doesn't mean there will be less flavor in the food. If anything, it will force chefs to be much more imaginative on finding ways to inject more flavor into favorite menu items. Farm fresh and seasonal produce plays a big role in the flavor game.
For example, the Bay Area's Lark Creek offers an English Pea and Butter Lettuce soup which mimics a cream-based soup, without the guilty calories. To lower fat content and to pump up fiber intake, the new Beautifull! in San Francisco substitutes bread crumbs with oats and uses lean turkey in their tasty meatballs. The traditional dish is one of their most popular -- and healthy -- dishes.
Of course, a bit of exercise and portion control will help speed things along. With time, this new consciousness could possibly reverse the growing obesity rates in the U.S. It might even inspire folks to cook lighter fare at home too. This is real proof that you can eat very well without sacrificing the flavor factor.
