Making Food Healthy
with
Wine!
Adding Flavor with Less Fat, Salt, and Sugar
with
Wine!
Adding Flavor with Less Fat, Salt, and Sugar
Making Food Healthy with Wine!
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Wine! Adding Flavor with Less Fat, Salt and Sugar. Claim your copy at
All rights reserved. You may reproduce any item in this ebook as long as the following
paragraph is included: “Reprinted with permission from Making Food Healthy with
Wine! Adding Flavor with Less Fat, Salt and Sugar. Claim your copy at
About the Author
Renee Pottle is the author of several cookbooks, a health educator, wellness
coach, nutrition consultant and the owner of Wine Barrel Gourmet, a
gourmet foods company specializing in convenient, heart-healthy soup, bread
and pasta mixes. Previously, she was a regular contributor to Pillsbury Fast and
Healthy Magazine, developing vegetarian and two-serving dishes and for
several years taught cooking, food science, nutrition, and health courses at a
small school in Maine.
A cooking enthusiast from a young age, Renee has been creating new recipes
since she was ten years old, although those early dishes were mostly rice and
frankfurter concoctions. Luckily her cooking repertoire expanded as she
pursued her loves of cooking and science. These interests led her to earn
degrees in both Medical Laboratory Science and Home Economics/Business.
A family history of heart disease sent her on a quest to outwit her genes and
develop healthy recipes that taste good too.
Renee and her husband make their home in Kennewick Washington where
their two sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren visit often to try out what’s
cooking!
coach, nutrition consultant and the owner of Wine Barrel Gourmet, a
gourmet foods company specializing in convenient, heart-healthy soup, bread
and pasta mixes. Previously, she was a regular contributor to Pillsbury Fast and
Healthy Magazine, developing vegetarian and two-serving dishes and for
several years taught cooking, food science, nutrition, and health courses at a
small school in Maine.
A cooking enthusiast from a young age, Renee has been creating new recipes
since she was ten years old, although those early dishes were mostly rice and
frankfurter concoctions. Luckily her cooking repertoire expanded as she
pursued her loves of cooking and science. These interests led her to earn
degrees in both Medical Laboratory Science and Home Economics/Business.
A family history of heart disease sent her on a quest to outwit her genes and
develop healthy recipes that taste good too.
Renee and her husband make their home in Kennewick Washington where
their two sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren visit often to try out what’s
cooking!
Making Food Healthy with Wine!
Have you reduced or eliminated fat, salt, and sugar from your food? If so, good
for you! You have taken an important step towards improving your health and
quality of life. Fats found in food can raise your cholesterol levels and
contribute to weight gain. Salt is prevalent in all processed foods, and is even
added to our lean beef and chicken. Simple sugars show up in everything from
soda to cereals (even the “healthy” ones) to spaghetti sauce. But fats, salt and
sugar also add flavor to food. Once you reduce them, you may find that your
food tastes bland. Don’t despair. Wine is the perfect way to add healthy flavor
to the meals you love. The simple tips shared here will soon have you enjoying
flavorful food once again.
You don’t have to be a wine expert to effectively use wine when cooking. All
you need is a few general tips to follow. This booklet is a great place to start.
However, if you then want to know more about specific wine types visit your
local bookstore or library. There are many good books that explain how wine
is grown, why an Australian shiraz tastes different from a California syrah, the
particular characteristics of wines made in a certain year, and many more
interesting details.
But first, let’s explore the general personality of both red and white wines, and
start improving your health by cooking with wine!
Red Wine Personality
Red wines, while less acidic than white wines, have a more complex, full-bodied
flavor. Red wines work well with hearty foods. Beef, lamb, sausages, and heavy
bean dishes are all enhanced by the flavor of red wine.
Wines draw their flavor from the ground in which they are grown. The same
grape grown in different areas can result in a different wine taste. However, our
purpose is not to analyze the specifics of each wine, but to understand the
general flavors that red wine imparts. Always use a good quality wine when
cooking. Grocery store cooking wines are poor quality wines, supplemented
with salt.
Light and medium bodied red wines: Includes Beaujolais, Shiraz/Syrah,
many red blends, Grenache, Chianti, and some Merlots and Pinot Noirs. Light
and medium reds work especially well with salmon and other fatty fishes, pork,
some chicken dishes, burgers and sausages, seafood, and spicy or barbecued
foods.
Full bodied red wines: Includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, Zinfandel,
most Pinot Noirs, Tempranillos and Merlots. Full bodied reds work well with
fatty and hearty foods that can stand up to their full flavor. Lamb, beef steaks
and roasts, game meats, hearty bean dishes and rich tomato sauces are all
enhanced by the added flavor and dryness of these red wines.
Red Wine Tips
flavor. Red wines work well with hearty foods. Beef, lamb, sausages, and heavy
bean dishes are all enhanced by the flavor of red wine.
Wines draw their flavor from the ground in which they are grown. The same
grape grown in different areas can result in a different wine taste. However, our
purpose is not to analyze the specifics of each wine, but to understand the
general flavors that red wine imparts. Always use a good quality wine when
cooking. Grocery store cooking wines are poor quality wines, supplemented
with salt.
Light and medium bodied red wines: Includes Beaujolais, Shiraz/Syrah,
many red blends, Grenache, Chianti, and some Merlots and Pinot Noirs. Light
and medium reds work especially well with salmon and other fatty fishes, pork,
some chicken dishes, burgers and sausages, seafood, and spicy or barbecued
foods.
Full bodied red wines: Includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, Zinfandel,
most Pinot Noirs, Tempranillos and Merlots. Full bodied reds work well with
fatty and hearty foods that can stand up to their full flavor. Lamb, beef steaks
and roasts, game meats, hearty bean dishes and rich tomato sauces are all
enhanced by the added flavor and dryness of these red wines.
Red Wine Tips
♦ Cut up parsnips, carrots, fennel, squash and potatoes. Roast in the oven
with any red wine instead of fat. Add a pinch of rosemary.
♦ Add up to a cup of a dry, full bodied red wine to any beef stew recipe.
Using a purchased beef stew? Add 1/2 cup red wine when heating.
♦ Make your own BBQ sauce by combining tomato sauce, molasses, garlic
powder, onion powder, hot pepper sauce and red wine. Use a Cabernet
Sauvignon for steak or burgers, or a Syrah or Chianti for chicken. No need to
add oil to the sauce.
♦ Add up to a cup of any red wine to red sauce for pasta. Reduce or
eliminate all fat in the pasta sauce.
♦ Instead of frying pork chops, quickly brown them in a skillet sprayed
with cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup of a light red wine to the pan and simmer
until cooked through.
♦ Making a chocolate cake? Replace 1/4 of the liquid fat with a full bodied
red wine or a Port. OR reduce the solid fat by 1/4 and replace 1/4 of the liquid
with the wine.
♦ For a rich, red, flavorful salmon steak, poach it in a Beaujolais or another
light red wine.
♦ Place a beef or lamb roast in a roasting bag. Add garlic cloves, sliced
onions, freshly ground black pepper, crushed thyme, and 3/4 cup Merlot or
Pinot Noir. Roast, following bag directions.
♦ Instead of making a fatty fruit cobbler, serve fresh strawberries, peaches
or cherries macerated in a fruity red wine like Beaujolais, a light Syrah or a
Rosé. Drizzle with non-fat sour cream mixed with a little honey just before
serving.
♦ Making homemade tacos? Purchase the leanest ground beef you can find,
or a soy substitute. After browning add 1/4 cup light red wine along with lowsodium
taco seasonings. The wine adds flavor normally associated with both
the fat in the meat and the salt in the seasoning.
♦ Make your own stir-fry sauce with low sodium beef or vegetable broth,
minced onion, red pepper flakes, cornstarch, and red wine. Stir-fry beef strips
and broccoli and carrots. Add sauce to pan and stir until thickened. The red
wine adds flavor and eliminates the sugars and salt found in purchased stir-fry
sauces.
♦ Make a healthy wine marinade! Combine a dry red wine, like Cabernet
Sauvignon, pineapple juice, onion, thyme, garlic and a little brown sugar. OR
combine a dry red wine, garlic, rosemary, and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Marinate beef
or lamb for at least one hour. Baste while cooking.
White Wine Personality
White wines are usually light, fruity, and higher in acid than red wines. Different
varieties might include a herbaceous quality and some have a rich, velvety feel
on the tongue. White wines go well with lighter meats like chicken and pork,
and with fish and seafood. White wines are also the perfect accompaniment to
fresh fruits, mild cheeses and most vegetables. Although white wines can be
very complex, and a Reisling grown in Germany is different from a Reisling
grown in Washington state, for our purposes we are grouping white wines into
two general categories. White wines keep the primary food flavors from
disappearing when cooked. Always use a good quality wine when cooking, not
cooking wine.
Light Bodied White Wines: Includes the dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc,
Fume Blanc, Chablis, and Pinot Gris/Grigio. Also includes the fruitier white
wines like Reislings, Chenin Blanc, and Gewurztraminer. Especially good with
citrus, seafood, chicken, veal, and eggs.
Full Bodied White Wines: Includes buttery Viognier and Chardonnay. These
whites can hold up to fattier, spicier, foods than their light bodied counterparts.
Especially good with fattier fish, like salmon, seafood, poultry dishes, including
turkey and capon, and even pork.
White Wine Tips
varieties might include a herbaceous quality and some have a rich, velvety feel
on the tongue. White wines go well with lighter meats like chicken and pork,
and with fish and seafood. White wines are also the perfect accompaniment to
fresh fruits, mild cheeses and most vegetables. Although white wines can be
very complex, and a Reisling grown in Germany is different from a Reisling
grown in Washington state, for our purposes we are grouping white wines into
two general categories. White wines keep the primary food flavors from
disappearing when cooked. Always use a good quality wine when cooking, not
cooking wine.
Light Bodied White Wines: Includes the dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc,
Fume Blanc, Chablis, and Pinot Gris/Grigio. Also includes the fruitier white
wines like Reislings, Chenin Blanc, and Gewurztraminer. Especially good with
citrus, seafood, chicken, veal, and eggs.
Full Bodied White Wines: Includes buttery Viognier and Chardonnay. These
whites can hold up to fattier, spicier, foods than their light bodied counterparts.
Especially good with fattier fish, like salmon, seafood, poultry dishes, including
turkey and capon, and even pork.
White Wine Tips
♦ Brown zucchini, sliced leeks, and chopped bell pepper in a skillet sprayed
with cooking spray. Add frozen pea pods, dried basil, red pepper flakes and any
white wine. Sauté until done. Serve over pasta, rice or barley pilaf.
♦ Make a delicious Chardonnay cake. Follow a yellow or pound cake recipe.
Replace 1/4 of the liquid fat with Chardonnay. OR reduce the solid fat by 1/4
and replace 1/4 of the liquid with the wine. Especially good with a lemon or
orange pound cake.
♦ Poach a light, white fish in a light bodied white wine like Sauvignon
Blanc, instead of water and butter.
♦ Add a sweeter wine like Chenin Blanc to scrambled eggs instead of milk.
♦ Macerate light summer fruits like melon, pear and apples in a sweet white
wine. Serve spooned over angel food cake for a light, fat-free dessert!
♦ Make a white wine citrus stir-fry sauce. Combine any white wine, orange
juice, honey, ground ginger, and cornstarch. Add stir-fried chicken, asparagus,
and red bell peppers. Stir until thickened. The wine intensifies the orange
flavoring.
♦ Combine a light bodied wine with lime juice, orange peel, and honey for
the perfect chicken or vegetable marinade.
♦ Make a simple wine sauce for pasta or chicken. Simmer garlic in white
wine until the wine is reduced by half. Add 1 tsp. butter and stir.
♦ Add 1/2 cup of a full bodied white wine to a purchased fish or seafood
chowder. OR make your own chowder. Reduce the butter by 3/4, use
evaporated milk and 1/2 cup white wine.
♦ Make an elegant chicken dish. Combine lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic
powder, and a full bodied white wine. Pour over skinless chicken breasts and
bake until done, basting often.
♦ Replace 1/2 cup of the broth in lemon-asparagus risotto with a rich
Chardonnay or Viognier. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
♦ Hate fat but love creamy soups? Make your own using 1/3 white wine
and 2/3 evaporated milk. Creamy flavor without the fat.
♦ When making a spicy curry, forego the fatty coconut milk. Add coconut
flavoring (found in the baking aisle) and a fresh Reisling instead. If you still
want the curry to have a creamy texture, stir in a little low-fat plain yogurt
before serving.
♦ Dress your cole slaw with a very grown up dressing. Mix together any
white wine, celery seed, fresh ground black pepper, crushed garlic or garlic
powder, sugar, and paprika. Combine with a little non-fat sour cream.
Looking for more easy ways to improve your health while enjoying great food?
Hestia’s Hearth LLC offers everything you need to start getting healthy today!
Cookbooks
You can never have too many cookbooks! We believe that cookbooks should
be easy to follow and full of recipes that appeal to the whole family. So forget
those glossy, “coffee table” cookbooks. All of our books are tested by busy
cooks and picky children, making sure you get the very best.
be easy to follow and full of recipes that appeal to the whole family. So forget
those glossy, “coffee table” cookbooks. All of our books are tested by busy
cooks and picky children, making sure you get the very best.
Gourmet Soup, Bread and Pasta Mixes
All ingredients found in our gourmet foods are naturally wholesome, additive
free, vegetarian or vegan (you can always add meat if you like) low fat and
reduced sodium. We purchase our lentils from the farmers in Eastern
Washington and Northern Idaho, our pasta is made here in the state of
Washington, and the flour in our bread mixes is grown locally in the Palouse
region. For you that means, fresher ingredients, grown by small family farmers,
prepared locally, leading to great tasting healthy soups, pastas, and breads.
free, vegetarian or vegan (you can always add meat if you like) low fat and
reduced sodium. We purchase our lentils from the farmers in Eastern
Washington and Northern Idaho, our pasta is made here in the state of
Washington, and the flour in our bread mixes is grown locally in the Palouse
region. For you that means, fresher ingredients, grown by small family farmers,
prepared locally, leading to great tasting healthy soups, pastas, and breads.
Wellness/Nutrition Coaching Services
Get healthy and meet your wellness goals. Renee will help you determine the
best foods to eat when dining out, figure out how to include your favorite
foods in a healthy diet, show you new ways to use spices, whole grains, healthy
fats and much more.
