Dining with the Dietitian: Finding Comfort with Fried Chicken and Meatballs

By Kim Galeaz

Quick quiz. Which of these statements accurately describe comfort foods?

They lift your spirits on a bad day.
They’re typically rich, decadent and delicious.
They’re pretty high in calories and fat.
They offer beneficial vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease-fighting nutrients.
They get the dietitian’s seal of approval.

Let me guess. You nodded in agreement to the first three, started chuckling with #4 and scoffed and sneered at #5.

Those of you who heartily concurred with all five statements, congratulations! You get this dietitian’s seal of approval because you realize there is virtue in all foods, even calorie-budget-busting comfort foods such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried green tomatoes and macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccini Alfredo, Italian bread and spumoni ice cream. You already know that most of these foods contain valuable nutrients. Even if they didn’t, they provide gratification and that is just as important as nutritional value.

Join me as I visit two Downtown Indianapolis restaurants with diverse cuisines, but both offering the most popular comfort foods – comfort foods with surprising nutritional attributes, in fact. Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles satisfies with Southern soul food and Iozzo’s Garden of Italy comforts with traditional Italian dishes. Just remember the dietitian’s mantra as you find solace in pasta or potatoes: enjoy every bite and balance it with a serving of exercise. Maybe even a super-sized serving if you absolutely have to finish all three pieces of fried chicken or every last drop of Alfredo sauce.

Iozzo’s Garden of Italy. “What are you thinking of ordering?” I asked Travis DiNicola, executive director at Indy Reads. His reply made it obvious he had never “dined with the dietitian,” unlike my favorite (only) editor of Urban

Seared Scallops at Iozzo’s Garden of Italy.

Times, Bill Brooks. “Well, I really wanted the Crab Cakes over Capellini with Alfredo Sauce, but you’re here, so I thought I should probably go with the Veal Piccata.” Uh oh. Bill knew what was wrong with that answer. Travis had violated rule number-one when ordering out at restaurants for comfort: get what you want, absolutely whatever will make you happy, or you’ll probably end up eating more later on because you’re not satisfied. Come to think of it, that guideline applies to just about any time you have your heart set on a specific food or dish. Satisfying choices can help keep overall calories under control. Just remember portion control, too.

We shared a couple of appetizers, Toasted Ravioli and Stuffed Mushrooms, the latter especially for Travis. His wife, Elizabeth, (unable to join us due to obligations as owner of Best Chocolate in Town) doesn’t like mushrooms so he doesn’t order them that often. Bill and I were happy to let Travis eat more than his fair share. Little did he know that mushrooms are a vegetable super-food, providing cancer-fighting selenium and antioxidants. They were stuffed with two antioxidant-rich ingredients – spinach (a super-food for your bones, heart, eyes and brain) and artichokes (filled with inulin to promote intestinal health). Plus they contained cheese for calcium and protein. Even the Toasted Ravioli provided calcium and protein from cheese and when dipped in marinara sauce, a boost of cancer-fighting lycopene. I encouraged Bill and Travis to eat as much marinara sauce as possible, since lycopene has been shown to help reduce prostate cancer risk.

When a basket of the most satisfying, chewy Italian bread arrived at our table, I cautioned Travis about getting the bread basket blues, that unfortunate syndrome of eating so much bread that when your entrée finally arrives, you’re too stuffed. We all exerted moderation with the bread, but sopped up every drop of the “soppy tomatoes,” fresh chopped tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil and rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Tomatoes, even soppy ones, in any appetizer, salad or entrée count toward your daily vegetable allotment.

Salads count as vegetable servings, too, and Iozzo’s House Salad was a beta-carotene rich blend of mixed greens rather than plain iceberg lettuce. Tomatoes and cucumbers added more vitamins and minerals and the house dressing, Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Vinaigrette, helped absorb that beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A. That’s because fats, like all oils and butter, are necessary to absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Keep in mind that salad dressing calories and fat grams can add up fast; a 2-ounce portion is the equivalent of 4 tablespoons and nearly 18 grams fat and 180 calories.

“This is a lot of capellini!” Travis said when his decadent Crab Cakes Alfredo Sauce dish arrived. After listening to boring dietitian details about estimating pasta portion sizes, Travis calculated he had close to 3½ to 4 cups of cooked pasta. So if he’d eaten all his capellini, he would have consumed all his grain requirements for the day! And this was dinner, so he’d already eaten other grains throughout the day. (One-half cup cooked pasta equals a 1 ounce equivalent and a 31-50-year-old male needs roughly 7-8-ounce equivalents).

Travis – such a quick learner with moderation and portion control – wisely ate half his dinner and took the remainder home for Elizabeth. Just because you’re served big portions at restaurants doesn’t mean you have to eat it all right then and there. Ask for to-go boxes. Or ask about portion sizes in advance and request a smaller, or half, portion. Remember, you’re the customer, and many chefs today will gladly work with you on ingredients, substitutions and portions.

Crab Cakes over Capellini with Alfredo Sauce at Iozzo’s Garden of Italy.

Kathy Jones, the chef at Iozzo’s agreed, adding that any time a customer has a special need, she’ll do her best to accommodate it. “We really want to care for our customers,” Kathy said. She explained you can request lots of things “Oscar.” Oscar, as in Veal Oscar, is topping any meat or even eggplant, for example, with crab meat, lobster and Bearnaise, a classic sauce made with egg yolks and butter. Kathy said customers can also request side dish vegetables or pasta dishes made with whole wheat penne or whole wheat capellini even if it’s not listed on the menu, making it easy to achieve that recommendation of eating at least half your grains “whole” every day.

Kathy also said if someone wants a specific seafood, they’ll try to get it in as long as they have at least 24 hours notice. Now that’s customer service! You’ll feel good eating that fish, too, because Kathy buys only sustainable seafood. She uses a sustainable guide on her smart phone to stay up-to-date every day; chefs like Kathy are the reason the #10 hot trend on the National Restaurant Association’s 2010 Chefs survey is “Sustainable Seafood.”

Bill enjoyed sustainable Seared Scallops, tossed with a white wine, shallot and orange zest sauce. They were balanced with a very reasonable portion of spaghetti with Iozzo sauce and the Vegetable of the Day, steamed broccoli. I suspect he was trying to be a good role model for Travis. Remember, Travis ordered Alfredo sauce, which is fatty decadence at its finest: heavy cream, butter and grated Parmesan cheese. The complete opposite of heart-healthy marinara sauce. But hey, let’s celebrate the calcium and protein from the cream and cheese! Remember: everything in balance and moderation. Travis’s crab cakes did have a slight edge in heart-healthy omega-3 fats over Bill’s scallops, though.

I must have anticipated needing a lot of comfort after dining with Bill and Travis, because I ordered the simplest comfort dish ever, Spaghetti and Meatballs. I had a choice of three sauces – marinara, Bolognese (meat sauce) or Iozzo Sauce, also known as the Family Sauce. All three are veritable antioxidant powerhouses from all the tomatoes, onions, garlic and basil. But I wanted the Family Sauce, a traditional family recipe featuring tomato sauce simmered with browned pork spareribs. A fourth sauce is on the menu, Iozzo’s House Tomato Crème sauce. It’s like the best of both worlds from a comfort standpoint, a blend of Alfredo and Family Sauce. The pork and beef meatballs are a family tradition and secret as well. I took comfort knowing I was balancing a hefty dose of iron, B-12, zinc and protein with spaghetti. No whole grains for me that night, though; only unadulterated, white, refined pasta.

Since I’m a dessert-loving dietitian, I perused the menu in advance for dessert choices, so I could plan for those calories. There it was. Spumoni. Other traditional Italian desserts are available at Iozzo’s, such as cannoli and tiramisu, but this vanilla, pistachio, chocolate, and cherry ice cream contains four of my favorite flavors. I coaxed Bill and Travis into “taking just a bite” after they claimed to be too full and not want any dessert whatsoever. If you know Bill and Travis, then you know I was lucky to even get another bite myself.

Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles. Epicurious.com named Fried Chicken as the number-one Top Dish for 2010. If the

Randy’s Pan Fried Chicken at Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles.

Sunday crowd at Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles is any indication, I’d say that’s an accurate prediction and falls right in line with an overriding culinary theme forecasted for this year as well: Back to basics and simple foods. Southern soul foods are some of the most basic, simple and downright delectable foods.

My husband, Jeff, and I visited Maxine’s recently and asked my enlightening editor to join us. Did you know Bill once owned a two-tone dark blue-over-light blue El Camino?! I can just picture him cruising up and down Mass Ave, waving at Travis and David sitting outside the Chatterbox. Jeff learned he has yet another (over)eating trait in common with Bill; Do-Si-Do’s are their favorite Girl Scout cookie.

If you’re going to indulge in one of Maxine’s signature items, the fried chicken, skin and all, then it’s pointless to obsess over whether to order white meat –typically lower in calories and fat – rather than dark meat. Just get what you want and enjoy it. Bill ordered the Smothered Chicken dinner, a boneless fried chicken breast smothered in gravy. I asked for Randy’s Pan Fried Chicken and requested dark meat thighs for all three pieces. Yes, I can be gluttonous at times. Jeff watched in disgust as Bill and I exhibited such greasy, carnivorous behavior. He can’t tolerate chicken skin and neither can Bill’s partner, Jeannie. Good thing she wasn’t there.

Maxine’s Head Chef Darnell Miller said their fried chicken is pan-fried, rather than deep-fried, and that’s why it takes at least 35 minutes. No need to get all anxious and stressed, as you’ll be comforted with fried cornbread and peach butter during this wait. Darnell wouldn’t divulge this sweet spread’s recipe, but said “a whole lot of elbow grease goes into that fresh peach butter!”

While you’re still anticipating the fried chicken, a tossed salad with lycopene-rich cherry tomatoes provides sustenance. Be forewarned, though – if you’re single, on a date and trying to make a positive impression on your dining partner. Do not attempt to eat or cut the cherry tomatoes. As I arduously cut into all three tomatoes, I remembered why this dating tip is so critical. Two flew off my plate onto the floor, one in my lap. Popping the whole tomato in your mouth doesn’t work either. Trust me. I was mortified more than once during my pre-Jeff days. Just skip the lycopene for a day.

Smothered Chicken is a favorite at Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles.

Or steer yourself toward any number of other dietitian-approved vegetables on the menu at Maxine’s, everything from black-eyed peas to yams and collards, corn and green beans. In fact, there is simply NO excuse for not eating veggies during your visit. Sure, they may be high in calories and butter, but they still have nutrient benefits.

Mashed Potatoes and House Potatoes are made with fresh Idaho potatoes, rich in vitamin C, potassium and phytonutrients to fight cancer. The House Potatoes are sautéed with house seasonings and onions, which boost the nutrients even more. Jeff thinks he’s a breakfast potato connoisseur, and proclaimed these potatoes “outstanding” as he was stuffing himself with pancakes (the plain ones, not sweet potato or strawberry) and turkey sausage. That’s right; you can order lower-fat turkey sausage at Maxine’s instead of beef sausage.

Sweet potatoes and yams are incredibly nutrient-rich, filled with fiber and vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to boost immunity and keep your heart and blood pressure healthy. Even though the Candied Yams at Maxine’s are made with butter and brown sugar, just remember the butter helps absorb more of the vitamin A beta-carotene

Chef Darnell explained Fried Corn is fresh corn shucked off the cob and skillet-cooked in butter and secret seasonings. I really wish everyone would eat corn more often, not just in the summer. It’s an excellent source of fiber, contains a fair amount of vitamin C, several B vitamins, potassium and a significant amount of zeaxanthin, a natural phytonutrient giving corn its yellow color and helping maintain eye health by protecting against age-related macular degeneration. Zeaxanthin may also help reduce risk of certain cancers like lung and breast. Eat corn cooked as often as possible, since heating and cooking it releases 44% more of its antioxidants. Same thing with tomatoes – cooked provides more cancer-fighting lycopene.

Ah, the Collard Greens. Having lived in Virginia for a couple years, I learned to love all greens, dousing them with vinegar even. But I often wonder if anyone is eating them on a regular basis. Jeff doesn’t care for their bitter taste and the fact they’re usually cooked in some fat doesn’t make a difference, either. He’s missing out on so much, though, as dark green leafy vegetables – collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens – are super-foods for your immune system, bones, eyes, heart and skin and contain lots of fiber, minerals and vitamins A, C, and K. Pairing collard greens with fried chicken makes sense, because the chicken fat helps absorb those fat-soluble vitamins!

Even fried vegetables provide some nutrients. Fried as in the ubiquitous Southern Fried Green Tomatoes. Bill hadn’t eaten them in 50 years, so I convinced him to try “just a bite.” I mean, seriously, if it has been that long, how can you say you don’t like something?! Tastes change over the years. That Bill, he’s a risk-taker for sure. One bite and he’s mumbling “Okay. They’re good.” Going back for seconds, he claimed it was really just for the remoulade, a classic French sauce made with mayonnaise, mustard and various seasonings. Tasty.

The audience appeal for Maxine’s comfort food should be appeal to many, even those that don’t eat pork and shy away from Southern food. Chef Darnell said there’s no pork on the menu, that’s why it’s beef sausage instead of pork sausage. Collard greens are cooked in smoked turkey tails instead of traditional pork fat back. And Maxine’s offers a Smoked Turkey BBQ Sandwich instead of pulled pork.

Being the eternal optimist that everyone will eat more whole grains, I asked Darnell if a lot of customers had been asking for a whole wheat bun on that Smoked Turkey BBQ sandwich. He chuckled. “Not a one,” he said.

I suppose that means the Macaroni and Cheese will never be made with whole wheat macaroni. Oh well. We usually order it for the cheesy comfort anyway. Maxine’s recipe is a secret, but rest assured you’re getting a calcium and protein kick from three different cheeses, according to Chef Darnell.

Most of the desserts are up on the counter already plated, portioned and wrapped, so you can easily plan in advance for dessert(s). Maxine’s has fresh seasonal cobbler, but I couldn’t resist the Sugar Cream Pie and Red Velvet Cake. I proclaimed both outstanding, in spite of the cream cheese frosting on the Red Velvet cake. I grew up in Illinois and Red Velvet Cake was always iced with a cooked, whipped cream-like frosting. Cream cheese icing must be a Southern thing.

Bill was once again too full for dessert, but that didn’t stop him from “taking some home for Jeannie.” Right. But in reality, we all took some food home in to-go boxes to enjoy later that evening. Moderation and balance at its finest!

Chatham Arch resident Kim Galeaz, RD, CD, is a registered dietitian and consultant to food and beverage companies, restaurants, supermarkets and agriculture associations. She can’t wait to get back to Maxine’s for sweet potato waffles and catfish and Iozzo’s for Italian wedding soup and five cheese brick-oven pizza.

THE RESTAURANTS

- Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles – 132 N. East St. 432-3300. maxineschicken.com.

- Iozzo’s Garden of Italy – 946 S. Meridian St. 974-1100. iozzos.com.