Warm Dominican-style
rice pudding
Chef Victor Hidalgo of Syosset Hospital
won the Northwell Health Ultimate Chef
Challenge on March 16, 2017, with this Best
Healthy Choice dessert.
Ingredients
Rice pudding
1 cup white rice
1 tablespoon
chopped fennel
1 pinch
ground cloves
1 pinch
ground cinnamon
1 ½ cup almond milk
2 tablespoons
brown sugar
Fruit topping
½ cup strawberries
½ cup raspberries
½ cup blueberries
2 teaspoon
granulated sugar
Garnish
Mint leaf and
fennel sprig
Directions
– Boil rice and chopped fennel in 2 ½ cups
of water, with pinch of cinnamon and
pinch of cloves. Simmer with lid on until
water evaporates.
– In another pot, simmer almond milk with
brown sugar until thick.
– Mix the rice into the almond milk to
form pudding.
– Fruit topping: Cook the strawberries,
raspberries and blueberries in 2 teaspoons
of sugar, simmering until thick.
– Divide pudding into six servings, sprinkle
with cinnamon and top with fruit topping.
Garnish with mint sprig and fennel sprigs.
Makes six servings
Nutrition facts
Calories: 108
Fat: 1.12g
Sodium: 37mg
What are some of your favorite foods?
I like mangu, which is a Dominican dish of mashed plantains. I boil
two green and two yellow (yellow ones are sweet), mash them up,
and add a little butter and sour cream. I also like to make queso
frito, which is a cheese that you fry with salami and eggs. I make
that for my sons, Jaedin and Noah.
How many patients do you prepare food for daily?
I'd say I cook for 200 to 250 people per day, but that includes
patients, hospital staff and visitors.
Do you feel like you're helping patients by preparing
nutritious food?
It makes me feel good when people eat something I cook and they
like it. But it's also important to me because my grandmother is
diabetic and my mother has high blood pressure. So I definitely
have that in mind when I'm preparing food for patients here at
the hospital.
What are some healthy-cooking tips?
Cleanliness goes a long way in the kitchen. I always like to have
my area clean, and I always make sure all of my utensils are
sanitized. Also, salt and sugar should be used in moderation. I like
to use olive oil when I fry. Always add a vegetable to what you're
eating, because it makes it a little healthier. I always throw a little
kale or spinach into the smoothies I make for my boys, and they
don't even taste it. But they're getting the nutrients from dark
leafy greens.
What advice would you give someone who wants to
learn how to cook?
If you like to eat, don't be intimidated by cooking. You have to
survive, so you have to cook for yourself. People should just try it.
Start by preparing simple dishes. You might surprise yourself.
More than room service
During a hospital stay, the food delivered to
your bedside must be nutritious and delicious
to give you the greatest benefit. The food
and nutrition services team at Plainview and
Syosset Hospitals developed programs to
respond to evolving needs, including meeting
high expectations for culinary quality. Many
menu options are available and special diets—
from vegetarian or gluten-free to kosher or
halal—can be accommodated.
Healthy eating
northwell.edu
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