Food Network's "Big Daddy" to Promote National Kidney Month in Chicago
As part of a four-city tour, Food Network star Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr. is lending his "star power" to a worthy cause and will be in Chicago this week to promote no-salt cooking for National Kidney Month.
"I am excited to be visiting Chicago to share my kidney-friendly recipes, including one I whipped up just for the residents of the Windy City which will be announced on Thursday, March 14 - World Kidney Day," McCargo said via press release. "Passion for food and eating is an integral part of our culture, and it's truly a key ingredient to our quality of life.
Chef McCargo, who competed and won season four of "The Next Food Network Star" in 2008, beating out thousands of culinary hopefuls for his own Food Network show, "Big Daddy's House" which premiered in 2008 and continues to be a success, partnered with Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) a national dialysis provider, will visit Chicago-area patients on Thursday, March 14, World Kidney Day.
"We're pleased to launch Chef McCargo's national tour, which provides a great opportunity to share his renal-friendly cooking tips and inspire people living with kidney failure," said Carolyn Latham, vice president of clinical quality and UltraCare at FMCNA in a released statement.
The four-city tour is intended to call attention to how diets featuring fresh, flavorful ingredients can be healthy for patients on dialysis, as well as tasty, affordable, easy to prepare, and great for the entire family. An estimated 26 million Americans with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at risk for kidney failure, for which the only treatments are a kidney transplant or dialysis.
African Americans are nearly four times more likely than the general population to develop chronic kidney disease.
Chef McCargo will visit two local dialysis clinics in Chicago to discuss eating tips and share his bold, flavorful recipes for people with kidney failure to show how easy eating well on dialysis can be, despite dietary restrictions.
On his show, "Big Daddy's House," Aaron shares his passion for big, bold flavors and fun, family cooking, bringing a down-to-earth vibe and warm smile to the kitchen and the chef also published his first cookbook recently, "Simply Done, Well-Done."
The chef's Chicago tour schedule is as follows:
Thursday, from 1 to 3 p.m. March 14, he will appear at the Fresenius Medical Care South Chicago, 9200 S. Chicago Ave., Chicago, Ill and from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Fresenius Medical Care River Forest, 103 Forest Ave., River Forest.
McCargo will visit clinics during his tour stops to meet with dialysis patients and their families to share kidney-friendly cooking tips, food samples and recipes developed in collaboration with Fresenius dietitians. He will also unveil a new recipe in each city, influenced by that region's cuisine. More information is available at www.ultracare-dialysis.com/kidneymonth.
To encourage healthier eating habits during National Kidney Month, FMCNA offers the following five tips for using less salt by substituting bold, fresh herbs and spices:
From Bland to Bold: Five Spices to Use Instead of Salt
*Chili powder* - tastes great in chili or taco meat flavoring. Also try adding it to rubs.
*Smoked paprika - adds a deep brown color to bread-crumb casserole toppings, barbecue rubs or to seasoning blends for sautéing or searing any proteins. Also adds a great smoky flavor to marinades.
*Lemon zest - adds a lively taste to bread crumbs, breaded chicken tenders and fish sticks or to renal-friendly vegetables like eggplant or string beans. Also great in dressings and marinades, or mixed with dry spices and used as a rub for broiled or baked seafood.
*Dried oregano - enhances the flavor of scampi sauces and combines well with lemon zest. Gives steamed vegetables or tossed salads a fresh, earthy taste and aroma. Or add it to fajita seasonings, along with chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and lemon zest.
* Most brands are salt-free, but check to be sure you're using a salt-free product.
Visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com to see Chef McCargo's renal diet recipes and view his online cooking demonstration videos. Dialysis patients can also find fitness tips, recipes, videos, and other information about staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle on the website. For more information about dialysis facilities near you, call toll free at 1-888-325-5175.
By Deborah Bayliss
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