Written By: Samantha Reyes; SLU Dietetic Intern
My name is Samantha Reyes. I am a Dietetic Intern at Saint Louis University. I am a first generation Cuban American. Growing up I remember always helping my Abuela in the kitchen. One of the dishes that I love is ropa vieja with rice, black beans, and fried plantains. Ropa vieja is a popular dish in Cuba that is similar to stew. It is delicious and loaded with flavor. The most common version of ropa vieja is made with shredded beef, onions, and bell peppers, slowly cooked in a tomato sauce. It also consists of tons of garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. Ropa vieja is generally easy and affordable to make, however, it is a long process. It takes a while for the meat to be soft and tender and then you have to shred the meat once it is cooled. Lastly, all the ingredients need time to come together to make this dish as flavorful as possible. This dish is a great source of protein and is rich in vitamins and minerals. As delicious as this popular dish is, the name ropa vieja does not hint at ingredients you would expect to get from this dish. The name literally translates to ‘old clothes’. There is an interesting story behind the name. The legend states that a poor man struggled to put food on the table for his family. He had no other way to feed his family, so he took his old clothes, shredded them and placed them in a pot of hot water. He prayed while the clothes were in a pot of boiling water and a miracle transformed it into a meat and vegetable stew so he could feed his family. This recipe was created over 500 years ago by the Sephardic Jews from Spain and made its way to Cuba.
We all have vivid kitchen memories that stay with us because of the emotions we felt in the moment. Every time you smell or taste the food of your youth, you’re immediately brought back to your childhood and memories of your loved ones. This Cuban dish reminds me of my childhood, spending time with my family at parties and holidays, and enjoying the time we had together. My Abuela would always make this dish for the events we had. This dish would bring my family together around the dining room table. I have great memories of my family and I laughing, everyone telling stories, and the association with the feeling of being loved and nurtured by our grandmother as a child.
Foods represent our cultures and they become core parts of our identities. Culture influences the foods you eat, your religious and spiritual practices, and your perspective on wellness, healing, and healthcare. Recipes are passed down through generations. The taste, smells, and sights of meals connect us back to our ancestors. Eating foods that remind you of your heritage are very important even when one might have a dietary restriction. Traditional meals and cultural foods should be integrated into healthy eating. It is important as a student who is studying to become a dietitian to realize that not everyone eats an American diet and many people enjoy foods from their culture. The field of dietetics still has a lot of work to do to ensure cultural competence. A lack of cultural competence creates a barrier to communicate effectively with the patient and tailor to their specific needs.
During my Dietetic Internship I have interacted with a patient from China. This was during my cardiovascular rotation. The patient recently had a heart attack. When I was doing my assessment, I asked her what kind of foods she likes to eat and she brought up foods from her culture. When I went back to give her education on a low sodium diet I tried to talk about those types of foods and how she can modify those dishes while still limiting her sodium intake. I tried to be respectful of her culture and still wanted her to enjoy the foods that she loves.
Instead of taking cultural foods out of your diet, you can modify and add ingredients to make it a well-rounded dish. For example, for this dish, you can use a tomato sauce with no salt added instead of a regular tomato sauce to reduce the amount of sodium in the dish. Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet can help lower your blood pressure. This can reduce your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Another way to modify this recipe would be by replacing the beef with a lean meat like chicken or turkey. Chicken and turkey will be less in saturated fats than the red meats. Saturated fats tend to stay solid and can cause cholesterol to build up in the arteries. Eating too much saturated fats can raise “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood. A high level of LDL cholesterol in your blood can also increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. The dietary guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fats to 10% or less of your daily calories. You can also grate other vegetables such as carrots and zucchini to add more fiber. Fiber helps keep you full longer, is great for your digestion and makes it easier to pass stools. Other great sources of fiber are whole grains, whole fruits, legumes and nuts. For the side dish, you can do baked plantains instead of the fried plantains. This will be lower in fat and calories. The baked plantain chips will also retain more of their nutritional value because when you fry food, some of the vitamins and minerals are lost in the process. Plantain chips are great sources of vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium.
This Cuban dish I have learned to make over the years connects me back to my heritage and my ancestors. I love making it for others to enjoy and give them a little taste of my culture. One day I will be passing this recipe to my kids and teach them the history of this dish. I hope to share the stories that my Abuela would tell us and keep this tradition going.
