Showing posts with label NASFT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NASFT. Show all posts

LOVING Superbutter - my new energy secret

April 29, 2014 NASFT , superbutter 0 Comments
I got hooked on SuperButter.  If you are looking for a peanut butter equivalent that doesn't have any nuts, then look no further.

This year I got some really great new items at the Fancy Food Show.  Sometimes a new item will interest me, but not actually hook me.  SuperButter has hooked me.

 Here is their own description:

 Roasted sunflower, flax and sesame seeds comprise the flavorful base, with a little cane sugar, palm oil and sea salt added for maximum deliciousness!  SuperButter premium seed butters are high in protein, fiber and antioxidants (Omega 3's and Vitamin E), are gluten, trans fat and cholesterol free, and contain less fat than regular peanut or nut butters. 

Yes, this is an all natural, super healthy, non-nut butter that can be substituted into your recipes like peanut butter!  And it comes in original, crunchy, vanilla bean, and chocolate flavors!

 I should tell you that I've never been a big peanut butter fan. I don't hate it, but it's not high up on my food list.  I'm not interested in peanut butter cookies, Reese's or other peanut butter flavored candies, cookies, or desserts.  I will eat a PBJ on occasion and I do like it as an ingredient for satay and curries. Not that interested in putting it on my burger either. And in the argument on creamy versus crunchy, I'm a crunchy gal.

 I have to say, though, that this SuperButter....I like it a lot!

I had to try SuperButter out to see if it really could be exchanged for peanut butter in a recipe and so I chose my favorite chocolate chip cookie - the Monster Cookie.  Monster cookies are actually gluten-free because they don't use any flour, but instead use oatmeal. I like them because they remain chewy for days. The recipe uses 12 ounces of peanut butter.


The SuperButter version came out beautiful and delicious, except for one weird thing. A few hours after I got home I looked at the mixing bowl and then at the cookies and found a strange, bright dark green color.  If the product is all natural, what in the world is this green chemical reaction?

 I emailed the company and received this answer:

All plants contain chlorogenic acid mostly in the stems and leaves, but sunflowers also have it in the seeds. SuperButter will turn cookies and other baked products green as they cool if you are using standard recipes; the solution is to reduce the amount of baking soda or baking powder in your recipe by almost half. This balances the acidity of the ingredients and keeps them from changing color. Adding a bit of lemon juice to your dough or batter can also help maintain expected color.


Even though these are cookies, they are or can be pretty healthy too if you use a different sweetener.  But where I'm going with this is that due to the SuperButter and the oatmeal, I was eating a cookie before going to spin class for some extra energy.  Did I notice a difference in my workout!  I plowed through spin class every time I had a cookie before hand!

I decided then that my next experiment would have to go to power bites without the sugar.  So I made the power bites you see in the top picture with the recipe below.  These are also gluten-free and are not cooked. Now I eat one of these pre-spin class.  And I do notice the difference.  I had meant to grab one before Friday's class, forgot, and sure enough I noticed a lag in energy.

SuperButter has definitely hooked me and so now it is a matter of spreading the word to get it in nearby stores.  I already mentioned it to Sprouts.  It is available online at Amazon and SuperButter.com.
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SuperButter Power Bites

Note:  I like to use Go Raw brand granola because it is super crunchy and has no added sweeteners that ruin granola's health benefits.
1 cup quick-cook oats, uncooked
1/4 cup dried Go Raw granola
1/2 cup SuperButter
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything together thoroughly in a bowl.  Use a small scoop to shape bite sized balls of dough. Place on a cookie sheet or plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Once hardened, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

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Functional Food Finds

May 20, 2011 flax , NASFT 4 Comments
Functional foods are "those foods that encompass potentially healthful products including any modified food or ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains," as defined by the Institute of Medicine. 

It all started decades ago simply enough: iodine added to salt to prevent goiters and Vitamin D added to milk. Or how about flouride added to toothpaste (although not a food) to prevent tooth decay? These were legitimate additions for improving everyone's health.
But now food companies are making all sorts of health claims on their packages in order to get you to buy them. Examples: Children's cereals saying that they improve children's focus and energy during school. Drinks touting their anti-oxidant properties. Labels shouting out: Probiotic! Heart healthy! Low in cholesterol!

There's been a bit of controversy of late because food manufacturers are going out of their way to promote and package their products as functional foods while pussy footing around the rules of the Food and Drug Administration. In an article this week in The New York Times, Foods With Benefits, or So They Say  speaks to those deceptive practices, how the FDA has come down on some companies with fines, and how the American public is being duped. Suffice it to say, the best way to get your nutrients is to eat whole, unprocessed foods. Always has been, always will. 


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Orange Blossom Cake

March 01, 2011 cake , citrus 0 Comments
Orange Blossom Cake

As we approach spring I am already in anticipation of the fragrant air in my backyard. You see, I have an enormous grapefruit tree and very large lemon tree. I’d say that they have both been there for a good 30+ years. Every spring I get about a month’s worth of lovely, bright perfume from the millions of blossoms covering the trees.
I’m sure there must be some uses for these fragrant blossoms commercially, but you never hear about them. Even a Google search didn’t reveal much. Orange blossoms, on the other hand, are definitely used to make orange blossom water, an ingredient used in Middle Eastern cooking. It has been used increasingly in Western cooking, primarily in desserts.  I use rose water often, but had never used orange blossom water before.
When we were at the Fancy Food Show in January I stopped at the Nielsen Massey booth. They are best known for their vanilla, but I noticed that they had rose and orange blossom waters. The orange blossom water is made from Seville bitter orange from Spain and the Middle East. It complements vanilla, almond, and, of course, citrus flavors.
I searched the internet and found this recipe from a BBC site. It reminds me of my Rustic Lemon Cake, except this one is not gluten free. This recipe does use metric measurements


ORANGE BLOSSOM CAKE
ADAPTED FROM BBCGOODFOOD.COM

FOR THE CAKE
  • 200g self-raising flour , sifted
  • 100g ground almonds
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 large eggs , beaten with a fork
  • 250g Greek yogurt
  • 150ml sunflower oil
  • 1 zested lemon

FOR THE ORANGE SYRUP

  • 150ml water
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 1 orange , juiced and 2 strips of zest
  • ½ juiced lemon
  • 5 crushed cardamom pods
  • 1 tbsp orange flower water
  • icing sugar and crème fraîche or Greek yogurt, to serve 
  1. To make the syrup, put the water, sugar, rind, citrus juices and cardamom into a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. Bring to the boil and simmer for 7 minutes. It will thicken and become syrupy as it cools. Cool then strain and add the orange flower water.
  2. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter or oil a 20cm spring-form tin. Put all the dry ingredients for the cake in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and make a well in the center. Put all the rest of the ingredients in the well and stir with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating the wet ingredients. Spoon into the tin and bake for half an hour. A skewer pushed into the middle of the cake should come out clean, if not give it a little longer.
  3. Leave for 10 minutes to cool in the tin, then turn onto a plate. Pierce all over with a skewer and, while the cake is still warm, slowly pour over the syrup. Leave to soak in. Dust with icing sugar just before serving - the sugar just disappears into the syrupy top otherwise - and serve with crème fraîche or yogurt.
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Food Finds

February 24, 2011 NASFT , 1 Comments
It's been a month since the NASFT Fancy Food Show and the samples keep on coming. I have really fallen behind on some of products I want to share and in an effort to catch up, I'm blogging about a few today. Some I wish I could give more time and space to, but I've been in the lucky position of being a bit blog swamped.

Tortuga Rum Cakes
When I went to the Fancy Food Show last year I came across one brand of rum cakes. This year I found a new one and made a point to check them out. Any alcohol added to baked goods aids in keeping them moist and gives them more shelf life. That's why I add Kahlua to my brownies. I tried the cakes offered by Tortuga Rum Cakes, which are from the Cayman Islands. They are super moist so that they would leave a sticky rum ring on a piece of paper. As a non-drinker, I'm pretty sensitive to alcohol, even when used in cooking. These cakes definitely had a rum kick to them. But what I particularly liked was the Key Lime flavored cake. Something about the key lime just smoothed and mellowed out the intensity of the rum. Tortuga Rum Cakes makes other things besides the cakes. They also have coffees, fudges, and sauces. I'm sure the rum infused fudge must be pretty good. I liked the sauces. I got to taste their jerk sauce, which had a blended sweeetness with the heat of West Indian spices. They've sent me a bottle of Hell Fire Caribbean Sauce, which I am, quite frankly, nervous to open. Oh, and they gave me some of their coffee, which I gave to Kimberly since I don't drink it. She texted me yesterday asking where I got it, she'd had three cups already that morning. Guess it's pretty good.

Prima Taste Sauces
I also stopped at the Prima Taste booth. They specialize in Asian sauce mixes, particularly from Singapore. I took three packets home to try. The first one is the Black Pepper Sauce that I used with beef. Loved it. You just need to sear the beef cubes and then saute with onions and the sauce with a bit of water added. Being black pepper, it is not really spicy, just peppery. My dad would be a fan of this because he always puts a lot of pepper on his food. The other I liked was the Sweet & Spicy Seafood Sauce. I tossed this with shrimp, onions, and green peppers. These sauces are perfect for when you are lazy and want something good and easy. I'd rather use a sauce pack like these with the meat and veggies of my choice rather than resort to junk food.


Seattle Chocolates' Chick Bars
When I saw these Chick Bars from Seattle Chocolates at the show I wondered what was their purpose? The five are Power, Survivor, Nutty, Extreme, and Strong Chicks. Originally sold as small truffles, the candy bars only just came out last fall. In fact, all of Seattle Chocolates bars had been truffle style with soft centers. The Chick Bars are solid,  dark chocolate. Each has its own personality with the mix-ins. I don't like fruit with my chocolate and so I was wary of the Strong Chick bar with its acai, cranberries, almonds and crunchy edamame. But I was surprised. There wasn't too much sweetness from the berries to bother me and the edamame was just like a peanut. And their purpose? For us to enjoy while celebrating the strength of women every day!


Frosting Queens

Over the three day weekend I decided to get around to using these frosting samples from The Frosting Queens, who happen to be right here in Sacramento and were recently touted by Food and Wine Magazine. I first made cupcakes and topped them with the Crowned Caramel Spice Frosting. It was definitely spiced strongly, but tasted great over my Mexican chocolate cupcakes. These frosting pouches contain one pound of frosting and will keep in your cupboard for up to three months or you can refrigerate them for up to six months. They have no additives or preservatives. Problem is, one pound is not enough to frost a cake. They just covered my 15 cupcakes, but with just my spreading them and not getting all decorative. For a cake you would need two pouches at least. Knowing this, I decided to use the second pouch, the King's Cabernet Chocolate, in some cake balls I posted earlier here. The cabernet is a great flavor component with the chocolate. Mixed in with a chocolate cake fresh from the oven, the cake balls came out fantastic. Their website also offers other uses for the frostings, like using one for the base of a chocolate fondue. Check them out.










Seattle Chocolates Strong Chick Bar, 2.5-Ounce (Pack of 6)
Seattle Chocolates Survivor Chick Bar, 2.5-Ounce (Pack of 6)
Seattle Chocolates Nutty Chick Bar, 2.5-Ounce (Pack of 6)
Seattle Chocolates Extreme Chick Bar, 2.5-Ounce (Pack of 6)
Seattle Chocolates Power Chick Bar, 2.5-Ounce (Pack of 6)
Seattle Chocolates Survivor Chick Bar, 2.5-Ounce (Pack of 6)Seattle Chocolates Survivor Chick Bar, 2.5-Ounce (Pack of 6)
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Think Thin and Svelte!

January 28, 2011 energy , gluten-free 1 Comments
Think Thin Bars
Like anybody, I get lazy about cooking or making a meal. Sometimes you just want to do the old grab-n-go. Hopefully you are going to pick a healthy item to grab instead of a doughnut or a brownie. Oftentimes we use protein/energy bars or drinks to take the place of a meal.

But there are so many protein/energy bars and shakes out there. Often you stand before them at the store shelves overwhelmed and wondering two things:

1) This one looks healthy, but does it taste good?
2) This one tastes good, but is it really healthy?

I've got the products for you!

THINK THIN!

Think Thin bars are the answer because they taste great AND they are good for you. They have low to no sugar, lots of fiber and protein, and are gluten-free.

Now sure, many other bars might claim the same things, but let's give an example. Before I got these Think Thins I was looking at bars out there and thinking to myself, "Oh. This one has 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. That seems pretty good." And that's about average out there.

But check this out! A Think Thin peanut butter bar has 20 grams of protein and 0 sugar! In fact, all their Protein Bars are sugar free and have 15-20 grams of protein. And yet they still taste good. The ingredients taste good enough that they don't need to add sugar.

I personally prefer the Crunch Bars which have 10+ grams of protein and 4+ grams of fiber. They have 3 grams of sugar versus competition bars which average 13 grams of sugar. They are loaded with nuts and soy crisps. Don't they look yummy in the picture? The sweetness comes from the honey mixture used to bind the bar together.

Think Thins can be found locally at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Nugget. But why not win some! See end of this post.

From AOLHealth.com:

Eat Smart:
1) If you're replacing a meal with an energy bar, choose one with 200 to 300 calories; for a snack, shoot for 150 calories or fewer.
2) Opt for a bar whose ingredient list is short and begins with a whole grain such as brown rice, whole wheat, or whole oat flour.
3) Make sure your pick meets at least two of Greaves's requirements: fewer than 15 grams of sugar, less than 2 grams of saturated fat, at least 3 grams of fiber, and at least 5 grams of protein.
4) If you can't find one containing that much protein, add it yourself: Spread a low-calorie bar with a thin layer of peanut butter, or enjoy a glass of low-fat milk or a piece of low-fat string cheese with it. "Adding in the protein will help you feel more satisfied longer," says Greaves.
Svelte Protein Drinks

Think SVELTE!

One of my big problems is that I get super dehydrated during the night. I wake up with a slight headache and wonder how my thick blood is managing to pump through my veins. I need to get liquid back into my body asap. Sometimes I conquer two birds with one stone. I drink my breakfast. If I'm too lazy to blend up a smoothie, I can grab a Svelte. I also drink them after workouts, when you are supposed to replenish nutrients to your muscles, but I'm too lazy to cook. You are supposed to intake something  (healthy)within an hour of your cardio.

A Svelte is 16 ounces of soy goodness in four fab flavors: French Vanilla, Chocolate, Cappuccino, and Spiced Chai. I've been loving chai lately and so I really like their newest flavor.

What makes them stand out?

They are made from organic soymilk and all natural products right here in Northern California. They have 16 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. They are sweetened with stevia, which means you don't have to worry about glucose spiking in your blood since stevia doesn't effect your glucose levels. Svelte is also gluten-free.

If you are interested in more info on protein shakes, here's a great article at WebMD.

Svelte can be found locally at Whole Foods.



Giveaway!

Win some Think Thin bars to try yourself. 2-3 Winners!
This one is a Facebook contest. Join the Munchie Musings fan page and then post on the wall what is your current favorite type of energy/diet bar.

Deadline: Monday midnight (1/31)



















Disclaimer: Samples were received from both companies.
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Interesting Finds at the Fancy Food Show

January 20, 2011 NASFT , 0 Comments
This week I went to the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Filling both the huge north and south halls of the Moscone Center are thousands of food manufacturers, producers, wholesalers, etc. All of them are hawking the latest in foods - be it trendy or just a new take on a classic.

Here are the five trends that the National Association of the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) saw for 2011. Then I'll tell you what I found.

Chocolate for Breakfast: Tea, Belgian waffles, granola and hot chocolate on a stick.
Foods for Healing: Ancient healing teas, Blackwater with 77 minerals, aloe and cucumber drinks, plus micro-batches of healthful beverages.
New Noodles: Yam, kelp, farro and spelt.
Heat with Flavor: Ghost peppers, yuzu-wasabi sauce and piquillo almond glop.
Creative Chips: Pinto beans, naan, peas, mung beans, kale and wild rice.

Other trends the panel identified are: retro foods, classic cocktails, wine-flavored foods, mini servings and cured meats.

I was only there for five hours (of a three-day event) and was unable to give the show the due diligence it deserved. Next year, a full day at least. Anyway, I was rushed. I tried to make a point to visit any vendor that had contacted me in advance and some certainly peaked my interest. Over the next month or so I will be writing more about some of the NASFT vendors and their products. For now, here's a starter...

Healthy Chocolate, or, as the confectionary specialist liked to call it, Functional Chocolate. There were quite a number of vendors who were adding supplements to the chocolate. Like adding CoQ10 for heart health or resveratrol (from wine grapes) for its antioxidant and life extending properties. I plan to write more about this subject after I get some samples and talk to the companies.

Aloe Water. Last year it seemed to be coconut water and this year it's aloe water. The claims range from the sensible (anti-inflammatory, speeds healing) to the unproven (helps in weight loss). The point is, there were a lot of vendors with it. I must admit that I liked the one I got from alo with mango and mangosteen flavoring.

Exotic Fruits. I know about some exotic fruits due to my half Asian blood. I've had mango, ube and lychees for decades. But this week I tasted a few new things in ethnic ice creams and can only say - bring it on!  Any person who has gone to the Philippines knows the Magnolia ice cream brand. Now there is a Stateside version and along with familiar coconut and mango they also have pandan, jackfruit, lychee and more. Rumba had the South American exotic fruits. I was introduced to locuma, mamey and cherimoya.  If I missed any Indian ice cream producers with cardamom and rose water, let me know.

Charcuterie. This one isn't news for any foodie. Charcuterie refers to prepared meat products, meaning sausages, salamis, rillettes, smoked meats, etc. I must admit that this is one of my favorite parts of the show. Poor Girl Kimberly was going cheese crazy, but for me, I'm sampling as much salumi and proscuitto as possible. I even had a duck prosciutto - gamey but delightful.

And a few other things that immediately struck me...

34° Crispbread sent me samples before the show. I tried them and was amazed at how light and crisp they were, stood up to spreadable cheese, and didn't complete flavorwise. It was no surprise to see them featured at many of the cheese booths for the cheese samplings.

NoOodle, which I hope to write about after I've cooked with it, is a no calorie, no fat, no carb, no gluten noodle made from an Asian yam. Used in Asia for centuries, this noodle soaks up flavors of what it's mixed with.

Savory Choice. Last year I got some of Savory Choice's broth concentrate packets. They come in turkey, chicken, beef and vegetable. A packet makes a cup of broth the concentrate. Well, it took the whole year to really appreciate them so that I was happy to come across them again this year.  Sometimes you want the broth to be already concentrated down and not have to take the time to reduce it yourself.

Tablehopper is a book and a website by Marcia Gagliardi. If you dine in San Francisco you need this reference book. Gagliardi knows the dining scene and has come up with a clever book. After realizing she was always asked where to go, in xxx price range, for xxx occasion, she compiled it into a guide. Looking for a place to take the new in-laws? How about the perfect location to for a blind date? She has all the suggestions.

There's more to tell, but those will be for future posts over the next few weeks. I'll be sampling a few more products and tell you what's worth a try.


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Dad Knows Best - Bentonite

January 19, 2011 bentonite , NASFT 0 Comments


Dad knows best. Sometimes you just have to accept it. You might not always agree with him or you might even think he's a little cuckoo, but in the end he's almost always right.

For years my dad has been consuming clay. Every morning he mixes a heaping teaspoon of this grey clay powder into his orange juice or cereal. In the case of the OJ, it turns an awful greeny grey in color and is rather unappetizing looking. He would preach about the health attributes to folks and I had listened, but pretty much tuned him out.

Then last year Dr. Oz mentioned bentonite clay. Yes, I am a Dr. Oz devotee. I love his radio show (don't particularly care for the TV show). I've learned so much about different medical topics, including homeopathy and other topics. This particular time he was talking about five things that should be added to your medicine cabinet and bentonite clay was one of them.


Then we came across Redmond Clay at the Fancy Food Show and they were handing out samples of bentonite clay. "I know this!" I exclaimed. I told the guy about my dad taking it every morning and he said he rarely heard of people ingesting it on a regular basis. Most people just use it for external applications.

I went home and happened to go to the Sacramento Food Coop and decided to ask if they carried bentonite clay. They had three different liquid forms that they sold. I asked about powder and they didn't carry an ingestible powder form.

Now I was curious. So I emailed dad. "Where do you get your clay, dad?" I was a bit shocked by his response - a construction supplier. You see, bentonite is also used for a lot of industrial and commercial uses. So my dad was buying big 50 pound bags from a construction company! No wonder it was an ugly grey compared to the nice fine ecru powder from Redmond Clay.

I emailed Redmond Clay and they were nice enough to send both myself and my dad samples. So I've been using it the last few months and will say that you can't even taste it in water.

So why ingest bentonite clay?

There is a ton of info on the internet about bentonite, but here are some basic facts.

- It's naturally found in different locations around the world, including the United States. It was named after Fort Benton, Wyoming, where a large deposit is located.
- Native Americans have been using it for centuries.
- It is not absorbed by the body but instead passes through the body collecting impurities.

Bentonite clay is made up of a high number of tiny platelets, with negative electrical charges on their flat surfaces and positive charges on their edges. When bentonite clay absorbs water and swells up, it is stretched open like a highly porous sponge. Toxins are drawn into these spaces through electrical attraction and bound. Bentonite Clay is effective because it has a negative charge, and most toxins in our body have a positive charge. So it makes Bentonite Clay useful in binding to toxins. Bentonite Clay can absorb any toxic substances imaginable: impurities, harmful bacteria, poisons, pesticides, pathogens, parasites, etc.


Because of the above, bentonite is a cure-all for gastro intestinal issues such as diarrhea, acid reflux, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. It is often used as a colon cleanse.

How about external uses?

Bentonite also seems to work for many external applications such as aiding in the treatment of burns, rashes, eczema, diaper rash, etc. You just mix it with water and apply it to the skin. You can also apply it to your bath water as porous skin is another avenue for ridding your body of toxins.

Reference Sites:

Redmond Clay
Clay video presentation
Healing Daily
Wikipedia
Colon Zone
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Rodelle Vanilla Panna Cotta

April 03, 2010 dessert , NASFT 1 Comments


If you read my post about the Fancy Food Show in January, you might recall the story of the stupid women who had no clue what a vanilla bean was and promptly put them in their mouth and chewed on them like Twizzlers. Turns out it was at the Rodelle Vanilla booth and after the rep read my story he offered to send me some vanilla.

I've been so busy with all sorts of things and other cooking projects that I couldn't get around to testing it in a vanilla focused recipe. I knew that I wanted to use it in panna cotta because that way I would be able to really get a good taste of the vanilla. Also, I'd never made a panna cotta before. So easy! Sadly, it's so easy that I may be too tempted to make it on a regular basis - which is not a good idea for anybody watching their weight. Sigh.

I was right with the vanilla. Your tastebuds are able to focus on the flavor of the vanilla alone, without competition from anything else. The Rodelle vanilla was mild with a bit of sweetness to it. It was light enough not to overpower the delicate cream of the panna cotta.

Panna Cotta (taken from whatscookingamerica.net)

1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups heavy cream*
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup milk; let stand until the gelatin is softened, about 5 minutes.

In a large saucepan, combine heavy cream and sugar. Add vanilla extract or vanilla bean. If using a vanilla bean, slice the bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds into cream (add whole bean to cream for additional flavor). Bring cream just to a simmer (do not let it boil), whisking occasionally until sugar has completely dissolved; remove from heat and remove vanilla bean pod. Add the softened gelatin mixture and whisk to completely dissolve the gelatin.

Strain hot cream mixture into a large glass measuring cup with a pouring spout; pour into ramekins or custard cups. NOTE: Don't skip the straining step as it removes any bits of undissolved gelatin and insures a nice smooth dessert. Also, don't let the cream mixture cool before straining. If using a vanilla bean, lightly swirl the cream to distribute the seeds evenly. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To unmold and serve, carefully dip bottom of each ramekin in a baking pan of hot water briefly. Run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin to loosen it from the inside of the bowl. Wipe the outside of the mold dry and place on individual chilled serving plate (topside down). Invert the custard onto the plate and carefully lift off ramekin (shake gently to release). Garnish with berries or fruit of your choice.
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Gluten Free Cupcake Comparison

February 28, 2010 gluten-free , NASFT 1 Comments


Recently I have gotten samples from companies that I saw at the Fancy Food Show in January. I've also gotten more interested in gluten-free baking. Two companies had sent me boxes of gluten-free mixes and I saw that both had sent me white and chocolate cake mixes. With so many mixes, I needed to get baking! After all, although I'm interested in trying them, I also don't need to have baked goods/mixes sitting around my house. I've gained enough weight this year. Sigh. So I decided to make my coworkers the taste testers and baked up the white cake mixes from each company to do a side by side comparison.


The first company was Something Good from Australia. Their products are distributed by the same company that I got the Damper mix from. Nice thing about their mix was that it came with icing mix and sprinkles included.


The second company was good ol Betty Crocker. I had stumbled across their gluten-free website and emailed them to see if they would send me samples. They sent mixes and frosting.

I baked both batches on Sunday morning and started with a personal taste test with Poor Girl, Kimberly, who had stopped by. I then took the rest to work for Monday and told my coworkers to halve them and try one of each and give me their opinions.

I'll start by telling you how the mixes differed and then we'll get to the actual taste comparison.

Something Good's mix is not only gluten-free, it is also dairy, soy, and nut allergen free. This is a significant difference because I'm sure it makes a difference to some of the ingredients in the mix. It required just adding eggs and water to the cake mix. The icing was surely just a package of powdered sugar and they just told you to beat some water and margarine into it to make the icing. I used butter. It is nice that it is a complete package of mix, icing, and decoration. In the pictures, obviously, they have the sprinkles on them.

Betty Crocker's mix is only gluten-free. It also made one dozen cupcakes but seemed to be just a bit more batter so that the cupcakes were larger in size. They ask you to mix in water, eggs, butter, and vanilla. This adds a lot to the moisture content and flavor. They had sent me whipped icing as well, but it is sold separately and is not labeled gluten-free.

Now I like to bake from scratch and so I use cake mixes only in emergencies or if I doctor them all up. One reason I hate mixes is because they are all air and fluff. Sure they are super moist, but they have no real substance. After all, once you start baking European style and other from-scratch cakes you truly appreciate things like density, texture, and crumb.


Here is the Something Good cupcake. These cupcakes were smaller, denser, and drier. They had little flavor. Kimberly and I agreed that while we liked the denser cake, it lacked any flavor. The cake held together well and reminded me texture-wise of some of the specialty cakes I've been baking. The coworkers disliked this one because it was very dry. So maybe these cupcakes should be eaten same day.


The Betty Crocker was the favorite from the coworkers. They liked that is was moister and had more flavor. This is easily understandable. This mix had vanilla and butter mixed in. Kimberly and I liked the flavor, but weren't that thrilled by the texture. I felt the texture was more bready and chewy.

If we go by majority vote, Betty Crocker wins. But I think it wins on flavor and Something Good wins on texture.

Here's a more concise breakdown...

Something Good - multi-allergen free, icing and decoration included, good texture and density, lacks flavor

Betty Crocker - only gluten-free, good flavor and texture, easily found in stores

You will find Something Good found at the Gluten-free Specialty Store at 2612 J Street.
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Damper = Biscuit

February 10, 2010 NASFT , 1 Comments

We've got cowboys, they've got rovers. We've got ranches, they've got stations. We've got biscuits, they've got damper. There are a lot of similarities between the U.S. and Australia when it comes to raising cattle - except for the vocabulary.

When I was at the Fancy Food Show I came across a booth of Australian products. I started up a conversation with Michael because I have Aussie cousins and also because I was hoping he might be a purveyor of some of the new Aussie spices coming out of the Outback (such as wattleseed). He didn't have any spices, but he did offer me a sample of their Taste of the Outback damper mix. I took it happily and went on my way.


A couple weeks went by and then I thought of the damper mix and looked up some info on the internet. Basically damper is the equivalent of biscuits. When the rovers were out on the trails they often had to just make biscuits by mixing flour and water and throwing it into the ash of the campfire to cook. The difference from our biscuits seems to be only in the amount of mixing done. Biscuits are barely mixed in order to get a flaky texture. Damper is kneaded more and is more bready.

The instructions said to portion the dough into muffin tins but I was looking for more biscuit-like/scone-like and so I just made globs of the dough and put them on my baking stone.

The mix I was given was bush lemon, lime, and chili. Bush lemons have to be hardy to grow in the Outback and have a very thick skin. It was a savory scone, - much more than I anticipated! They were quite flavorful with the spice and would make an excellent side to a bowl of chili instead of cornbread. So I decided to save them and threw them into the freezer to keep for a chili day.

I'm not sure what stores locally might carry it, but you can buy it online via their site or Amazon at this link.
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Island Treasures - Rum Cakes

February 07, 2010 NASFT , 0 Comments

I had a nice surprise this week when I was handed a box by the UPS guy. Inside was a bunch of rum cake!

One of the exhibitors that we met at the Fancy Food Show was Island Treasure Gourmet who make a variety of rum cakes. They make Vanilla, Chocolate, Coconut, Banana, Raspberry and Cinnamon Pecan Streusel cakes. Wow!

I might not drink alcohol, but I will happily put it in any baked good and have it baked out. The beauty of alcohol in baked goods is that it keeps them nice and moist and extends their shelf life considerably. I'm not sure of the science for it and so I would be interested to know just how long it will extend the shelf life for. Anyway, for these cakes they use Whaler’s Original Rum which apparently is from a Hawaiian recipe.

I took the bundt cake to a Superbowl party for everyone to enjoy. There is no doubt what you are getting when you cut into these cakes. They are sticky moist with rum syrup, so much so that you almost expect a pool of rum to settle on the cake plate. They are delicious, especially if you add some fruit or other accompaniments.

Island Treasure is not sold in stores in California, so you have to order by phone or online. For those on the east coast, there are a list of stores where you can find them here.

I want to thank Island Treasures for their generosity. We really love your cakes!
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Lamb Sausage Ragout over Gnocchi

January 31, 2010 lamb , NASFT 0 Comments

As I said in my post about the Specialty Food Show, I got some samples from different vendors. Today I decided to take two of them to make dinner.


The lamb sausage is from Marcel & Henri. They are an award winning charcuterie based in the Bay Area. Here is a little of their history from The Nibble, which by the way, has a great summary of charcuterie and pates.
Charcutier Henri Lapuyade, founder of Marcel et Henri, started to make French pâtés in the United States in 1960. Beginning with a few recipes from his native France, he opened a small shop on San Francisco’s Russian Hill. Business thrived, his quality became renowned. In 1982 the French government awarded Henri the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole for carrying on the great culinary tradition in the United States, and in 1997 he was promoted to Officier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole.

So based on the above, you know it's gonna be good. The sausage I was given was already cooked but I used it in the recipe anyway.

The gnocchi came from an Italian exhibitor, De Cecco pastas. You would know the blue and yellow boxes of their fine pastas in the grocery stores. The gnocchi were wonderfully packaged with just a slight dusting of meal to keep them separated. The cooked up nicely.

The recipe is from Emeril Lagasse. Emeril's Lamb Sausage Ragout with Portobello Mushrooms Since I don't do mushrooms, they are left out of my version. Even though this ragout is really too chunky to go with gnocchi, I wanted to use the two samples together and it still worked out deliciously. The finished product was a great contrast of the chunky and still slightly crunchy veggies of the ragout with the pillowy softness of the gnocchi. I will definitely make this again.

Lamb Sausage Ragout
* 2 pounds Italian style lamb sausage, (substitute with regular Italian sausage), cut into 1-inch pieces
* Olive oil
* 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
* 1 cup chopped onions
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/2 cup chopped carrots
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 10 plum tomatoes, halves and pureed in the food processor (about 4 to 5 cups puree)
* 1/2 cup dry red wine
* 1 pound gnocchi
* 1/4 pound Pecorino Foje de Noce

Heat a large Dutch over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the sausage and cook just until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the crushed red pepper flakes. Add the fresh tomato puree and the red wine and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pasta pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package directions, or until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain well.
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2010 Food Trends

January 19, 2010 NASFT , 1 Comments
On day two of the Specialty Food Show the NASFT announced what they saw as the top five food trends for 2010. They were: Good-for-you foods, Coconut, Gluten-free, Exotic citrus, Nostalgic foods.

As I said on my previous post, we also saw gluten-free as one of the trends. I've noticed many gluten-free blogs amongst my food blogger counterparts. More and more people are getting food allergies and celiac has been one of the big ones. Apart from that consideration, it made me think back to 20+ years ago when I dabbled in modeling. One of the bookers for sending models to Japan had told me that I needed to cut out eating wheat because it was what added chubbiness to my face. When you think about it, people with celiac allergies are a lot thinner. It makes me think that maybe I need to start looking more into gluten-free baking. After all, I'll never be able to give up my love of baked goods but at the same time, who wouldn't like to lose a few pounds? (As a side note, this month's DB Challenge involves gluten-free baking, so stay tuned for that post at month end.)

The coconut they mention would be mostly in coconut water. There were a lot of exhibits with it, but I wouldn't have said it was a big, new trend. Same with exotic citrus. The only exotic citrus I saw was about three vendors with blood orange juice. That's not indicative of a big trend to me either.

As far as good-for-you foods...well that's a no brainer. There is more and more emphasis on eating healthier, more organic, lower calorie sweeteners, etc. That's why almost one whole building was dedicated to Natural & Organic. The big thing I noticed was a lot of agave and stevia. For those that don't know, both of these are natural sweeteners.


Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose levels and so that's why it is recommended for diabetics. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar and 0 calories! It comes from the plant found in Central and South America.


Agave is a plant also found in Central and South America. Agave has about half the glycemic level and effect on blood glucose than sugar does. Plus, sugar has no other benefits to the body while agave has vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and inulin. Inulin is a fiber that helps moderate blood sugar and enhances calcium absorption.

Anyway, the point is I think that in the next decade you will start seeing a lot of foods moving away from the artificial sweeteners and embracing the natural sweeteners. Boy, the sweetener dish at restaurants is gonna be a rainbow of packets with Extra, Sweet n Low, Splenda, and then add Stevia, and others!

The last NASFT choice confuses me as well. I really didn't see a lot of examples of Nostalgic Food. What exactly were they meaning? Or am I wrong in my thinking it's similar to Comfort Foods? I've actually sent an inquiry to NASFT to clarify what they mean.

The NASFT said that close behind their top five were preserved foods. This would include pickled, cured, and smoked. I would have switched Coconut with Preserved Foods on the list. There were definitely lots of smoked meats, loads of cheeses, and plenty of other examples as well. Look for this food trend to start appearing in more magazines.

NASFT is only one organization though. Sacatomato's Ann was telling me that she heard that gourmet doughnuts were gonna be the new cupcake. Maybe so. If you can think of a food trend that you see as gaining in popularity, please submit a comment.
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Specialty Food Show

January 17, 2010 NASFT , 0 Comments


Each year the NASFT holds the Fancy Food Show for food professionals. It is not open to the public, but to caterers, restauranteurs, food suppliers, grocers, etc. "The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade is a not-for-profit business trade association established in 1952 to foster trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food industry." The winter show is held in San Francisco and the summer one in New York City.

The event spans three days. Cakegrrl Kristy and I decided to go on Sunday so as to avoid weekday traffic and parking issues. We spent the whole day there and boy, was it packed! Not only with tons of visitors, but with tons of exhibitors trying to get their foods out there.

The show also tries to focus on upcoming food trends. What is gonna be the cupcake or pomegranate for the next year or decade? Which ethnic food is suddenly going to take off in popularity? For established companies, they show their newest products. For new companies, there is the opportunity to introduce their product to thousands of new potential customers. It's usually in this last group that you will spot the trends.

What trends did we seem to see? There was a section of the exhibit that focused on natural and organic vendors. It was here that we definitely saw a lot of gluten free foods. I also saw a lot of natural low calorie sweeteners too. That would mostly be agave and stevia.

In the general food area we saw a lot of ethnic quick serve food items. I would say that Indian food is definitely getting the spotlight with Asian close behind. I asked most of these vendors if they would send me samples to try and then blog about later. Hopefully they will follow through so I can play.

There was also gads of chocolate purveyors, cheeses, and lots of smoked/preserved meats. I was in heaven with trying all the fresh prosciutto and serrano. They would be carving it right off the bone and it was SSSOOOOOOOOO good, buttery, and salty. That was my favorite thing to sample.


Here was one of the chocolate vendors with Mexican spiced chocolate cakes for making cocoa. She was using a molinillo to froth the drink. I asked her why they used that tool and she explained that the Indians believed there was a spiritual element to the froth created and so this was a whisk-like device to help create the froth. My lesson for the day.


Keeping with chocolate, here was a chocolate sculpture being created by a student of a chocolate academy.


This section was where vendors could display their "What's Hot" products. It was concentrated in one small area so we could go through and circle vendor numbers on a sheet and hopefully they will send us further information and samples of their products.


And now I have to share the "Stupid Award" for the show. There were several vanilla companies there showing all sorts of vanilla products such as vanilla infused salt, sugar, syrups, etc. Many were giving vanilla beans away as samples. Kristy and I approached a vendor handing out the beans and talking to our winners of the award. These two women took the vanilla beans and were asking what to do with them while sticking the tips in their mouths like they were some sort of Twizzler! The guy was trying to explain how they were used in cooking, like scraping out the seeds from inside the pods or putting the beans in sugar or alcohol to make your own sugar or extract. These women were clueless as they chomped on their vanilla beans! Kristy and I were like, "Who let these fools into the show? Do they just let anyone in?"

Some exhibitors were very generous. One vendor had a spectacular array of gourmet sausages made with duck, lamb, and other great meats. I figured if I was gonna buy any product it was here and so asked about the price. The guy said they weren't selling any, only displaying. He said they give it away on Tuesday at show close because they wouldn't be able to take these meat products back or sell them. I told him I was from Sacramento and only here for the day. So he gave me a package of lamb sausage right then! At an Australian booth I had a conversation about some of the wild spices coming from the Outback. He gave me a scone mix made with some grain from there. We also got gnocchi from one of the exhibitors in the Italy area. There were also some of the stingy exhibitors who practically slapped your hand if you reached for something. Not a good way to make an impression.

We ended the day with very sore feet and lots of samples and literature to take home. I had three bags full of heavy stuff. It took me quite a while to sort through the things only to realize that I went a little overboard grabbing things I really don't need to be eating right now. But I think I'll just keep these for my movie going snacks and leave it at that. I look forward to trying some of things I actually need to cook, like spices, rubs, mixes, and sauces.

I look forward to going again next year and keep my fingers crossed that I get samples in the mail.
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