Another way to eliminate calories is to cut the sugar- and fat-laden frosting. Instead, use a few chocolate chips or chopped nuts to add a flourish to the top.

Hmm, this looks like a muffin, you say; and you would be correct. The difference is that cupcakes have a less dense, finer crumb, more sugar and a frosted top.

But it all comes down to marketing: Call them cupcakes and your family will be just as happy to eat them.

This recipe for Black Magic Banana Cupcakes is from Dole, which has many tasty recipes on its website.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Stir together bananas, egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in large bowl; set aside.

2. COMBINE sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into banana mixture. Stir just until moistened.

3. LINE 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Lightly coat with vegetable spray and fill two-thirds full with batter.

4. BAKE 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Halfway through baking, sprinkle chocolate chips or nuts on the top.
 
CUPCAKE HISTORY

Cupcakes originated in the U.S. in the 19th century. The name is derived from the teacup: Before the advent of muffin tins, cupcakes were often baked in individual tea cups (as well as ramekins).

Cupcakes became popular because they baked more quickly than cakes. Equally as important, before the advent of the modern oven in the 20th century, a long-baking item like a cake could burn easily.

Muffin tins became popular by the beginning of the 20th century, and provided an easier baking receptacle. Paper and foil liners were created for easier removal of the cupcakes from the pan.
  

A “NEW” ANCIENT GRAIN

Watch out, quinoa: There’s a new grain in town. Although it’s only new to America; freekeh dates to about 2300 B.C.E.

As the story goes, freekeh was created by accident when a Middle Eastern village was attacked. The hostiles set the fields of young green wheat blaze.

After the enemy departed, since food was hard to come by, the villagers rubbed off the burned chaff, cooked the immature kernels and discovered that the grain had a smoky aroma and a nutty taste. A cross between brown rice and barley, freekeh became popular in the cuisines of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Freeheh has great nutrition and great versatility. You can use it in place of rice or any other grain, even down to making freeheh empanadas, jambalaya, paella, tacos, and even freekeh sushi.

Freekeh Foods makes three freekeh varieties, original and first flavored freekeh we’ve seen, rosemary sage freekeh and tamari freekeh.

There’s a new—albeit ancient—grain in town:
freekeh. Photo courtesy Freekeh Foods.

If you’re always on the prowl for the new and delicious, get your freak on with freekeh. Read the full review.

READY TO SNACK?

Our Top Pick from last week was a gift suggestion: a snack-box-of-the-month club. We’ve encountered two companies that have entered this space, both serving up artisan snacks that are a delight to discover.

Each month the recipient receives an assortment of all natural, typically good-for-you snack foods. The choices come from a broad selection of fruit bars, veggie chips, teas, cookies, candies, peanut butter and jam, nut and seed mixes and other yummies.

Love With Food combines “great food for a great cause,” donating one meal to a food bank for each snack box sold.

Boxtera aims for a high percentage of organic-certified products, and strives to include products that are gluten free.

Both are wonderful gifts, as well as self-treats. Read the full review.

Many of these were small, artisanal brands and more pricey than supermarket ketchup. But one of the top winners, Muir Glen, is widely available (at most stores that sell natural and organic foods; we get it at Whole Foods), one of the least expensive and is both organic and kosher.

But how about making ketchup at home, just as you make salad dressing. It’s just as easy. There are five basic ingredients: tomato paste and purée, vinegar, sweetener, and seasonings.

It’s fun to make ketchup. You can cut back on salt, avoid high fructose corn syrup and reduce the sweeteners in general, while adding favorite spices.

> The recipe is below.

> The history of ketchup.
 
 
But first:
 
 
WHAT’S IN COMMERCIAL KETCHUP?

Heinz Ketchup contains tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, and natural flavors.

The ingredients are pretty much the same for Hunt’s Ketchup: tomato concentrate, high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, corn syrup, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and natural flavors.

Del Monte Ketchup uses regular con syrup instead of HFCS. Otherwise, the list looks familiar: tomato concentrate, corn syrup, distilled vinegar, salt, natural flavorings, onion powder, spice, and garlic powder.

These ketchups tend to deliver sweetness first, then tomato flavor, and not much else. You can greatly improve the flavor of homemade ketchup by using:

 
Preparation

1. PURÉE tomatoes and liquid until smooth.

2. COOK onion in olive oil over moderate heat, stirring until softened (about 8 minutes). Add puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and other seasonings.

3. SIMMER, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 1 hour. Stir more frequently toward the end of cooking to prevent scorching.

4. PURÉE ketchup in 2 batches until smooth. Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours for flavors to develop. Adjust seasonings.

Continue to work on the recipe, switching the proportions of vinegar, sweetener, and spices, until you define your signature recipe. Then, don’t give it out: It’s your secret.

[1] Homemade ketchup (photo © Danielle Walker | Meals Made Simple).

[2] Homemade ketchup is a worthy match for a top-quality hot dog (photo of Fearless Franks © Niman Ranch).

[3] Your burger will taste better with homemade ketchup (photo of chicken cheeseburger © Sunbasket).

[4] Serve waffle fries with your homemade ketchup (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

*If you are using a different sweetener, the proportions may be different. Add a smaller amount and adjust to taste.

We love potato salad. We grew up on two recipes: Mom’s classic picnic potato salad (potatoes, mayo, Dijon mustard, red onion, celery, bell pepper) and her warm German potato salad recipe (potatoes, bacon, onions, chives, garlic, parsley and dill in a mustard vinaigrette).

But there are hundreds of very worth potato salad recipes. This one, from The United States Potato Board—people who know their potatoes.

This spring-themed recipe incorporates arugula, fresh peas in a Dijon mustard-mint vinaigrette.

Serve it at your next barbecue. It‘s a delight!

> The different types of potatoes.

> The history of potatoes.

> The history of potato salad.
 
 
SPRING POTATO SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients

[1] Get springy with it (photo © Potato Goodness).

[2] Fresh mint gives spring pizzazz to a Dijon vinaigrette (photo © Good Eggs).

Preparation

1. COOK potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool. Cut potatoes in half and transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil and toss to coat.

2. GRILL potatoes for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly grill-marked.

3. WHISK together remaining oil, lemon juice, mint, shallots, and Dijon in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

4. TOSS potatoes, arugula, peas, and dressing together. Makes 10 servings.

Find more delicious potato recipes at PotatoGoodness.com.
 
 

Gather up a selection and hold your own cookie tasting. Go to the best specialty food store in town and purchase four or five different varieties; call friends and neighbors for a tasting with tea, coffee and/or milk.

If all you‘ve got is a conventional supermarket, that works, too. No matter who makes the cookie, you’re looking for differences in chocolatiness, butteriness, sweetness, texture and other variables (we prefer a cookie with more brown sugar flavor, for example).

Don’t judge a cookie by its wrapper: You don’t know until you take the first bite. We tasted four very different chocolate chip cookies:

 
HISTORY OF THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

The chocolate chip cookie was invented by accident in 1937, by an innkeeper who stirred a chopped chocolate bar into cookie batter, thinking it would melt to create chocolate cookies. The happy result was that it didn’t!

Here’s the full history of the chocolate chip cookie.

FIND MORE OF OUR FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES IN OUR GOURMET COOKIES SECTION.