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FAVs Fruit Pouches: Low-Calorie Snacks From Tree Top

Recently we tasted a pouch of FAVs, fruit purees designed for children, packed with vitamins and fun designs on squeeze pouches. Our impression was: These are delicious, and great snacks for adults seeking low calories (just 45 calories per pack), great taste, and oh yes, nutrition.

The fruit pouches are packed with vitamins A, B6, C, D, E, zinc, and beta-glucan, a soluble fiber. The combination helps to support the immune system.

The fruits are picked at the peak of freshness, and the purées are sweet with no sugar added (isn’t that just peachy!).

We enjoy them so much, that FAVs are our Top Pick Of The Week.

FAVs are available in four flavors:

  • Feelin’ Peachy
  • Go Bananas
  • Orange You Happy
  • Strawberry Strong
  •  
    The calories are so low that you can have two pouches for just 90 calories.

    The line is:

  • All natural (no artificial flavors or colors)
  • Non-GMO
  • BPA-free
  • Gluten, dairy, and nut free
  • No high fructose corn syrup or other added sugars
  • Kosher certified by OU
  •  
     
    HOW TO ENJOY FAVs FRUIT POUCHES

    We first purchased cartons of each of the flavors as grab-and-go snacks. We love the fruit fix, straight from the pouch. Then, we played around with them:

  • On oatmeal
  • On ice cream and sorbet
  • In smoothies
  • On toast and French toast, instead of jam and jelly
  • As a fruit puree plate garnish with cake and other desserts
  • With poached pears and baked apples
  •  
    You’ll discover your own favorite uses.
     
     
    READY FOR A LUSCIOUS FRUIT SNACK?

    Here’s a store locator.

    You can also purchase FAVs on Amazon.

     

    FAVs Strawberry Fruit Pouch
    [1] Sweet, nutritious, 45-calorie fruit pouches. Here, Strawberry Strong (all photos © Tree Top).

    FAVs Feelin' Peach Fruit Pounch
    [2] Fresh peaches have a limited season, but we get a peach flavor to fix from Feelin’ Peachy..

    FAVs Fruit Pouches Go Bananas
    [3] Go bananas!

     
    ABOUT TREE TOP

    The Tree Top cooperative was formed in 1960, in the heart of Washington’s apple country. Way before “sustainability” entered the public consciousness, growers came together to find a way to save ugly and excess fruit—perfectly good food—from going to the landfill.

    Today, Tree Top is still saving ugly and excess fruit: more than 800 million pounds of fruit each year! Here’s more about Tree Top.

     
     

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    Savory Pancake Recipes For National Pancake Day

    BLT Pancakes Recipe
    [1] BLT pancakes. Can you have extra bacon on the side? Sure! Here’s the recipe (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

    Savory Grilled Cheese Pancakes Recipe
    [2] Grilled cheese pancake stack. Here’s the recipe (photo © Wyke Farms).

     

    Today* is Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day. It’s the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the beginning of 40 days of fasting in the Christian liturgical calendar.

    Pancakes are associated with Shrove Tuesday because they are a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of Lent. British Christians began the pancake custom in the 16th century. The day’s feasting also includes sweets and other foods that are given up for Lent.

    Shrove Tuesday is celebrated in English-speaking countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In France, the U.S., and other countries, it is called Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.

    Now onto the pancake celebrations. International Pancake Day is held on Shrove Tuesday. February 21st is National Pancake Day (so today, per the calendar, is both International Pancake Day, a floating date, and National Pancake Day, a fixed date). February is National Pancake

    This year we’re showcasing our savory pancake recipes (below). They’re a treat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Enjoy!
     
    > The history of pancakes.

    > The different types of pancakes. How many have you had?
     
     
    SAVORY PANCAKE RECIPES

  • Apple & Ham Pancake Strata
  • Bacon, Corn & Cheese Pancakes
  • Bacon Potato Pancakes With Corn Salsa
  • BLT Pancakes
  • Cheddar Pancakes
  • Mix & Match Pancakes
  • Monte Cristo Pancakes With Ham & Cheese
  • Mushroom & Egg Pancake Stack
  • Pancake Breakfast Sandwich
  • Potato Chips & Beer Pancakes
  • Potato Pancakes (Latkes)
  • Scallion Pancakes
  •  
    ________________
     
    *The date varies each year, occurring six and a half weeks before Easter. The date of Easter is the first Sunday after the full Moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox (if the full moon falls on a Sunday then Easter is the following Sunday).

    †What does “Shrove” mean? The first records of the term “Shrove Tuesday” appear in the 1490s. Shrove is the past tense of the verb shrive, which means “to confess one’s sins, such as to a priest” (it can also mean “to hear confession”). Shrovetide was a time that many Christians devoted to confessing their sins before the beginning of Lent [source]. Today Roman Catholics still confess their sins in order to receive the Blessed Sacrament and thus qualify themselves for a more religious observance of the holy season of Lent [source].

     
     

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    A Delicious Muffin In A Jar Recipe For National Muffin Day

    For National Muffin Day, February 20th, how cute is this muffin-in-a-jar? Even more, it’s tempting and with the first spoonful, you’ll be happy to have discovered this recipe.

    In addition to dessert, we love these for a tea party.

    After you try the recipe, you can subsequently vary the flavors of the muffins, jam, and whipped cream for future versions.
     
     
    RECIPE: POPPYSEED & ORANGE MUFFINS IN A JAR

    This recipe, developed in the U.K., refers to the recipe as “tea cakes” instead of muffins. Nevertheless, they are muffin, made in a muffin/cupcake pan.

    Food 101:

  • In most of England, a tea cake (or teacake) is a light, sweet, yeast-based bun containing dried fruits, most usually currants, sultanas, or peel. The cake is typically split, toasted, buttered, and served with tea.
  • Its relative, the crumpet, is the father of the English muffin: savory, typically flat and round, made from batter and yeast, and containing many small holes. It is served toasted, usually with butter. Unlike the American-invented† English muffin, it is not split in half.
  •  
    For this recipe, you’ll need a cupcake/muffin pan and eight 8-ounce/220ml mason jars or other lidded jars.

    Thanks to Hero for the recipe.

    Prep time is 20 minutes, and cook time is 20 minutes.
     
    Ingredients For 8 Servings

    For The Black Tea Syrup

  • 100 g/3.5 ounces sugar
  • 100 g/3.5 ounces water
  • 2 black tea bags or equivalent loose tea leaves (substitute herbal tea of choice)
  •  
    For The Muffins

  • 170 g/6 ounces flour
  • 10 g baking powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • 170 g/6 ounces superfine* sugar
  • 170 g/6 ounces butter
  • 120 g/4.2 ounces orange juice
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • 15 g/.5 ounce poppy seeds
  •  
    For The Raspberry Whipped Cream

  • 400 g/14 ounces ultra-pasteurized cream (UHT cream), cold
  • 100 g/3.5 ounces Hero raspberry jam (or flavor of choice)
  •  
    For Layering

  • 240 g/8.5 ounces Hero raspberry jam (or flavor of choice)
  •  
    Preparation

    1. MAKE the black tea syrup: In a saucepan combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the tea, cover with a lid, and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain and refrigerate.

    2. MAKE the muffins: Preheat the oven to 350°F.180°C. Sift the flour and baking powder together.

    3. COMBINE the egg yolks and 5 ounces/140g sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until creamy and fluffy. Add the butter, orange juice, orange zest, flour mixture, and poppy seeds. Mix well.

    4. BEAT the egg whites over high speed in another mixing bowl. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar (30g) . Beat to the hard peak stage.

    5. ADD half the egg white mixture to the yolk mixture and mix until well combined. Fold in the remaining half with a spatula.

    6. ADD to a piping bag for easier handling. Fill the cupcake/muffin molds 3 inches high. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

    7. MAKE the raspberry cream: In an electric mixing bowl, combine the cream and raspberry jam. Mix with the whisk attachment on high speed to the hard peak stage. Transfer to a piping bag.

    8. ASSEMBLE. Cut each muffin into 3 equal parts and trim them to fit into the jar. With a brush, moisten the top of each muffin slice with black tea syrup.

    9. PLACE the first muffin slice into the jars. Pipe in a layer of raspberry cream, and top with a layer of jam. Repeat the layering until the jar is full.

    10. COVER and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

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    *You can pulse regular table sugar in a food processor to create superfine sugar.

    †It was invented by Samuel Bath Thomas, a Brit who had emigrated to New York City. The history of the English muffin.

     

    Orange-Poppy Muffin In A Jar Recipe
    [1] This recipe turns muffins into a yummy dessert (photo © Hero Foodservice).

    Earl Grey Loose Tea Leaves
    [2] Black tea leaves. You can use tea bags instead (photo © Fava Tea).

    Glass Bowl Of Superfine Sugar
    [3] Superfine sugar (photo © King Arthur Baking).

    Jar Of Hero Brand Raspberry Jam
    [4] Hero raspberry jam (photo © Indiamart).

    Orange Zest
    [5] Zesting an orange (photo © Eva Elijas | Pexels).

    Glass Dish Of Poppyseeds
    [6] Poppy seeds, also spelled poppyseeds (photo © Castorly Stock | Pexels).

     

     
     

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