THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods
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April 25, 2011 at 7:22 am
· Filed under Freebies-Discounts, Kosher Nibbles
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It’s been a long time since we made dip from a mix. Back in college, dip made from sour cream and French’s Onion Soup mix alongside chips and pretzels was all the rage.
We were taken down memory lane recently when we received samples of Lays Dip Creations, dry seasoning mixes in Garden Onion, Country Ranch and Freshly Made Guacamole. (In some parts of the country, the products are branded as Tostitos Dip Creations.)
The packets contain dry seasonings such as onions, garlic and a combination of herbs and spices.
In these days of healthier eating, we’re surprised that the package directions indicate only sour cream as the base. Sure, you can buy reduced fat and nonfat sour cream.
But we substituted 0% Fat FAGE Greek yogurt and loved the result. FOOD TIP: While fat has been called a “flavor carrier,” it actually coats the tongue and inhibits tasting the subtleties of the recipe. The less fat, the more you can taste the seasonings.
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Make a healthy, delicious lunch of yogurt-
based onion dip and crudités. Photo courtesy
Frito-Lay. |
We made a happy, healthy lunch of crudités (raw vegetables) and yogurt-based Garden Onion mix, using 0% Fat FAGE Greek Yogurt. We’re always happy when we enjoy something that is so good for us.
We liked the lively flavor of Garden Onion seasoning mix, and have put it on our shopping list.
Ranch isn’t generally one of our favorite flavors, so it wasn’t surprising that Country Ranch didn’t score well with us.
We’re still waiting for the avocados to ripen, so we’ll have to report back on the third flavor, Freshly Made Guacamole.
The dips are all-natural and certified kosher by OU. They are soy free, MSG free and contain no gluten ingredients.
Here’s a $2.00 coupon for FAGE yogurt.
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April 24, 2011 at 7:37 am
· Filed under Easter, Tip Of The Day
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Chocolate bunnies. Photo courtesy
Burdick Chocolate.
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If large amounts of Easter chocolate are bestowed upon you and your family, develop a strategy for consuming it. Otherwise, it’s easy to overindulge.
Forget all the media hype about chocolate as an antioxidant food.* Chocolate is not health food. It’s high in calories and fat. A 1-ounce serving of plain chocolate has from 140-160 calories and about 12 grams of fat. A 1.5-ounce Hershey bar, in comparison, has 210 calories, about half of which come from fat. (Note: Sugar and fat content varies by manufacturer.)
*Most antioxidants can be processed out of chocolate, unless deliberate care is taken to preserve them.
Jelly beans seem like a better bargain: 35 pieces have 140 calories and 0 grams of fat. But they’re composed almost entirely of sugar.
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Our personal Easter chocolate strategy: one or two servings a day for adults, three ounces a day for children. It’s a good way to teach kids about portion control and an equally important lesson: Ration your treats and you’ll be able to enjoy them longer.
HAPPY EASTER
HAPPY SPRING
FROM THE NIBBLE EDITORS
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April 23, 2011 at 7:44 am
· Filed under Easter, Fruits, Nuts & Seeds, Tip Of The Day
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Pomegranates are an unusual fruit. There’s no flesh, per se, inside that big red globe. Instead, there are scores of seeds, each covered with a translucent, ruby-colored juice sac.
The seeds in the juice sac are called arils, a term that refers to a specialized outgrowth that covers the seeds. The edible parts of the mangosteen and the mace of the nutmeg seed are other examples of arils.
Boxes of pomegranate arils, ready to eat, are available at many supermarkets. They’re an easy way to add sophistication to a variety of dishes.
Toss them into a green salad or fruit salad.
Garnish ice cream, sorbet and hot or cold soup.
Sprinkle onto dinner plates or platters.
Drop into clear cocktails such as Martinis.
Two simple Easter desserts:
Ice cream or sorbet sprinkled with arils and a mint leaf.
Pound cake topped with whipped cream, arils and a mint leaf.
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A pomegranate and its arils—juice sacs
covering the seeds. Photo by Kelly Cline |
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As with raspberries, some people enjoy the crunchy seeds and others don’t. But the seeds are wholly edible—in fact, they provide fiber. Those who don’t like them can enjoy the juice, then remove the seed from their mouth with a spoon.
An overview of the pomegranate: history, health benefits and how to eat a pomegranate.
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