Mrs. Thinsters cookie thins were a happy accident.

One day, “Mrs. Thinster” decided to make a batch of cookies. Then, realizing she only had enough dough for one tray, she dropped the dough on the baking sheet with a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon.

The result: ever-so-thin, crispy cookies.

The homemade cookies turned into a full line, which now includes Thinsters in:

 
All the flavors are delicious. But there are other good cookie brands in the world.

What we like best about Mrs. Thinster’s is the crisp snap…and the fact that the thinness means fewer calories.

We’re a bit of a Cookie Monster, and must have our coo-kies. Four Mrs. Thinsters cookies, at 130 calories, hit the spot. We’ve been known to be satisfied with just two cookies!

We’ve been using Mrs. Thinster’s for:

 
The cookies are all-natural, non-GMO, rBGH-free and corn syrup-free. They are made in a peanut-free facility.

They’re available in 4-ounce packages and 1-ounce individual snack packs.

The line is certified kosher (dairy) by OU.

You can find them at retailers nationwide.

Discover more at MrsThinsters.com…and enjoy!

[1] America’s favorite cookie—chocolate chip—in a thinner, crisper version (all photos courtesy Mrs. Thinsters).

[2] Key Lime, a new flavor, is a taste of the tropics.<
[3] We love making mini ice cream sandwiches with Toasted Coconut Mrs. Thinster’s.

[1] Mmm, mmm: black lentil chile with our favorite trimmings (photo courtesy Bittersweet Blog).

[2] Black lentils (photo courtesy InHarvest).

[3] Use black sesame seeds to garnish (photo courtesy NDTV).

Thinking of how to get through the Super Bowl without packing in calories and cholesterol? Like chili as Super Bowl fare?

This better-for-you vegan recipe, from our colleague Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog puts a dramatic spin on a side of lentils or a vegetarian main course of “lentil stew.”

Instead of red bean chile, she makes black lentil chile…with lots of goodies, including a can of beer.

“There’s nothing wrong with a healthy dose of darkness, especially when it comes primarily in the form of rich, nutty tahini paste,” says Hannah of her hearty mixture of black lentils, black beans, black cocoa and black tahini.

“The black tahini lends a far more nuanced flavor profile than one might expect from this silky-smooth, raw purée.”

RECIPE: BLACKOUT SESAME CHILE

Ingredients For 6-8 Servings

 
Garnish

1. PLACE a large stock pot over medium heat and add the oil. Once it shimmers, add the onion and garlic, sautéing until lightly browned and aromatic, about 6-8 minutes.

2. ADD the diced tomatoes and tomato paste next, working the paste into the scant liquid to break it down into a smooth mixture. Next, incorporate the lentils, beer, vegetable stock, maple syrup, chili powder, black cocoa, cumin, chipotle powder and cayenne. Stir well to combine, cover, and bring to a boil.

3. REDUCE the heat to low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add the tahini and black beans, mixing well to incorporate. Continue to stew, uncovered, for an additional 15 – 20 minutes until thick, rich, and piping hot. Add the lime juice and salt, adjusting both to taste as needed.

Depending on your desired consistency, you may want to add more vegetable stock or water, particularly if the chili is made in advance. It tends to thicken further as it cools.

4. LADLE into bowls and top with sour cream, scallions and black sesame seeds.
  

We often enjoy a cheese plate for dessert, and sometimes add a piece of dark chocolate to it.

Castello Cheese has taken the idea further, creating an entire dessert platter.

They’ve chosen three of their cheeses—Castello Creamy Havarti, Blue Crumbles, and Double Crème White.

We’re modifying that a bit with our own choices: brie or camembert (the difference), goat cheese log, gorgonzola dolce (a creamier version of the blue cheese).

And while you might not think it works, try some cheddar with your chocolate as well.
 
CHEESE PLATE FOR TWO

You may not need everything on this list, but it sure is fun to have the choice!

[1] Who needs chocolate cake? Have chocolate and cheese tray for dessert (both photos courtesy Castello Cheese).

[1] Strawberries with chocolate truffles, pizzelles and shortbread cookies. And a fruity red wine!

Here’s some advice from our friends at Lake Champlain Chocolates and Vermont Creamery:

Rich, bold, robust, nutty, creamy: Chocolate and cheese share many of the same descriptions, and are an unexpectedly flavorful pairing.

 
One of our favorites: Mexican spiced chocolate with aged goat cheese.

What about white chocolate?

White chocolate is so milky, that it does best to pair it with something strong: blue, cheddar or gouda, for example.
 
 
CHOCOLATE & WINE PAIRINGS

We’ve spent years putting together the perfect wine and chocolate pairings.

There’s more than you’ll have time to try in one evening.

Overwhelmed by the choices? Just pick up a fruity red wine: Beaujolais, Carmenere, Dolcetto, Garnacha/Grenache, Lambrusco, Malbec, Sangiovese, Syrah.

If you’re up for a taste test, pick up several!

The History Of Cheese

The History Of Chocolate

We often enjoy an avocado half for breakfast, plain or with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

We also have it as a first course with lunch or dinner.

While we’ve filled the centers with everything from tuna salad to marinated cherry tomatoes to salsa and dilled Greek yogurt, we never thought of garnishing the cut rim…until we saw this photo from Bo’s Kitchen.

Now, we’re converts, using rim garnishes such as:

What would you add?

By the way: This concept also works with a DIY avocado party bar.
  

We taste a number of new products each week at THE NIBBLE. These are out choices for this week’s sharing, in alphabetical order.
 
 
1. ALPINE START INSTANT COFFEE

Starbuck’s Via instant coffee packets have a new rival: Alpine Start, for people who need a decent cup of coffee on the go.

Individual packets dissolve instantly in hot or cold water. We found the cold water option especially handy, since we often have a yen for a glass of iced coffee in our own kitchen or office (but no space in the fridge to keep a container of it).

If the free coffee at work or on an airplane tastes like sludge, or if you want convenience for travel or camping, take a sip.

The coffee is full-bodied, with this caveat: When we drank it black, we detected a bitter flavor note. When we added milk, all was rich and well, both iced or hot.

The beans are 100% arabica from Colombia. A box of 8 packets runs about $1.10 a packet.

Discover more at Alpine Start Foods.
 
 
2. MUUNA COTTAGE CHEESE WITH CUT FRUITS

Last summer we discovered Muuna fruit-flavored cottage cheese.

Packaged in individual cups like sundae-style yogurt, the fruit—actual cut fruit, not preserves—is at the bottom of cup.

We’re happy to see that the line has done well. Three new flavors have been added; the lineup now features:

[1] Alpine start instant coffee packages (photo courtesy Alpine Start Foods).

[2] Muuna cottage cheese has real cut fruit on the bottom, ready to stir up (photo courtesy Muuna).

Muuna is also rich in protein: 15g of protein per 5.3-ounce cup. Discover more at Muuna.com.

[4] From a snack cracker with a drink to a gourmet creation, Parm Crisps are a no-carb crispy cheese cracker (photo courtesy Parm Crisps).

 
3. OUI BY YOPLAIT, FRENCH-STYLE YOGURT

Yoplait began as a French company*, and Oui is their homage to premium French yogurt. It trades yogurt’s ubiquitous plastic container for a stylish glass pot—which has lots of post-yogurt uses.

The recipe is old school. Milk, fruit and cultures are poured into each individual pot, and left to set for eight hours. The culturing process takes places inside the pot, resulting in a delicious, thick yogurt.

Four new flavors have been added to the lineup:
flavors:

 
While Mango may sound like a fan favorite, we urge you to try the sprightly, refreshing Key Lime (try all of them, of course).

The new flavors join the initial eight flavors: Black Cherry, Blueberry, Coconut, Lemon, Peach, Plain, Strawberry and Vanilla.

Not surprisingly, Oui by Yoplait is French-style yogurt, which is the same as custard-style yogurt and Swiss-style yogurt (the different types of yogurt).

The line is all natural, non-GMO and reduced sugar products, and is certified kosher (dairy) by OK.

Discover more at OuiByYoplait.com.
 
 
4. PARM CRISPS, A CARB-FREE CRUNCHY SNACK

We first tried Parm Crisps way back in 2006, when they had a different name, Gourmet Wafer Crisps by Kitchen Table Bakers (the company that makes them).

Delicate, lacy baked cheese thins, they’re an Italian recipe known as frico in the old country. Use them as snack crackers, plain or with wine and beer.

Use them salad garnishes, float them as croutons in a large bowl of soup.

Crumble them atop vegetables or potatoes; use them as a base for canapés, serve them on a platter with prosciutto or serrano ham for a new take on “ham and cheese.” And of course, add them to antipasto plates.

Flavors include Original plus:

 
Snacking from the package is very satisfying, but the only limitation is your imagination.

For example, salmon caviar with crème fraîche on the Rosemary Parm Crisp is very elegant. So is a thin-slice of cucumber with dilled crème fraîche on the Italian Herb Crisp.

Now, where’s that glass of wine?

Discover more at ParmCrisps.com.

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*The brand was developed by the French dairy cooperative Sodiaal. It is now the largest franchise brand of yogurt, jointly owned by United States–based food conglomerate General Mills.