Functional foods are everyday foods and beverages enhanced with supplements that have a helpful effect on the body. Beyond normal satiation and nutrition, they do something really good for the body (that is to say, they have a specific “function”).

Beyond slaking an athlete’s thirst, for example, sports drinks restore electrolytes, carbohydrates and other nutrients that have been expended during vigorous activity. Relaxation beverages let you chill without alcohol. Energy drinks give you…wings?

Coffee Blenders has launched a line of functional coffee K-cups. Made from a 100% Arabica dark roast, with a blend of beans from Central and South, the coffee is an excellent dark roast—depth of flavor without undue bitterness. We’d buy it with or without the added functionality.

Which is a good thing, because understanding exactly how much of the functional ingredient you need to achieve the desired result can be tough to figure out. It’s true even in the simplest case of drinking conventional coffee to stay alert. What may work for you likely differs from the person next to you. Some people need one or two cups, some people five or ten cups, from the same pot of coffee.

Coffee Blenders Lean is fortified with Svetol®, a safe, all-natural plant extract of decaffeinated green coffee that has been clinically proven to burn fat and help with weight loss. Components in Svetol inhibit specific enzymes and shut down the glucose pathway in the body. Each cup includes 400 mg of Svetol.

Coffee Blenders Focus contains Cereboost™, a safe, fast-acting, all-natural plant extract derived from American Ginseng. Cereboost™ is clinically proven to improve brain function, especially in the cognitive areas of working memory and alertness. Each cup contains 200 mg of Cereboost.

Coffee Blenders Escape is blended with L-Tea Active™, more commonly know as L-Theanine, a safe all-natural amino acid found in green tea leaves. L-Tea Active is safe, all natural and clinically proven to induce relaxation without drowsiness while improving mental clarity. Some athletes take supplements to relax and focus before a big competition. Each cup contains “a full serving” of L-Tea Active.
 
WHERE TO BUY

Coffee Blenders Coffee, in boxes of 15 count, are $19.95 on the company website.

The company is currently running a special while supplies last: The “Lean Bundle,” consisting of four boxes (15 K-cups per box) for $71.96—a 10% savings on the coffee, plus a free French Press K-cup brewer.

The brewer, My French Press by Cafejo, is a portable, single-cup brewing system that brews K-cups and pods as well as ground coffee. It’s BPA Free, microwave- and dishwasher-safe.

Gift a box of K-cups to a friend who shares your goals (focus, stress reduction, weight loss).

Meatless Monday is a global movement that began in 2003, launched in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It is now active in 34 countries and growing, with appeal to different constituencies:

 
But it doesn’t go far enough. Eating “meatless” still allows the consumption of dairy products including cheese, which are part of the same cycle of environmental damage and cholesterol.

Instead, go vegan. You don’t give up much more, and the options are equally delicious.

Just a few examples:

 
Here’s a tasty family recipe from Hannah Kaminsky: vegan cheesesteaks.

All you need are vegan cheese and vegan steak. Given the growth of top-quality vegan foods, that’s not hard to find.

Hannah favors Daiya vegan cheese for the burger. “A pivotal player in the vegan cheese game,” she writes, “no other dairy-free shreds have achieved mainstream approval, initially making a splash back in 2009 as the very first meltable vegan cheese option.” Today, the company sells vegan slices that imitate the flavors of cheddar, Swiss and provolone.

In her recipe, soy curls—available in natural foods stores—soaked in mushroom broth stand in for the steak, “tossed with lightly charred onions and roasted peppers, all smothered under a blanket of that prize-worthy provolone cheese. Altogether, it’s the kind of dish you could use to convert meat-lovers, cheese-lovers, and generally picky omnivores alike.”
 
RECIPE: VEGAN CHEESECAKE

Ingredients For 3 Sandwiches

Preparation

1. PLACE the dry soy curls in a large bowl; cover with warm mushroom broth and let soak for 15-20 minutes, until the soy curls are fully re-hydrated and tender. Pour off (but reserve) any excess liquid.

2. HEAT the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté, stirring often, until aromatic browned around the edges. Add the bell pepper, oregano and pepper and continue cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft; about 5 minutes.

3. REDUCE the heat to low, sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Gently pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved broth along with the soy sauce, bringing the mixture up to a simmer. After another two minutes, remove the pan from the heat.

4. ASSEMBLE: Divide the soy curl filling between the three toasted rolls and lay three provolone slices on top of each. Run them all under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is perfectly melted and gooey all over. Dig in immediately!
  

While we watch our food miles, we occasionally treat ourselves to a bottle of Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water.

When flavored Perrier first became available, we gave it a shot. The verdict: dreadful, tasting like lemon or lime soap.

So we would have been the last customer for the pink grapefruit flavor, recently found in our area. But a friend—aware of our fondness for both sparkling water and grapefruit—brought over both a standard 750ml bottle and a package of slim cans.

Surprise: It tastes good.

Fans of grapefruit—feel free to try it and enjoy it.

PERRIER HISTORY

The spring from which Perrier is pumped and bottled has been used as a spa since Roman times. It is in the town of Verges, near Marseilles, in the South of France.

The source was long called “Les Bouillens,” boiling waters, because of the way the spurts out of the ground, like boiling water.

In 1898 Louis Perrier, a local doctor, bought the spring and operated a commercial spa at the site. He also bottled the water for sale.

He later sold the spring to St. John Harmsworth, a wealthy British visitor with a marketing savvy, who renamed the spring Source Perrier and bottled the water in distinctive green bottles shaped like Indian clubs.

Today the brand is owned by Nestlé, and is currently sold in five varieties: citron, lemon, lime, unflavored and pink grapefruit.

Since 2002, other lines of Perrier have been introduced in France:

May 18th is the 50th anniversary of the debut of Nutella hazelnut spread. Do something special for yourself and fellow Nutella lovers:

Sink your teeth into the Calzone di Nutella ($15), created by chef Chris D’Amico at New York restaurant Gemma in the Bowery Hotel.

A calzone is a filled savory pastry that originated in Naples. It is made of pizza dough and folded to resemble a half-moon.

Chef D’Amico created a dessert version of the calzone, dusted with powdered sugar and stuffed with a combination of rich Nutella spread and creamy ricotta cheese.

At the restaurant, which includes an outdoor café and great people watching, the dessert can be shared by two or more people.

Or, make it at home. Thanks to Chef Chris for the recipe!

Nutella calzones. Photo courtesy Gemma Restaurant | NYC.

NUTELLA CALZONES (CALZONE DI NUTELLA)

Ingredients

For The Dough

 
For The Filling (Per Calzone)

1. DISSOLVE the yeast and sugar in the water, using a large bowl, and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution.

2. MIX in 2-1/2 cups of the flour. Turn dough out onto a clean, well-floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

3. PLACE the dough in a well-oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out.

4. COMBINE Nutella and ricotta cheese.

5. PREHEAT oven to 500°F. Stretch out the dough. Place the filling on 1/3 of the dough, leaving the other 2/3 to form the cover.

6. PRESS the calzone tightly closed and cut off any excess dough. Place in oven immediately. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish as desired.

NUTELLA HISTORY

Nutella hazelnut spread, in its earliest form, was created in the 1940s by Pietro Ferrero, a pastry maker and founder of the Ferrero company.

At the time, there was very little chocolate because cocoa was in short supply due to World War II rationing. To extend the chocolate supply, Mr. Ferrero used hazelnuts, which are plentiful in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy.

The spread is a combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a touch of cocoa. It is an all-natural product: no artificial colors or preservatives.

Nutella was first imported to the U.S. more 25 years ago by Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. Its popularity has grown steadily, and it is the number one selling branded hazelnut spread in America.
 
WHAT IS HIGH-GLUTEN FLOUR?
Different types of flour are milled for different baking purposes. Protein content and gluten content affect the elasticity of the dough.

High-gluten flour has a protein level of 14-15%. Higher protein flour, milled from hard wheat, makes firmer, stronger dough. It is used to make pizza crusts, calzones and bagels, among other items.

All-purpose flour, by contrast, is a blend of hard and soft wheats and has a protein content of 10% to 11%. It is ideal for hearty cookies, like chocolate chip and oatmeal, and some pastries.

Simple yet delicious, kids can help measure and stir ingredients. The recipe finishes in the oven while you’re brewing the coffee.

Prep time is five minutes, cook time is 40 minutes.

Thanks to Driscoll’s and recipe developer and blogger, Maria Lichty from Two Peas and Their Pod, for this delicious idea. Here are more berry recipes from Driscoll’s.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRIES & CREAM BAKED OATMEAL

Ingredients For 6 Servings

For a treat, bake oatmeal like a casserole. Photo courtesy Driscoll’s.

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and set aside.

2. STIR together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

3. WHISK together heavy cream, egg, butter and vanilla in a separate bowl. Pour heavy cream mixture over oat mixture and stir until combined. Add 1 cup sliced strawberries.

4. POUR into prepared baking dish. Gently pound baking dish on the countertop to make sure cream moves through oats. Scatter remaining strawberries over top of the oatmeal.

5. BAKE 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and oat mixture has set. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
 
WHY IS OATMEAL SO GOOD FOR YOU?

Check out these oatmeal health benefits.

Porridge is a dish made by boiling ground, crushed, or chopped cereal grains in water or milk. Optional flavorings can be added, from spices to fruits or cheese.

Porridge is usually served hot in a bowl or dish. It may be sweetened with sugar or served as a savory dish (cheese grits is an example).

Any cereal grain can be turned into porridge. Buckwheat, oats, wheat (Cream of Wheat, Wheatena) and rice (Cream of Rice) are most popular in the U.S. Worldwide, barley, fonio, maize, millet, rice, rye, sorghum, triticale and quinoa are also made into porridge.