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Blog posts of '2019' 'February'

A Little Spice History!
A Little Spice History!

Spicy food is good for many, many things: it can help your digestive system, it can make a nice break of routine, it can awaken visions of far away places.

Oddly enough, the origin of especially hot or varied diets are often countries with a warm climate. Why is that?

Indian, Mexican, Jamaican or African cuisine often feature herbs such as coriander or spices such as chilli peppers. This is not a coincidence. These ingredients (especially coriander) have often been shown to fight inflammation and can help preserve foods, which is something that’s increasingly necessary the hotter the climate.

An often quoted reason is, that spices were used to mask the taste and smell of gone off meat, but that does not seem to be the case.

In hot weather, the one thing we need to do is to cool down quickly. And while a cold swimming pool is arguably the best thing for that, it’s not a particularly viable option for much of the world. This is where the hot and spicy snack can help. The body sweats when we’re subjected to something spicy, especially in the face, which helps us loose the heat faster.

There are exceptions to the rule that only warmer countries use a lot of spice, such as Korea and Japan, where the climate is arguably moderate, and yet the cuisine seems still very reliant on spice. However, it seems this is more of a cultural phenomenon.

And did you ever notice how you seem just not as hungry in the summer as you are during winter? Hot weather can hem our appetite, so it was only a natural reaction to this effect, that people tended to eat foods that stimulate appetite, which spicy food tends to do.

Another reason that seems logical is the ready availability of certain foods in those climates: chili grows in the south, so naturally people would have included it in their diet more readily than northern populations.

This is where globalization really benefitted the food lovers from all over the world: What would we do without our curries and stews, strewn with gorgeous, heart-warming and titillating variety such as our Slow Cooker Rib Ez : Honey Garlic?

Early explorers, such as the Spanish brought new spices and recipes (as well as new, wondrous fruits and vegetables) back from the new world (without them, we would not have tomatoes or potatoes, so there’s that!). These were then spread across the Western world, where demand for the new miracle foodstuffs grew exponentially.

Even before that, ancient trade routes such as the legendary silk road would bring fables and spices back from the far east. As legend has it, these traders used to sell their cinnamon sticks by telling tall tales of giant birds that guarded the aromatic bark shavings with their lives, as they used them as nest-building materials.

Thanks to easy international distribution, those ancient ingredients are now readily available without having to fight birds or monsters, or having to spend months on ships or in caravans travelling through distant lands like thailand, an influence for our A kick in your Thai Seasoning Blend.

Spice influences our cooking, our culture and our eating. From aromatic flavors to flavors that punch! From sweet to spicy, spicese definitely flavor-pack our foods .. and wow! the history beneath! 

A Closer Look: The Cauliflower
A Closer Look: The Cauliflower

The cauliflower is a marvelous wonder of nature. Not only does it look like a tiny albino tree (which in and of itself is awesome), it can also transform into a million different and delicious meals.

It’s main benefit is, that it is a low carb alternative to the potato, while being just as versatile. This makes it a huge deal for people with restricted diets or someone who is looking to cut down on their carb consumption.

Here are a few ideas on how to utilize and get the best out of this amazing vegetable.

 

Chickenless Chicken Wings

Ever wondered what to put on a BBQ for a vegetarian or vegan? It does not have to be hard!

Spice up some florets of cauliflower with some Luisiana hot sauce or BBQ sauce, toss the florets onto the grill for a few minutes and watch the spices and flavours infuse into the taste. You can treat the florets exactly like you would a chicken wing (except you don’t ever need to wonder if it’s cooked all the way through yet, because it always is).

 

Mash

Craving some buttery goodness on some lovely mash, but hating the idea of having to get potatoes? Use cauliflower instead. The huge advantage here is, that cauliflower soaks up any flavour you add to it much easier than potatoes do (in general). This means that whatever you add to make the mash taste better (a pinch of salt, a hint of pepper, or even some cardamon or nutmeg), will bring out that flavour like a firework in your mouth.

 

Pickle It

Want to create something really nice to give away or store for a long time? Create some colourful and tasty mason jars with pickled cauliflower.

All you need is some raw cauliflower, vinegar solution, cherry tomatoes or peppers (for a dash of colour), sweet baby onions, and some mustard seeds. Pickle them, and enjoy them a few weeks later with some freshly baked bread or as a side to your grilled chicken or burgers.

 

Chop It Up

Another idea is to use cauliflower as a meat substitute in a casserole or shepherd’s pie. For this, you simply need to chop it up finely (but not so fine that it loses its texture when cooked) and use it the same way you would use ground meat, but with a slightly shorter cooking time. Again, the easiness with which the cauliflower collects and infuses itself with other ingredients will lead to a taste experience unlike any other.

 

Fry It

Similar to the idea above (chickenless chicken wings), for this recipe you can cut the vegetable into big chunks of about a half inch in height (think, flat and wide). Then, season it to taste with a bit of butter or olive oil, pepper, salt, coriander or curry powder or marinate it in your favorite spicy sauce.

Then, bake it in the oven until it becomes slightly supple and have yourself a steakless steak. This idea goes great with egg plants or as a side dish to chicken seasoned in a similar way.

The ulmighty cauliflower is so versatile and easy to incorporate into your low carb fare!

Meatless Monday Fun the Kids will Love

We’re so used to thinking of veg as “just a side dish”. But there is a new trend, a new viral hashtag in town: #MeatlessMondays.

Born in an effort to help the environment, the endless benefits of going one day without chicken, pork, beef or any other delicious meat cannot be overstated. No meat lover will be forced to go full vegetarian here, but here is a few tips and tricks on how to get started on this hearty habit, that helps the world, your health, and your wallet.

Cooking for a family can be tough, especially when there’s kids involved.

Too often we will just go for the easy way of throwing a delicious lasagna in the oven (especially when it’s so handy to pre-make them and freeze them, or to provide the little ones with yet another portion of chicken nuggets.

But for one day only, let’s flip it around.

How about creating a colourful display of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheeses, breads and hummus and take a hike indoors.

Put the best snacks into a picnic basket and abandon the dinner table for a feast in a fort made of pillows?

How about throwing all caution to the wind and eating carrot sticks while fighting imaginary dragons.

Children are often not too keen on fresh veggies, so making their consumption an adventure can lighten up the mood and make them completely forget that they are having dreaded HEALTHY things (ewww, right?).

Hardly any child will shout the dreaded “mooooooom!” or “daaaaad!” when presented with a brussel sprout disguised as a frog’s treasure.

It doesn’t have to be this much effort every week, of course (ok ... did you exhausted just reading the above paragraph?).

“Sneaking in” a vegetarian day can happen gradually.

Maybe replace the ham sandwich in the kids’ lunch boxes with a jam one, and voila: a meatless meal.

Then, create a casserole with lovely sweet potatoes and substitute the chicken for tofu, chunks of haloumi or paneer, and season it with our delicious and freshly crafted seasoning blends.

It will taste heavenly, warm you up to your core and still provide you with plenty of protein.

Chickpeas, beans, avocados, grilled cheeses from all over the world, tofu - all these are excellent and versatile substitutes.

And in most cases, children won’t notice if one meal is switched.

If they do, go with it. Try again a year later, when their taste buds may have changed. It’s not a science and everyone has to choose what’s best for their family.

Another idea is to switch multiple mealtimes to meatless (apologies for all the big m-words - it’s just so much fun).

Maybe you don’t feel like going a whole day without a bit of bacon on your BLT? That’s totally fine! But how about trying to switch three meals a week instead of three meals in one day? Sounds manageable, right?

If your family is used to having meat at dinner time, try to switch all your non-dinner meals and snacks for a week and see how that feels.

The main thing here is, every day you try to go meatless should not be about the challenge, the hashtag, or even any of the other benefits. It’s about discovering new ideas, new recipes, new ways of loving the food you create for your family. The side benefits are just an added plus.

We're making #meatlessmonday fun for kids of all ages! Trying to sneak ome additional veggies into your kiddos meals? Try these fun ideas!

Tuxedo Protein Cheesecake Dessert Recipe
Tuxedo Protein Cheesecake Dessert Recipe

Tuxedo Protein Cheesecake Dessert Recipe! The better for you dessert made this way! A layer of chocolate mousse topped with a vanilla no bake cheesecake and a sprinkle of chocolate wafer cookies makes a to die for dessert without all the guilt.

The First Coffee Ever ... Made WIthout Beans!
The First Coffee Ever ... Made WIthout Beans!

It's 2021, and food scientists have invented tons of innovative and sustainable replicas already. The next product to get converted into a groundbreaking substitute?

Coffee

Atomo Coffee has invented what they are calling “Molecular Coffee,” the first-ever to be made with zero coffee beans.

So what is it, you ask?

Its a ground coffee look-alike. 

You can put it through a brewer, just like you would any other coffee!

Why Molecularly developed coffee?

Well two reasons, acording to Atomo, the company working on this giant leap forward on molecular food :

1 - To remove the bitter notes in coffee.  Many coffee drinkers add cream and sugar to dull the bitterness.  According to their theory, by dulling the bitterness, coffee drinkers will most likely use less cream and sugar - which, is great for the waistline, right?

2 - Sustainability! Climate change is upon us and persistent and increased annual drought factors threaten coffee tree farmers each and every year from around the world.  Meeting the coffee demand (growing!) is making it much more difficult as the years go by.   Sustainable coffee without sacrificing our coffee loving sensory experience!

hmm.. the only thing we wonder! ... will they "ADD" in the caffeine? Naturally found in coffee... time will tell!

Berries & Cream Bubble Up Bake Recipe
Berries & Cream Bubble Up Bake Recipe

Use Do You Bake? Buttermilk biscuits mix and Blueberry Blast Cheese ball mix to create this all start bubble up bake. You can make this up overnight and refrigerate and bake it up the next morning or afternoon for a delicious and satisfying addition to your breakfast or brunch.

Oatmeal Bake and Take Cups Recipe
Oatmeal Bake and Take Cups Recipe

A great way to use Do You Bake? Vanilla Sugar Super-food Hot Cereal this way! Not a fan of hot bowls of cereal in the morning? Short on time?
Then this is the recipe for you!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Vanilla Superfood Hot Cereal
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/3 cups unsweetened almond milk (for the Banana Walnut Bread, reduce by 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup honey, agave or maple syrup

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well until everything is combined.

Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and scoop oatmeal mixture in using a large ice cream scoop or a 1/4 measuring cup. The mixture will be a little watery, so it’s important to mix well before each scoop to make sure you get an even combination of milk and oats.

Bake oatmeal cups for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Store oatmeal cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

FLAVOR UPGRADES

Banana Walnut Bread

  • 3/4 tsp teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 medium very ripe smashed bananas

Blueberry

  • 3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Chocolate Chip

  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips