Erewhon Supergrains: Buckwheat and Hemp Cereal
A big part of everyone’s day is breakfast and what better way to start the day than with a delicious bowl of cereal? With most grocery stores devoting the whole side of an aisle to cereal selections, there is usually something for everyone. But, what if you’re looking for a delicious, nutritious cereal that has simple recognizable ingredients with no artificial colors or additives? Look no further because there is a new cereal on the market called Erewhon Supergrains: Buckwheat and Hemp that not only tastes incredible but is also nutritious.
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The Chocolat Moderne Bar
Chocolat Moderne Bars – six exquisitely flavored chocolate bars – are the invention of Joan Cuokos, one highly educated Chocolatier who earned a degree in French and Russian from Duke University and an MBA from the University of Chapel Hill before studying chocolate and confectionary arts with a coterie of French, Belgian, Swiss and American chocolatiers in New York and Las Vegas. Read more
Holy Crap!
When Corin Mullins couldn’t find a healthy great tasting breakfast cereal that addressed her husband’s food allergies and sensitivities, she created her own and called it Hapi Food cereal. At the local farmer’s market on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Corin started selling her bagged cereal and when one of her first customer’s tasted a sample and said “Holy Crap…this is amazing,” the name of the cereal was changed to Holy Crap. That was May of 2009 and since then, the popularity of Holy Crap has skyrocketed (literally, to the International Space Station where Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield enjoyed it during his five month mission earlier this year). Read more
Amaranth: The Golden Grain
At a food show recently, several vendors were showing amaranth bars which reminded me of the snack bars I would see in Mexico. Nearly white in color, amaranth almost looks like sesame seeds from afar and bits of popcorn up close. Intrigued, I read the label and was impressed with the nutritional information so I ordered a bag of whole seed amaranth and started on a journey to learn about this ancient grain and how to incorporate it into modern recipes. Read more
Food Websites: The A to Z Quick Reference Guide
Many readers have asked for a list of the food websites I rely on so when I found myself e-mailing numerous links, I realized I needed to make a quick reference guide. No pretty pictures or descriptive write-ups, just the links. All of the foods listed below have been written about on this website (and more than likely, photographed also) so if you want detailed information on a specific product, utilize the search function on the cover page or use the category bars, which are also on the cover page of this website to find detailed product information and photographs. Read more
The Chocolate Covered Strawberry
Six pounds of fresh strawberries were staring at me on the kitchen counter and although I popped one of those luscious red fruits into my mouth every time I walked by, I was still faced with a mountain of ripe strawberries by late afternoon. With very little time to make dessert, I opted to make a family favorite: Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Using two 3.5 ounce Dark 70% Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate Bars (although I also use a 9.5 ounce bag of Dove Dark Chocolate Silky Smooth Promises from time to time) , there were 50 chocolate covered strawberries chilling in the refrigerator within 30 minutes. Read more
Farro: An Ancient Grain in Modern Times
Whole grains seem to be a big topic of discussion these days in the two camps who tend to be the most boisterous in the foodie world. On one side are those who extol the nutritious benefits of eating a diet rich in whole grains and on the other side, a group who insists they don’t know what to do with whole grains and that grains take too much time to cook. All good points but at the end of the day it’s the whole grain proponents who have the winning argument because whole grains really are better for our bodies and the latter arguments can be overcome with education and careful planning. But, the most important reason to eat whole grains is the taste which can be nutty, buttery, slightly sweet, or earthy, depending on the grain. Read more
Chukar Cherries
More than 25 years ago, Pam Montgomery bought a 100 acre, 8,000-tree cherry orchard in Washington’s Yakima Valley (in the south-central part of the state). After the first harvest, Pam noticed that many cherries went unpicked which allowed the natural sugars to develop while the fruit dried on the branches. Read more
Chia Seeds: The Super Seeds
For years, the word “chia” was synonymous with the kitsch product known as the “chia pet” – a tabletop figurine in which chia seeds are spread like a paste across the top so that when watered, the seeds sprout and the figurine appears to grow hair. Times are changing as consumers realize this tiny little seed is a nutritional powerhouse with a higher and better use as a food. Packed with Omega 3’s and vitamins, one tablespoon of chia seeds also contains 3 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber which causes the seed to expand to 9 times its size when combined with a liquid. Chia seeds are also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and manganese. Read more
Whole Spice
Grocery store-bought spices were always a staple in my cabinet until I discovered Whole Spice – a California company that offers a wide selection of very fresh, all-natural herbs and spices without artificial colors, flavors or additives. Whole Spice offers more than 400 herbs, spices, seeds, blends, mixes, rubs, nuts, teas, fruits, vegetables, sugars, and seasonings in a variety of ways: whole, ground, powder, seed, granules, flakes, nibs, diced, sliced, granulated, crushed and more. Read more
Paddock Post 