Bare Fruit

Our family loves fruit in all its forms, including dried.

My struggle with buying dried fruit is that it often has added sugar and preservatives.

Short of drying fruit ourselves (which we do sometimes), our only option was preservative laced dried fruit -- until now.

I came across Bare Fruit the other day and it is nothing but bake-dried organic fruit.  No added sugar or preservatives.

We bought the dried mangos, but the Washington based company also sells dried cherries, pears and Fuji, Granny Smith and cinnamon apples from Washington State.

The taste is fantastic and you can feel good knowing that only organic fruits are entering your body.  Find them at a grocery store near you or on Amazon.com.

Toasted Hemp Seeds

My kids expressed their hunger while shopping at our health food store and I came across a small bag of toasted hemp seeds.

$1.29 later, they (and I) were happily munching on tiny crunchy and slightly salted hemp seeds -- a first for them and me.  We chose the "Cousin Mary Jane" brand.

I was impressed.  For all the misconceptions of industrial hemp (it's a close cousin to Marijuana), the plant has a lot to offer in the form of food and fiber for clothing and building materials.  Additionally, it is easily grown without the use of chemicals.

Unfortunately, it is only legal to be grown in North Dakota and Vermont, though movements in Kentucky, Michigan and other States are increasing.  In many ways its a perfect crop.

The seeds are high in protein and all nine essential amino acids, high in fatty acids and vitamin E and have a balanced ratio of Omega 3 & 6 acids for heart health.

Plus, they're just plain tasty.  Now if only I could get my kids to stop calling them "hump seeds".

The Fate of the Banana and its Probable Extinction

I just finished reading Dan Keoppel's book, "Banana:  The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World".

Published in 2008, it's a fascinating journey through the history of the banana and how civilizations, government rulers, wars and mega-companies have evolved from this relatively inexpensive and humble fruit that outsells apples and oranges combined.

Dan briefly glimpses at the strong chemicals (the banana requires more pesticide than any other fruit) used in the growing of bananas and the significant physical harm it causes to the workers bodies (the movie trailer below shows the physical harm caused by Dole spraying chemicals on their farms) and the surrounding landscape, but the bulk of the book is focused on the bananas remarkable global growth (especially since the male portion of the banana tree is sterile) and the Panama Disease that threatens its very existence.

The most fascinating elements of the book to me were:

• learning that the banana tree (it's really classified as an herb) reproduces through a Mother/Daughter relationship offering new shoots from the original tree that can be transplanted since the male portion is sterile.
• learning that the banana our grandparents and parents grew up eating, the Gros Michel, is virtually eliminated from existence due to the onslaught of Panama Disease -- of which there is no cure.  The Gros Michel (or Big Mike) was bigger, hardier fruit that had a better taste and texture.
• learning that the new banana plant, the Cavendish (originally considered rubbish by Chiquita when the Gros Michel was still around), is under the first rounds of attack from Panama Disease and may sadly only be viable as a commercial fruit for 10-30 more years.
• learning that Chiquita and Dole are feverishly working to create the next banana that will withstand the attack of Panama Disease and that hopefully they can pull it off through cross-breeding and not genetic manipulation -- though both methods have proven unsuccessful for more than a decade.
• learning that the forbidden fruit in the story of Genesis may have been the banana with a strong case for that being the case.
• learning about the politics and mergers that created Chiquita and Dole.

If you're a foodie, you will appreciate this book and will appreciate even more your next banana.  People 30 years from now may not have the same opportunity.

Cacao or Cocoa Nibs

Some recipes call for cacao "nibs".  A nib is simply a small piece of the larger cacao bean.

Many people don't know that the cacao bean comes from a collection of seeds within a pod grown on the cacao tree in tropical regions.  It is surrounded by a sticky substance and locals call it a "jungle M&M".

The beans are cleaned and traditionally sun-dried.

Cacao Nibs

After they are dried, the bean can be ground into powder.  A "nib" is simply a small piece of the dried bean.  The nib is bitter with a coffee/ nutty taste.

Nibs are sometimes called for in cookies, smoothies, oatmeals, cereal, yogurt and more.  It's a great way to  add nutrients and antioxidants to some foods without adding the sugar and fat usually associated with chocolate.

Enjoy a few nibs (or grind your own from whole raw cacao beans) -- found at your local health foods store.

Cacao Tree

Cacao Pod 

Dried Cacao Beans

Marshmallow and Fluff

We had some great family time today that included building a fire in the fireplace.  After dinner we decided to make even more use of the open flames and got some marshmallows and chocolate and our graham crackers for some old-fashioned smores.

Standing in the grocery store, I was torn.  I stood reading the labels of the only two options for large marshamllows -- the store brand and Kraft.  The ingredients were in slightly different order, but otherwise exactly the same.  And I wasn't happy with either.  Now, I know that a marshmallow would never be considered a health food, but what was blue #1 dye doing in a white marshmallow?

I knew I should just pass, but I also had the weight of kids waiting for a smore back home.  Our son, with food allergies to the junk in processed foods, had never had a marshmallow before.

Ingredients being the same, I chose the cheaper store brand and headed for home to much fanfare when I opened the door.  They were ready for roasting marshmallows!

Our son was nearing the completion of his smore when he bolted as fast as he could to the kitchen sink just in time to vomit up his smore and dinner.  My better judgement told me I shouldn't have given him the marshmallow.  Mistakes happen.  The bag of marshmallows now sits in our trash.

We talked about options for future smores and decided to stick with Fluff.  If you aren't familiar with Fluff, it is a small Massachusetts company that was the original producer of marshmallow cream.  But the better news is that they have stuck to the original recipe which only includes three ingredients:  corn syrup, sugar and vanilla.  Next time, we will swipe a bit of Fluff across the graham cracker to make our smores -- and just skip the roasting part.

There may be some organic options at the health foods store.  Organic marshmallows, if there is such a thing, would at least have limited (necessary) ingredients and almost assuredly no artificial colors.

Can anybody recommend a better marshmallow option?

Concerned About Double Dipping?

Double Dipping became famous in an episode of Seinfeld when George Costanza famously double-dipped his tortilla chip much to the dismay of a watcher.

Since then, people have been extra aware of double-dipping (triple dipping or more in the case of our kids).   We have family members who seem to be the self-designated double-dip police.

So as we approach Super Bowl weekend when snacks and corresponding dips reign supreme, how concerned should we really be if somebody double-dips?  Does it really matter?

I found a short video from the Wall Street Journal today that humorously answers those questions based on university research.

Take a look and enjoy the game...  but don't double-dip.

World Nutella Day

Everyone has a favorite binge food.  Our son's is Nutella.  And I am okay with most of the ingredients.  The primary ingredients are skim milk, hazelnuts (also known as filberts) and cocoa.  Palm oil, soy lecithin and vanillin round out the list.  If it weren't for the vanillin (why not the real vanilla?), I would give it five stars.

I first tried Nutella on a missions trip to Spain many many years ago and distinctly remember wishing we had such a treat in the United States.  Since that time, it has become a regular on grocery store shelves.  We get our at Costco at a hefty discount over grocery store prices.

If you've never tried Nutella, your truly missing out on a great food pleasure with a uniquely addictive taste.  It's a guilty pleasure with a touch of healthfulness.  And now, those who love it so much can unite thanks to "World Nutella Day" slated for February 5, 2012.

The uses for this delicious treat are countless and people in its cult-like following have posted photos of their favorite concoctions using Nutella and offered hundreds of recipes.  Could there by a bad one?  The Nutella company offers no recipes other than to spread it on toast in the morning.

There's even a book, "The Unofficial Guide to Nutella:  history, stories and recipes" you can devour.

In brief, its history began in the 1940's when Pietro Ferrero, a pastry maker, devised a way to extend the rationed cocoa supplies during World War II.  He used hazelnuts which were plentiful in the Piedmont region of Italy.  Originally named "Supercrema gianduja", it was renamed in 1964 at "Nut" (for the hazelnut) and "ella" as a soft-sounding filler to lengthen the name.

While it has been a favorite in Europe for 40+ years, the spread first arrived in the Northeastern United States in 1983 and has expanded nationwide since then.

You can easily recreate a Nutella-type spread using a Vitamix or food processor.  There are a number of recipes.  I have not tried them myself because the shelf-life is only a couple of weeks and we just don't consume enough to justify making our own.  But if you are interested, take a look at these trusted sources here and here for recipes on making your own Nutella-type spread.

This February 5, buy a jar of Nutella and spread some joy on World Nutella Day!

Update 01/31/2012:

I was told that Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter is also a very good and perhaps more nutritious option.  I haven't tried this yet but will in the future.  Has anyone else tried Justin's who can offer an opinion?

The ingredients for Justin's are:  Dry Roasted Hazelnuts, Dry Roasted Almonds, Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Natural Vanilla, Sea Salt.

Organic Packaging Surprise

I wanted to make some fresh hummus for lunch today and reached for a can of garbanzo beans (chick peas).

We don't have many canned items in our house because they leach BPA into the food, but we do have some canned beans (in case I miss the 12-hour window of soaking time) and some tomato products (really just an excuse for not getting around to canning them last fall) on hand.

I was met with two options of garbanzo beans when I opened the pantry.  I don't know the reasons, perhaps I picked up the non-organic one by accident, but I had one can of organic garbanzo beans and one that was not -- by the same grocer brand name.

I thought a bean is a bean, except one is organic, right?  I was surprised by what the labels disclosed.

Organic Canned Garbanzo Bean Ingredients

In the organic beans I found the ingredients:

• Organic Garbanzo Beans
• Water
• Sea Salt

Traditional Canned Garbanzo Bean Ingredients

In the traditional beans I found the ingredients:

• Prepared Garbanzo Beans (they never say what "prepared" means)
• Water
• Salt
• Calcium Chloride (Firming Agent)
• Disodium EDTA

The only other significant difference was in sodium.  The organic garbanzo beans had 100 mg per serving versus a much larger 330 mg of sodium in the non-organic beans.

This helped make clear that decisions are not simply as easy as organic or not.  Organic or not also affects the handling and packaging too.  And organic clearly wins.

I pledge to read labels more carefully when shopping.

As for pricing, the non-sale prices were $.88 for the non-organic beans versus $1.25 for the organically grown beans.

Vitamix Makes Hummus
in About 15 Seconds

If your interested in making a great hummus dip, here was my recipe for today:

• 15-ounce can of organic garbanzo beans drained and rinsed and placed in blender/food processor
• 1/2 cup filtered water (more or less depending on how smooth you want the final product)
• 1 larger organic clove of garlic
• 1 Tablespoon organic lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons of organic olive oil
• Sea salt (to taste)
• 2 small pieces of fire-roasted red pepper (optional)

*blend until smooth

Enjoy!

Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Easy Homemade Peanut Butter

Your favorite peanuts + a high-quality blender (with a tamper) = amazing and healthy peanut butter!

We ran out of peanut butter this morning, so I took some of our favorite peanuts from Costco (I'd prefer organic peanuts, but their harder to find than a Santa in July around here -- but that's another post) and threw them in our Vitamix for a quick spin.

Once the peanuts were in, I turned the machine on high and used the tamper to keep things moving.  Within 30 seconds, I had a fresh and warm batch of peanut butter.

In a nutshell (pun, yes!), choose your favorite raw, dry roasted or oil roasted peanuts.  If your from New Mexico or Georgia, your selection should be much better with organic options.  Throw them in your blender.

I usually add about a tablespoon of peanut oil to keep things loose.  You don't have to use any oil, I just like a looser product for easier spreading.  If you decide to add oil and don't have peanut, any other low-flavor oil such as Canola will work too.

Add a touch of salt if you wish.  The peanuts I used were pre-salted and that works for me.

Then turn on your Vitamix (or other high-power blender) on high-speed blend until you get a creamy base.

At this point, you can get creative.  I tend to be a peanut butter purist and leave it alone, but in this case I added about 3 tablespoons of raw honey from a local apiary to make honey-peanut butter.  I have also added a teaspoon or two of organic molasses in the past that darkens the spread and adds a nice taste.  Others have added various spices or cocoa, but you can experiment with what you like.  Add it in and continue spinning until smooth.

When finished, spoon your peanut butter out into a storage container.  I like to use a caning jar for ours.  If you will eat it within three months, store it in your pantry.  If you need it to keep for 6 months, place it in your refrigerator.  Just keep in mind that a refrigerated product won't spread quite as easily unless brought to room temperature.

If you like a crunchy peanut butter, chop some extra peanuts up and set them off to the side.  When you are done making your peanut butter, throw in the chopped pieces and stir.

Enjoy your homemade peanut butter.  It will taste better and probably be better for you.  If you aren't convinced check out the ingredient label on your store-bought peanut butter.

El Matador Tortilla Chips

This may prove to be one of my most controversial posts because it directly relates to a beloved tortilla chip from  Michigan.  This company was founded in 1976 and people throughout Michigan seek it out as part of a tradition.

Here's my concern.  I went to the grocery store last week for some tortilla chips.  I typically buy the large bag of organic tortilla chips at Costco, so this was a special "Oh, no!  We're out of chips!" run.

I quickly surveyed the shelves and grabbed a bag of El Matador chips strictly because I wanted to support a local company.  Before I checked out, something prompted me to read the ingredients.  Most tortilla chips read something like this:

• Stone Ground Corn
• Oil
• Salt

So I was surprised when I read this ingredient list for El Matador chips:

• Stone Ground White Corn
• Oil (Combination of Soy, Canola and Sunflower)
• Salt
• Seasoning (salt, artificial butter, yellow 5, yellow 6, tapioca dextrin, modified food starch, soy oil, soy flour, artificial flavor)
• Lime

Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and artificial flavors?!!!  (Read my post on artificial colors here.)

I returned the chips to the food isle and read every other brands ingredient list including the store brand to find that all of the others had three (some four) ingredients with no food dyes or artificial flavorings.  I eventually opted for On The Border brand-based mostly on price.

I did some research on the El Matador company and discovered it was sold in late 2007 to Garden Fresh Salsa of Ferndale, Michigan.  They produce the well-known Garden Fresh Gourmet Deli Chip -- that doesn't have the added ingredients.

The El Matador tortilla factory still operates in Grand Rapids at 45 Franklin Street SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49507.  They do not have a web site, but do have a facebook page.

In the end, I am happy I checked the ingredient list; I am sad that I couldn't support a local producer; and I hope they find a way to make this regional favorite truly natural in the future.