Christmas is almost here! Are you scrambling to get everything you WANT done, done? Years ago, my husband and I agreed to not buy each other Christmas presents. Instead, if we want something, we discuss the financial feasibility, and if possible – we just get it when we want it. However, you may have a few people you are shopping for and if they like to cook – I have some great suggestions. Titan Peeler/Slicer I saw this tool demonstrated at a kitchen exposition several years ago. The ability to julienne vegetables is my favorite trick; for example squash or zucchini noodles. You can cut in any direction and they…
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Cheddar Cheese is the Perfect Ingredient
Cheddar cheese is one of the most popular types of cheeses of all time and it is absolutely my favorite. Did you know, the orange color of cheese dates back to the 16th century England when cheesemakers would pass off a lower quality of cheese by adding saffron, then eventually, ANNATTO. In former times, only affluent Cheddar lovers could afford the expensive full-cream cheeses with its creamy-yellow color. By adding the coloring agent, cheesemakers could take low-fat cheese and sell it as full-fat cheese. It is the fat that gives the color to the cheese. ANNATTO is derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree, which is native to tropical…
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Discovering Local Food at Ingles Markets
The regional chain of Ingles Markets has a special event called, Taste of Local, based in Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina featuring local food producers. One of my missions with this blog is to encourage foodies to support their local food producers, whether it be through CSA”s (Community Supported Agriculture) or buying produce at the local farmers’ markets. Since moving to the Appalachian Foothills area, I have never before witnessed such support for local farmers and food products. Local food producers are able to set up a table and display their products, along with free samples for Ingles’ shoppers. Some products may be available in your own local…
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Crushing My Craving For Pasta
Foodies, I am still battling my love for PASTA. Despite my recent doctor’s advice, see my post http://joannsfoodbites.com/ways-to-lower-bad-cholesterol-triglycerides/ I am still cooking it at least once a week (okay, it was twice last week). Believe me, the Lightlife plant-based, soy product was great, but I can’t travel 30 miles to the nearest store for it, on a regular basis. Imagine my jubilation, when I saw an advertisement for a new Dr. Oz show titled… END THE WAR ON PASTA! Food journalist, Mark Schatzker, who wrote, The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor was the guest, who explained a new research study released in the Nature’s Nutrition and…
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Lightlife’s Savory Plant-Based Food Innovations
As I mentioned at the beginning of the year, one of the biggest food trends for 2018 will be the expansion of plant-based food innovations, such as plant protein sources and Lightlife is one of the pioneers. Read my Food Trends for 2018 article here Plant-based diets are dominating the food world. Several manufactures are diving head first into using science to manipulate plant-based ingredients resulting as innovative products. Lightlife uses plant proteins, such as soy and beans to create delicious, healthy food choices for those wanting to steer away from meat based protein sources. What is Lightlife? In 1979, Lightlife was created to provide protein alternatives to vegetarians. However,…