Trader Joe’s Gluten-free Pancake Mix

Trader Joe’s has gluten-free mixes available now and I had the opportunity to test the pancake & waffle mix! Check out the detailed product review with a few tips.

Trader Joe’s Gluten-free pancake mix review

Rhonda’s Food Review: Baby Bananas

I absolutely love baby bananas. A friend told me about these petite delights at the end of 2008, but I was I unable to find them until  few months ago at Super Wal-mart! I was surprised when I saw them but I knew instantly that these were the bananas that she told me about many months ago. I could not wait to peel this wonderful, tender fruit when I got into my car! I must admit that when I first tasted it, I did taste a slight difference than the familiar taste of  the “regular” or mature banana. The biggest difference was that  it was much sweeter than the mature banana.

Baby bananas are typically grown in more humid climates like South America or Central America. Many of the baby bananas that I have seen come from Ecuador and sold by Chiquita or Dole.   These delicious bananas are about 3 inches long and are sold in about 10 to 12 in a bunch.  Sometimes they are also known as lady fingers or baby fingers.  In addition to Super Wal-mart, these bananas are sold at Whole Foods or at most ethnic grocery stores, especially those focused on Latin/Spanish cuisine.  You will pay twice as much for these wonderful delights (~ $1.49 – $1.99/lb), but they are worth it!

Also, baby bananas are awesome when darn brown with a few yellow areas and used in a smoothie.  So, if you can’t eat them fast enough, have no few, just save for use in a smoothie!  Click picture below to watch the food review video!

(click to play video)

How to Select Green Tea?

Okay, I am sure that you have seen several varieties of tea at the supermarket that range from bagged tea leaves to loose tea leaves to bottled teas to herbal teas, like mint, chamomile, jasmine, etc. There are so many types that it may be hard for “neo-tea drinker”s to choose. I used to be one of those neo-tea drinkers, but after traveling to China, my appreciation for tea grew tremendously! Not only did I learn about the history, I learned what to look for when selecting tea and how to steep the perfect cup of tea! In fact, my first tea party was in Shanghai, China!

One of the biggest things that I learned is that full tea leaves that are mostly sold loose are far better than the crushed tea leaves that you get in most bagged tea. The flavor profile is far more intense and you get more of the wonderful antioxidants.

My recommendations for selecting green tea:
1. Select a green tea that is 100% green tea leaves or green tea leaves mixed with other tea leaves or natural herbs/spices such as mint leaves paired with green tea leaves. Avoid the tea that is mixed or infused with flavors such as vanilla, caramel, etc. The tea will lose more of its natural properties as these flavors are processed and added to the tea leaves.

2. Stay clear away from those bottled green teas that have a long list of ingredients that includes high fructose corn syrup and food coloring! This is not good for the body.

3. Purchase loose green tea leaves at least once to experience its natural flavor. You will need to purchase a tea ball or a cup with a basket to hold the leaves as the tea steeps or else you will have leaves floating in your cup, which is how it is consumed in China!

My top 3 favorite brands of tea when I am not drinking Longjing Green Tea from China are as follows:
1. Revolution® Tea – full-leaf tea; available in silk bags or loose in several varieties.
2. Mighty Leaf® Tea – full tea leaves; available in a proprietary silk Tea Pouch™ or loose in several varieties.

Both of these brands can be purchased from selected grocery stores/specialty stores or ordered online. If you unable to purchase these brands then I recommend that you purchase Tazo® tea. This tea is also available both full leaf and in regular tea filter bags. Though it did not make my top list it is in 3rd place.

A Perfect Cup of Green Tea

1 teaspoon loose green tea leaves (or 1 tea bag)
1 cup water
½ teaspoon raw honey or raw agave nectar (optional)

Add tea leaves to a tea ball or strainer and place in a large ceramic cup.  Bring water to a boil (be careful not to allow the water to come to a rolling boil). Pour hot water over tea ball and let steep 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove tea ball and serve.  If desired, add honey or agave nectar to tea.

The Short Story of Green Tea

Green tea originated in China thousands of years ago and was used for medicinal purposes. Botanical studies indicate that India and China were among the first countries to cultivate tea.¹ Tea is made from the leaves of a single plant species called Camellia sinensis.² There are three main varieties of tea—green, black and oolong. The differences between them are the processing techniques. Green tea is the least processed made from non-oxidized leaves whereas black and oolong tea leaves are fermented (oxidized).

Tea, especially green tea, is packed with lots of wonderful benefits such as antioxidants, EGCG—epigallocatechin gallate, that have been known to reduce high blood sugar, lower risks of heart attack, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and to slow cancer growth. Green tea naturally has caffeine that ranges between 30 and 35mg per cup (black tea has about 40 to 60mg per cup) and coffee has 100 to 150mg per cup.² So as you see, not all caffeine is bad for you! In fact in 2006, The Journal of the American Medical Association published that by drinking green tea you may prolong your life! Now isn’t that worth a cup of tea?!

Studies have shown that women who drank 5 or more daily cups of green tea benefited most, decreasing their heart disease mortality risk by 31% compared with women who drank one cup or less per day. Men who drank the most tea also did well with a 22% risk reduction.

¹“Green Tea.” Wikipedia. July 15, 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tea. July 15, 2009.
²Chappell, Mary Margaret. “What’s Brewing.” Wildoats. January/February., 2007.

Confused about Whole Grain vs Whole Wheat?

At least once a week someone asks me about  the differences between whole grain and whole wheat.  Because I kept getting that question, I thought that maybe I should just share the answer with all of you just in case you were wondering the same thing.  First of all, grains (also known as cereal grains) are grasses that are cultivated for the edible components of their fruit seeds¹.  A whole grain is the entire edible part of any grains.  A list of grains includes the following:

• Wheat
• Barley
• Spelt
• Corn
• Oats
• Rice
• Buckwheat*
• Rye
• Quinoa*
• Millet
• Amaranth*
• Sorghum
• Teff

*not real grasses, considered as pseudocereals

The entire (whole) edible parts of the grain include the following²:

1. Bran:  the outer layers of the grain that supplies antioxidants, B vitamins, trace minerals, and dietary fiber.
2. Endosperm: the inner part of the grain with most of the proteins and carbohydrates and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
3. Germ:  the small but very important part; it sprouts, generating a new plant.  It is rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, trace minerals, antioxidants and essential fats.

As you see, most of the fiber and vitamins/minerals come from the bran and the germ parts of the grain.  When the grain is milled, the germ and the bran are stripped away leaving behind the endosperm, which is how white flour is produced.  Because this flour does not contain any vitamins or minerals, the government has required that iron and B-vitamins are added back in to the flour, hence the name “enriched wheat.”

So how do you select which bread to choose?  Here are some tips:

1. Look at the ingredients label on the product.  Look for the words “whole grain”, “whole wheat”, or “100% whole grain.”  You would want to purchase this product.
2. If you see the word “enriched” or “wheat flour” do not purchase.  Wheat flour is another name for white flour!  Do NOT be fooled by the words on the package—it’s just advertising!
3. Beware of breads labeled as “7-grain” or “multigrain” as these may or may not be true whole grains; it could just be a marketing ploy.  The only way to know for sure is to read the ingredients label.
4. Pay attention to the amount of dietary fiber on the label; if the product is a whole grain, it will be high in dietary fiber.

So the bottom line to this article, in terms of nutrition, both “whole grain” and “whole wheat” are great for you!  In fact, whole wheat is a type of a whole grain.

¹“Cereal.”  Wikipedia. May 23, 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal>.  May 28, 2009.

²Duyff, Roberta Larson.  Complete Food and Nutrition Guide.  New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006.

Momma’s Oatmeal Breakfast

By now, you have heard many stories and have seen many commercials promoting the goodness of eating oatmeal and other whole grains.  You may have seen the heart on the box of your favorite breakfast cereal or oatmeal container indicating that the product is great for the heart, as well as for reducing high cholesterol.  When I told my mom about eating 1 cup of oatmeal every day to help control her blood sugar and reduce her cholesterol, she almost cringed because she absolutely hated oatmeal.  She grew up on eating creamy grits with salt and butter!  So, I knew it would be a challenge.  Even though she knew the value, she still hated it.  So, I told her about different brands of cereals that have oats in them and that sparked an idea, which led her to create a recipe that works for her.  So, if you too are struggling with eating oatmeal, then you may want to give this recipe a try!

Momma’s Oatmeal Breakfast

4 tablespoons rolled “old fashioned” oats

1 cup cornflakes (or any similar whole grain cereal flakes)

1 cup non-dairy milk (soy, rice, almond, etc.)

Pinch organic raw Turbinado sugar (optional)

Grind oats using a clean electric coffee grinder until oats have become smaller pieces.  Add ground oats, cornflakes, and milk to a small bowl and serve immediately.  Typically the non-dairy milks are slightly sweet, so adding any sweeteners are optional.

Ask Rhonda

Question: “I’m wondering if you could cover plastic vs glass containers for food storage, lunch boxes, etc.  I’m starting to worry more about re-heating foods in the microwave in plastic.”—D.S.

 

Answer:   I see two concerns with your question—appropriate storage containers and microwave usage.  Let’s first start with appropriate storage containers. The best food storage container is made of glass or ceramic, but these can be a bit pricey.  Other types of containers that are safe to use are plastic containers and non-bleached paper bags/boxes, but you have to select them based on usage.  However, because I always look for ways to protect our health and environment, I recommend that if you use plastics use those that are recyclable, biodegradable and safe.  Look on the back of the container for the numbers 2 and 5; these numbers reflect the type of resin materials (polyethylene and polyproplylene).¹ (Please note:  store meat in glass containers only.)

 

Now to address which containers to use for microwave use, you must pay attention and look at the little images or read the directions/usage notes.  This is the only way to determine if that container is appropriate for microwave usage; never assume that it’s okay if you do not see anything.  Look for the microwave image or words like “microwave reheatable” or “microwave-safe”.  If you do not see either of these, then you should not use that container. Not every container should be used in the microwave.  Also, throw away any container that has been damaged in the microwave due to the heating/cooking process (i.e. small holes or indentions in the container). This can be a potential risk for bacteria contamination.

 

 

¹Sage. “Decoding Your Plastic Containers.”  Online posting.  10 July 2006.  Domesticgoddess.com – All Topics. 05 Oct. 2008 <http://domesticgoddesses.tribe.net/thread/243d1968-ce4d-4345-9a60-286eb3705e62>. 

Part 2: Water: Which to Drink—Tap, Bottled, or Filtered?

Last week I addressed our need for water and daily requirements. If you didn’t get a chance to read that, be sure to check it out.  This week, I want to briefly discuss the different kinds of water.  Many times people ask me which kind of water to choose and to explain the differences between bottled, tap, and filtered water.  So, I decided to briefly summarize.  

1.      Tap Water—water that comes from the water in lakes or rivers (surface water), or from water that comes from wells (groundwater).¹ This is also known as water from faucet.

2.      Bottled Water—water that comes from Springs or Artesian Wells from the ground that have been tested and approved, or from public treated water supplies that often use processes to further enhance the quality of the water.²

3.      Filtered Water—water that has passed through sand or some sort of screening process to remove heavy metals, pesticides, bacteria, etc.  Water can be filtered by using the following filters:³

a.    Carbon filters—these are inexpensive and common entry-level filters that utilize a carbon filter.  These filters are typically used in special water pitchers or attached to a faucet.  Unfortunately this process doesn’t remove many toxins, heavy metals, etc. 

b.    Water distillers—distillers that use electricity to heat tap water to the boiling point, separating impurities from the “steam”, which becomes the clean drinking water. This method removes everything including the good minerals.

c.     Reverse Osmosis (RO)—tap water that passes through an extremely fine membrane that removes everything. Water from these systems are the optimum level of water filters.  Sometimes bottled water companies use this process as the source of their water.

d.    Alkaline Water Filters—tap water that passes through alkaline filters, which use an electromagnetic process to separate acidic water from alkaline water.  The acidic water can be discarded and alkaline water is used for drinking and cooking.

 

So, which is the best?  According to Dr. Don Colbert, filtered water is one of the best kinds of water to drink.  Whatever you decide, make sure that you have the right balance of purity and alkalinity. Do your research or just email me for more sources!

 

¹“Drinking Water.”  Ewg.org. 29 Aug. 2008. 19 Sept. 2008

<http://www.epa.gov/region7/kids/drnk_b.htm>.

²“Bottled Water Path to Market.”  Bottledwater.org. 2006.  26 Sept. 2008

<http://www.bottledwater.org/public/flash/bottled-water-v33.swf>.

³Don Colbert, MD.  The Seven Pillars of Health.  Florida: Siloam, 2007.

A Simple Salad That’s Low in Calories and Fat!

This week I decided to try and eat salad without oil because I am really trying to reduce my calories and fat intake.  So, I decided to try something a little different with my salad this week and it turned out great!  For the first time ever, I didn’t use oil on my salad, but instead I replaced it with Sabrosa Gourmet Salsa and it was great! This simple substitution is a 30 – 50% reduction in calories and fat without the oil.  Enjoy!

 

Southwestern Salad:

Serving size: 1 salad

3 cups romaine lettuce

3 tablespoons shredded carrots

¼ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

½ medium avocado, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons Sabrosa Fire-Roasted Gourmet Salsa (or any salsa)

3 tablespoons fresh corn kernels (optional), rinsed and drained

 

Toss all ingredients in a large salad bowl and serve. If desired, you can divide this recipe in half.    [Nutrition Facts: 250 Cal; 15g Fat (10 Mono, 2 Poly, 2 Sat); (13g Fiber; 3g Sugar; 7g Protein; 240% Vit A; 100% Vit C; 10% Calcium; 20% Iron]

 

If interested in the Sabrosa Fire Roasted Gourmet Salsa email duane@sabrosafoods.com.