iPhone Apps - Fooducate and Diet ScanCalc

Fooducate

If you often find yourself at the grocery store trying to make sense of the food labels and deciding whether or not something is good for you, then check out this iPhone application.  It uses the phone's camera to scan in the UPC barcode and then gives you information about the product.



The free version of Fooducate
has ads that run along the
bottom of the screen



It points out facts that the manufacturers don't necessarily want you to notice such as excessive sugar, tricky trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, additives and preservatives, controversial food colorings, etc.  It also gives the calories and WeightWatchers point value, but does not give a full nutritional breakdown, i.e., fat grams, carbohydrates, protein, etc.  It will only mention if a nutrient content is particularly high or low.  Nor does it tell you the serving size, which would be useful. 

You can also type in a product search rather than scanning the bar code; this means that you have the option to use it on your first generation iPad.  There are many other features, including keeping track of items that you've previously looked at and storing your favorites.  You may leave a comment about a product also, and read what other 'fooducators' have to say about it.

First of all I shook my phone to look at a random product.  Up popped Pineapple Caffeine-Free Shasta.  Needless to say it got a 'D' grade for containing 13 teaspoons of sugar, controversial artificial colors, and high fructose corn syrup. 

Next I scanned in my breakfast cereal - Kashi Go Lean.  This was much better!  It scored an A- for containing 40% of the daily fiber requirement, just 1.5 teaspoons of sugar, and only 140 calories a serving.  It even gave a warning on the fiber:  "Proceed slowly...consuming too much, too fast may cause bloating."

I have the free version on my iphone, but there is a version without ads for $3.99.  I really don't think the ads are that intrusive so I will probably stick with the free one.   This is a nifty little app that is rated 5 stars in the App Store.

Diet ScanCalc

This is a much simpler app and is designed for people following the WeightWatchers program.  Once again you scan the bar code on a product and it calculates the number of points per serving.  It gives you the points to one decimal place, so it is necessary to round up or down, but it does give the serving size, so is very helpful. 

It stores products that you have previously scanned, but they are in chronological order and it would be more helpful if you had the option to sort them alphabetically or perhaps by point value.  Maybe this will come in a future update.

Overall though, very useful and super easy to use.  Saves opening my WW app and typing in grams of fat, protein, carbs, etc., or pulling out my WW calculator.

This application is also free.

Food Finds: Raisin Rosemary Crisps

Sweet and Salty - Perfect Snack Food

Ever have a craving for something to munch on but can't decide between sweet or savory?  Well these crackers are your answer as they are sweet, salty, and also crunchy - another good attribute for a snack.

These tasty little morsels get their sweetness from the raisins, which happen to be another of my snack favorites, and their savory goodness from the rosemary, sea salt and black pepper.  They also contain sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and millet, making these a healthy and nutty tasting treat.

Raisin rosemary crisps are bite-sized, measuring approximately 1 1/2 inches by 1 3/4 inches.  A serving size is 12 pieces, which is enough to satisfy a snack attack, although I'm sure I could eat the whole box (5 servings). 

The Recommended Serving - 12 Crackers

Each serving has 90 calories, 2.5g Fat (no saturated or trans fats), no cholesterol, 130mg sodium, 16g carbs, 1g Fiber, 6g sugar, and 3g protein. For the WeightWatchers among us, a serving is 3 points.

Spread these with cream cheese for a light lunch, or serve them as an hors d'oeuvre with cheese and dips.

Find these tasty crackers at Trader Joe's.  A 5.3oz box is a bit of a splurge at $3.99, but worth every sweet, salty, crunchy bite.  Enjoy!

July Cupcake of the Month: Malt Shop Cupcakes

There was a frozen yogurt shop I used to frequent on my lunch hour, and my favorite day to go was Friday because this was when they had their malt chocolate yogurt.  Mmmm… similar to Wendy’s Frosty, but a bit more chocolaty.  So when I saw a recipe in the Bel Air and Raley’s Extra Magazine for Malt Shop Cupcakes, of course I had to try it.  I am a little behind, as the recipe is in the April/May/June issue.  But really, isn’t it always cupcake season?

I loved how the actual cake turned out; light and moist.  So often cupcakes can be dry.  I think it is the combination of butter and oil in the mix that made it so great.  I couldn’t really taste the malted milk powder in the cake, but maybe it did contribute to the nice texture.

The two ingredients you may not have in your pantry are the malted milk powder and the chocolate malt balls.  The milk powder can be found in the hot drinks aisle along with the hot chocolate, and for the malt balls I recommend purchasing some of the gourmet variety (I am not a big fan of whoppers). 

I found some gourmet chocolate malt balls at the local Hallmark store, but I know Trader Joe’s also carries them, probably at a lower price.  You can also use ‘Maltesers’ which are the British version of Whoppers but ten times better, and you can buy them at World Market (sorry if I am offending any Whoppers fans out there).  In my humble opinion it’s worth the splurge.





I changed the frosting recipe ever so slightly, adding an extra tablespoon of malted milk powder and decreasing the powdered sugar to three cups.  Crushed malt balls are also folded into the frosting.  If you have a little aggression to get rid of, you can place the malt balls in a sealed bag and bash them with a rolling pin or other blunt object.  I chopped mine coarsely with a knife, first cutting them in half so they wouldn't roll around on the cutting board.  I also only used half a malt ball for decoration on each cupcake, as the gourmet variety tend to be much bigger than Whoppers.

The recipe made 24 cupcakes so I put half in the freezer for another occasion or for when I have a sugar craving.  They freeze really well and are a perfect sweet treat as they don't take long to defrost. 

These, by the way, got a big thumbs up from my son-in-law when I made them for Father’s Day.  He said the chocolate cake was one of the best he had tasted.  Oh and the magazine recommends accompanying the cupcake with a glass of red wine – preferably Cupcake Red Velvet.

Here’s the link to the full recipe:  Malt Shop Cupcakes

 

From the Farmer's Market: Broccoli Cheese Soup

In my farm box last week I got two big bunches of broccoli.  I was planning on roasting them as a side dish, but then what should have been a warm summer day turned into a cold wintry one, so soup sounded like a good idea. 

This is based on a Cooking Light recipe, but with a few modifications.  The original called for Lite Velveeta Cheese, but I used a combination of low-fat cream cheese and grated Mexican blend as this was what I had on hand (and sounded so much better than Velveeta anyway!)  It was very easy and came together in about half an hour.  I had a second helping for my lunch today, and I think it was even better than yesterday when I made it.

Start off by sauteing some onions and garlic in a little olive oil, then add the broccoli (cut up into small florets), along with some chicken broth.  I also used part of the broccoli stalk, cut into about the same size as the stalk on the florets, so that they would cook in the same time. 

After simmering for about 10 minutes, add milk combined with a little flour and bring to a boil again to thicken.  Add the cheese, puree with an immersion blender, and that's it!  (If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer in batches to a food processor or blender to puree, being careful as the soup is very hot.  If you don't know what an immersion blender is, please see my separate post.

Here's the recipe:

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Serves 6

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb broccoli florets
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups low fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 oz low-fat (neufchatel) cream cheese
4 oz grated Mexican blend cheese (or grated cheddar)
crumbled bacon (optional)

1. Pre-heat soup pot over medium heat.  Add oil and onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute another two minutes.
2. Add broccoli and chicken broth to pan.  Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk flour into milk until smooth, then add milk mixture to soup.  Bring to the boil and cook until the soup thickens, about 5 minutes.
4. Add cheeses and pepper and stir until cheese has melted.
5. Blend soup with an immersion blender, or transfer to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
6. Check seasoning and add salt to taste.
7. Serve with bacon bits and a drizzle of olive oil (optional)

Nutrition per serving (about 1 1/3 cups): 260 calories, 127 calories from fat, 14.5 g total fat, 8 g saturated fat, 38 mg cholesterol, 308 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, 15 g protein

Tools, Tips, and Techniques: Immersion Blenders

One of my favorite electrical appliances in the kitchen is my immersion blender (sometimes called a stick blender).  I was reminded yesterday just how useful mine is when I was making broccoli cheese soup.  I know, who'd have thought I'd be making soup in Sacramento in June!

Pureed soups are so great as the vegetables act as a thickener when pureed, so it's easy to make a hearty soup that is still very healthy.  Without an immersion blender the mixture needs to be transferred to a food processor or blender which can be a hazard in itself as it is usually piping hot.  Although a food processor will do a pretty good job at pureeing the soup, a blender will give the smoothest result, but again care must be taken when operating this with hot liquid. 

With an immersion blender the soup can be pureed right in the saucepan, which is safer, faster, and also saves on the dirty dishes.  One note of caution:  If you are not using a cordless immersion blender, be sure to turn off the burner before starting to blend so that you don't burn through the electrical cord by mistake!

Another advantage of the immersion blender is that you can puree the soup to your desired consistency. You can leave it a little chunky, or puree it until smooth.  If you like to have some pieces of vegetable left in your soup, you can also remove some with a slotted spoon before pureeing, then add them back to the soup later.

The blender also works great for getting lumps out of sauces (that's what I remember my mother using hers for the most!), smoothies and milkshakes, and mixing pancake and waffle batters.  What do you use yours for?

Cleanup is a breeze too.  Just run the blade under hot water or wash with a soapy brush or sponge.  In some models, the blades detach from the motor and are dishwasher safe.

Prices vary for immersion blenders.  On Amazon.com they start as low as $15 and go all the way up to over $500 for a commercial model.  The more expensive models tend to have more powerful motors which result in a smoother soup or batter, and they often have multiple speeds as well as additional attachments such as whisks and choppers.

Mine is a mid- to low-end model by Braun.  It has one speed and it came just with a plastic beaker for mixing drinks.  I also have a blender, food processor, stand mixer and hand mixer, so I don't really need any other attachments!  The blade does not detach from the motor on mine - it's just one piece - nothing to lose!  I use mine mostly for pureeing soups, and it suits me just fine.

This one by Cuisinart on Amazon.com is very reasonable at $28 and has excellent customer reviews, but there are many others offering different features and at varying prices.

April Cupcake of the Month: Margarita Cupcakes (Gluten Free)

I made these for a friend for her birthday.  They turned out so cute!  She has a sensitivity to gluten, so I made them using gluten-free all-purpose flour from Raley’s (made by Bob’s Red Mill, in the Health Food Dept.).  I was anxious to see how they would turn out, as gluten-free baked products are often dense and heavy.

To help keep the cakes light and airy, I separated the eggs.  I added the yolks to the creamed butter and sugar, and the whites I whipped up like meringue and folded them in gently at the end.  This technique also works really well with pancakes and waffles, to help keep them light and fluffy. 

I made a few mini cupcakes for my friend to put in her freezer. 
She can thaw one in no time when she has a sweet craving!

The recipe I based these on called for a lime glaze sprinkled with coarse sugar or salt to replicate the margarita glass, but in my humble opinion that wasn’t going to be anywhere near enough frosting, so I decided to make a lime cream cheese frosting instead.  By the way, the Tequila in the cake recipe can be replaced with lime juice if you prefer.

These boxes and cupcake liners I bought at Williams-Sonoma.  Aren’t they adorable?  I Just couldn’t resist them!  The box I used holds four cupcakes, but they also have small boxes that just hold one cake.  They are available online and in the store and come in a pink toile design also.

There is even an insert to hold the cupcakes in place

Here’s the recipe:

Margarita Cupcakes

Makes about 18 cupcakes

1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt, plus pinch for the egg whites

½ cup/1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon finely grated lime rind

2 tablespoons tequila

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add lime rind and tequila.  Gradually stir in dry ingredients until all of the flour is absorbed and the batter is smooth.
4. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry.  Gently fold whites into batter.
5. Fill cupcake papers a little over half full.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool.

Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

6 Tbsp butter, room temperature

6 oz cream cheese, room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 tsp lime zest

2-3 teaspoon lime juice

1 tsp tequila (optional)

Green sanding sugar or edible glitter (optional)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until they are light and fluffy.  Slowly add sugar a little at a time, and remaining ingredients.  Beat well until smooth.  Frost cupcakes as desired and sprinkle with sanding sugar or edible glitter.

 A little finely grated lime zest will work as a decoration
if you don't have sanding sugar or glitter

Tools, Tips, and Techniques: Crystallized Honey

Have you ever taken your honey out of the cupboard only to find it has crystallized into a solid block?  Take off the lid and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds on high and it will turn liquid again. 

How many seconds will depend on how much honey is in the container and the power of your microwave.  Start with ten seconds, give it a little shake and continue with ten second increments until enough has turned liquid for your use.  The honey will eventually crystallize again, but you can just repeat the procedure next time you need it.  Even if the honey hasn't crystallized, I often do this when I just need a tablespoon or two for a recipe.  It is much easier to pour out of the jar when it is warm.