I don't know if this is a new product or an old product that I only just discovered, but let me say I love it already (and not just because their name is so close to ours!) Better Than Bouillon is a lovely, concentrated goop that packs more flavor (and significantly less sodium) than traditional bouillon cubes, but doesn't take up as much room as cans/boxes of the liquid stuff. Basically, you take about a teaspoon of the BTB goop - the texture makes it difficult to measure precisely - and mix with a cup of boiling water/add with a cup of boiling water to make a cup of stock. So, the 8 ounce can that you can get at Trader Joe's for $2.99!, makes 48 cups, or about 12 boxes worth, of broth.
Around this time of year, I do a lot of cooking that involves broth (soups, casseroles, tagines, gravy) so it's fabulous to have this much of it on hand, without having to keep 12 boxes in our already-rather-cramped cabinets. And it's cheaper, too. The other cool thing? While it comes in all the usual flavors (chicken, beef and vegetable), they also have lobster, clam, chili, mushroom AND there are organic and vegan versions of each. Might have to get those through the website, though.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Product plug: Better than Bouillon
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Chocolate Milk
Okay, so I'm not a huge milk drinker, never have been. But, I work at Starbucks now and I like my flavored steamers/lattes (soy milk with caramel syrup? delicious!). Anyway, chocolate milk's always been a mixed bag for me--on the one hand, chocolate! On the other hand, ewww, milk...and triple ewww, the sludge on the bottom from a Quick or whatever.
So today, at Whole Foods, I saw what looked like chocolate milk for adults. Made with real ingredients (and no, not that boxed Horizon organic stuff)...in a GLASS bottle. I was made even more interested when an employee had some for his break and the check-out clerk told us how good it is.
So, I tried it. I mean, I don't like milk, but I should drink it. Chocolate milk's usually disappointing in the US (ever have coffee milk in Europe? Yum!). Well, this stuff was GREAT. I got the 2%, and it was sooo good. Chocolatey, but smooth, no sludge, just a great drink.
So, yes, I heartily endorse Promised Land Dariy products--I had the chocolate midnight 2% milk.
It also pairs well with some Bailey's Irish cream, if you're curious.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
The Lärabar
In my never-ending obsession with bars, I finally had a Lärabar. I like the idea of Lärabar: all ingredients are in their "whole, natural state" - un-cooked, un-processed, no preservatives, nothing that we can't pronounce. Since the bodega supplied no other choice but the Ginger Snap variety, I gave it a whirl. I do love gingersnap cookies.
Ingredients: dates, almonds, pecans, ginger, cinnamon, cloves (yep, that's it)
Nutritional data
Calories - 220
Total Fat - 13g (1g saturated)
Fiber - 5g
Sugars - 18g
Cholesterol - 0g
Sodium - 0mg
Total Carbs - 22g
Protein - 5g
Notable Vitamins (% of daily intake) - Vitamin E (15%), Magnesium (15%), Maganese (50%)
It's a bit high in fat & calories for my preference for a bar, since I eat bars mostly as snacks. However, the fat & calories come from the nuts and the natural fruit sugar, which is certainly better than a whole lot of other foods with comparable nutritional data. It's also notable that the bar provides 1g of Omega-3 and 3g of Omega-6 fatty acids. I like the high fiber content and the lack of sodium.
Though it's not the most attractive thing in the world, the taste was quite good, in that wholesome-hippie-food kind of way. A bit heavy on the cloves, so there was a good kick to these. I'd have another flavor, in a hunger pinch, but I think I'd rather stick to Luna Bars.
