Real Maple Syrup vs Pancake Syrup

Do you all remember early saturday mornings where you got up, popped your frozen waffles in the toaster and you reached for your favored Aunt Jemima or Log Cabin syrup to drench your warm waffles in? Those were the days weren't they? Well sadly I cant live so carefree anymore...especially when it comes to my diet. Also my taste have changed over the years and the super sweet "pancake syrups" make me feel like my teeth are rotting instantly. I have personally started using 100% pure maple syrups for pancakes, waffles, french toast and the like. I think it is less sweet and it gives me the satisfaction of knowing its pure maple syrup from an actual maple tree. Let us cross examine the usual suspects.
So here is the nutritional facts from Aunt Jemima's Original Pancake Syrup:

www.quitehealthy.com

So here you can see that with every quarter cup(4 tablespoons) worth of syrup you are adding on an additional 210 calories, 120mg of sodium, and 32g of sugar to your pancakes. Ingredients include: CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.  
Did you all think that all of these ingredients were necessary for pancake syrup? I dont even know what some of these ingredients are, and therefore deem it unnecessary for my personal consumption.


Now here is the light version my brother and mother refuse to give up so we keep it stocked at home. 

This lighter version is only 100 calories for the same serving size BUT it has 190g of sodium and contain 7grams less sugar. I am still concerned about the unrecognizable ingredients in this version as well but I will say this version may be favorable to those counting calories. 


Now here is what I started to buy from Trader Joes:

So this maple syrup does have a high calorie count per serving just as the Aunt Jemima original version and is higher than the others with actual sugar per serving But there is only 10mg of sodium. Also you can be sure you are eating something pure just as your great grandparents and grandparents ate. Just as the label says there is nothing artificial and no preservatives. 
To end this all I can say is the decision is yours. The corn industry says there is nothing wrong with high fructose corn syrup but I am sceptical of those statements. If you are only concerned with numerical data for your diet then the Aunt Jemima light may be your best bet but for those of you like myself that may be trying to get on the clean eating train...switching to all natural maple syrup is the way to go. I also know some of you may be concerned with the cost. The high cost of real maple syrup is what kept me from buying it regularly for years but this bottle I bought from Trader Joes was only about $5. If you want to go ultra maple gourmet and are willing to spend upwards of about $18,  there are all different kinds of syrups available at local greenmarkets and natural markets that you can try out. There are even natural berry syrups or artisan/gourmet honey that you can switch out for maple syrup on your favorite breakfast treats. If you all have any questions on where to look for these items in the Brooklyn/New York City area don't hesitate to drop me a line. 

Back to Reality

Maracas Bay Trinidad W.I

Its been soo long since we talked to each other. Well I am sorry but I can explain my absence. I was in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for carnival. I was down there for two and a half weeks having the time of my life, I mean I always have fun in Trinidad. Along with going to a million parties and playing mas I always get to eat great food. Heres the bad part though...I forgot my blasted camera battery home and didn't get it until carnival friday when my sister came down, so theres no pictures but here are some of the food places I tried and a little bit about them.

El Pecos - I went to the location at 68 Aripita Avenue in Woodbrook. The style of this place is a buffet where they weigh your food by the pound. There is lots to choose from especially if your a meat eater such as various barbecued and stewed meats. There was only barbecued fish that I could choose from and I paired that with some vegetable fried rice and fries(I know what a combo). The food was average but tasty. I wouldn't go out my way to eat there but if your hungry its a nice place to get a quick bite. Theres not too much seating so if its a rush period seats may be scarce. Overall the place is clean, centrally located in the action, quick service, and many tasty options. I give my eating experience there a 7 out of 10.

Sweetlime Restaurant - I went to the location on the corner of French St and Aripita Avenue. I eat at this restaurant regularly when I'm in Trinidad. In this trip alone I ate there three times! This is a mid level restaurant with great ambiance that's good for families, groups, and dates.  Its located in a very accessible part of port of spain on a main avenue that has tons of  bars, casinos, and places to hang out. The service is at the better side of what I would expect in Trinidad and the hostess that was on duty for the carnival season(the girl with the locs) was friendly and professional. The food goes above and beyond my expectations as always with something on the menu for everyone. Some of the nights I was there they had live entertainment and karaoke. I give Sweetlime a 9 out of 10.

Patraj Roti - I had always heard of Patraj Roti shop on Tragerete Road in St. James for years but had never made it there and then last I heard their shop had burned down and reopened. While in St. James handling business I passed their shop and decided to stop in take a look at the new digs and try out the food. From what I've gathered this is one of those famous tourist-ty food places in Trinidad so I walked in expecting some sub-par roti but I was pleasantly surprised. First off the establishment was air conditioned, the ordering area was spacey and clean, and the line was short. The menu had several options to choose from, any kind of curry you could think of. I ordered buss up shut(paratha roti) with curry potato and channa with curry shrimp. I can honestly say it was the best best best curry I have tasted! The curry was seasoned to perfection. The seating area is clean and there is a sink area that you can wash your hands before you dig into the curry. I love the roti at Patraj and would definitely return, I give Patraj Roti a 8 out of 10.

Mr Chows Smokehouse - I heard about this place the entire carnival and the night of jouvert me and some friends went out to try it. The place is like a Trinidad Habana Outpost in that its mainly a food truck parked in a space with a drinks/condiments area and a basic seating area. This is a place to go for a quick bite on the run but not to actually sit down and eat. I ordered the grilled shrimp with fries and mashed potato salad(which is cold mashed potatoes, bleh!), I was completely underwhelmed and don't think the food was worth the money at all. My entire crew felt the same way about their food and vowed not to return. The food also took very long to come. I don't have much good to say outside of I give them kudos for carrying fish and shrimp items on the menu and being in an accessible location. I would only return if it was my only option for food at a late hour, with that said I give Mr Chows Smokehouse on Tragarete Road a 5 out of 10.

*** Notation 3/21/11
Japs Fried Chicken - I stopped at this place on my way to pick up my sister from the airport carnival friday. I had always heard about how great Japs food is and alongside their famous fried chicken they also have fried fish that is to die for. The line was on the long side and the fish would take a few extra minutes to come out but I was willing to wait. I must say that the wait was definitely worth it for the fish and chips. The chips were nothing out of the ordinary but the fish had the perfect golden brown color, crispy texture, and fresh seasonings that took the fish to another level. I definitely would recommend anyone to eat at Japs because it a LOCAL fast food restaurant that is completely rooted in Trinidad and Tobago. My only complaint with Japs is that majority of the locations are in the eastern corridor of the island so its a trek for people outside of those areas, especially tourist who may be concentrated in the Port of Spain area. I give Japs a delicious 9 out of 10!

I did eat at way more places but nowhere that wasn't reviewed already or out of the ordinary. I hope that you all enjoyed the reviews and if your ever in Trinidad that you decide to try out the various delicacies they have to offer.
 

Mocha Caramel Brownies

When you have tons of leftover ingredients from past baking experiments what do you do? Do you throw it away or choose to turn it into something new....I definitely choose the latter. I had some caramel sauce leftover from christmas and chocolate leftover from valentines day. I decided that the easiest thing would be to make some brownies and swirl the caramel in...nothing innovative just simply yummy goodness. I used my favorite brownie recipe and added 1tbsp of espresso powder and swirled in my homemade salted caramel. For this recipe you can simply use store bought caramel sauce but if you want the recipe I used just email me.

Mocha Caramel Brownies

8tbsp unsalted butter

5oz semi sweet chocolate

1 tbsp espresso powder

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup caramel sauce

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper foil

- Melt chocolate and butter in large sauce pot ove low heat.

- When chocolate and butter is melted, add sugar and espresso powder to the same sauce pot and whisk until combined.

-Whisk in eggs one at a time followed by vanilla and salt

- Finally whisk in flour until mixture is smooth and uniform

- Pour brownies into prepared pan and then add dollops of caramel sauce on top of different sections of the pan.

- Use a butter knife to swirl the caramel throughout the brownie mixture.

- When your finished swirling put your brownies in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

- Prepare a sheet pan with ice an leave to the side.

- When brownies are finished sit the pan on top of an ice bath and allow to cool and then cut as desired.

Orzo Pasta with Broccoli

When you first look at it you may think the tiny pellets are rice but they are actually little pasta noodles. I cant recall the first time I had orzo but from the first time I ate it, its been a staple in my home. Orzo can be cooked in boiling water like most any pasta or done in a pilaf method which is my favorite. For this orzo recipe the ingredient list is simple just orzo pasta, salt, pepper, vegetable bouillon cubes, stock/broth, broccoli, grapeseed/olive oil, and additional water.

The Dream Team

This recipe is really simple and hearty, especially if you sprinkle on some grated parmesan or romano cheese it can easily become the main course at dinner. If broccoli isn't your thing you can easily replace it with spinach or any vegetable of your choice. Just make sure and adjust cooking times accordingly.

Orzo Pasta with Broccoli

1lb orzo pasta

4tbsp grapeseed oil

1tbsp butter

1 shallot minced

1/2 bulb garlic, peeled and minced

1qt vegetable stock

1 vegetarian bouillon cube

20 oz fresh or frozen chopped broccoli 

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan (optional)

- Set large saucepan over medium/high fire and add in oil and butter.

- add shallots and garlic to pan, sauté for 2 minutes

- add in orzo pasta and sauté for an additional minute

- add in stock and bouillon cube, lower heat to medium/low

- cover pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes

- add in broccoli, salt, pepper, and replace cover, add in additional water in necessary

- let cook on low until done.

Quick Tips - Reconstituting Bread

You ever buy or bake a loaf of bread and have it for a day or two and it gets aerated and hard? Sometimes  that happens to me and I used to microwave it for a few seconds but I decided that there must be a way to get it as soft as the day it was baked. When I bought a sourdough loaf to make tuna sandwiches last week from trader joes it got a bit hard after a few days but I didn't want to throw it out so i decided to soften it a bit and get a toasty crust at the same time. Heres how I did it:

1- I took a skillet pan and set it over low heat. Then I took my slices of bread and drizzled a mix of grapeseed oil and water onto one side. You don't need to drench it just sprinkle about a tablespoon amount of water/oil mix for each slice. Also If you don't have Grapeseed or olive oil you can spray the slices with cooking spray and drizzle on the water.

Bread on the pan.

2 - While the bread is in the skillet the low heat will and the water in the bread will create steam to soften the bread. The oil will give your toasted bread a nice crust and additional flavor. Touch the bread and if the softness is to your liking you can raise the heat to allow the bread to toast. Flip you bread to toast the other side if desired and remove from heat. Enjoy!

Yum!

Brussel Sprouts with Vinegar Glazed Red Onions

Brussel Sprouts often get a bad rap from people even before they try the actual vegetable. I thank kid shows and movies for that! I had it in my head that brussel sprouts was the worst tasting thing in the world thanks to the countless jokes that I heard on  TV.  I tasted brussel sprouts for the first time a few years ago in my culinary one class. To my surprise they were good similar in flavor to cabbage. I have been cooking brussel sprouts at home ever since. Brussel sprouts  can be cooked in a variety of ways like most vegetables but my favorite is to steam them and then saute them quickly. Along with being a quick meal brussel sprouts are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and dietary fiber. I'm thinking its time you all get with me and try them out, and to make this even better...its their peak season until February! For my Brooklyn readers Brussel Sprouts are available at most Asian/Caribbean markets for under $1.50 a pack(which serves two people). Here is my take on the popular martha stewart recipe:

Brussel Sprouts with Vinegar Glazed Red Onions

1 lb Brussel Sprouts, cored and cut in half

1tbsp unsalted butter 

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small red onion, cut in medium dice

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

- Set Bamboo Steam over boiling hot water**.

- Place Brussel sprouts in Steam baskets, cover and let cook until brussel sprouts turn bright green and soften.

- Remove sprouts from steam basket and set in bowl.

- In large saute pan over medium heat  melt butter and olive oil.

- Add onions and balsamic vinegar to oil and cook until onions soften and vinegar is reduced.

- Toss brussel sprouts into onion mixture. 

- Adjust flavor with salt and pepper.

- Serve immediately.

** I like to steam my veggies to retain maximum nutrients but if you don't own a steamer you can flash cook your sprouts by cooking them in boiling water for a few minutes until they turn bright green, and then placing in a pan filled with with cold water to cool.

Repurposing For A Better Planet

Repurposing means to give an already used product a new life by finding another use for it. Repurposing is nothing new within the green movement but it is now building momentum among regular joes. Repurposing can mean planting a garden in an old childhood wagon, making a patchwork throw out of old pieces of clothing, using plastic bags as packing sponge, pieces of scrap wood being turned into a dog/bird house, or turning old cans and boxes into pieces of art. With repurposing the possibilities are infinite! The most unique I have seen thus far would be flowers planted within an old tube television and a garden planted in the cups of and old bra. Giving old products a new life gives you a creative outlet and a activity to bring together friends, family, and the community. Also just think that every product you reuse means one less product in a landfill and that is is great news for our earth. Growing up in a Caribbean household I never thought of reusing something as repurposing...it was just a way of life. When candles in glass jars finished we stored thing is them, when biscuit tins were empty recipes were kept in them, and old bottles were kept through the year to store punche creme or sorrel for Christmas.

 Here are a few things that have been repurposed in the kitchen:

An old pie weight jar used for homemade peppersauce.

Hot Chocolate Tins...I love the retro look!

Now they hold homemade vanilla sugar and Canella Cinnamon my mom brought from Trinidad.

Along with these I have old jars holding various spices, an old pitcher as a pot spoon holder, and a old cracker tin to plant my flowers.
Here are some other cool examples of repurposing I found online:

lampsplus.com

poetichome.com

Huzzahvintage.blogspot.com

I hope you all take a moment to see if something in your home can be given a new life before you throw it away so that along with saving yourself money you help preserve our planet.                                                                                            

Vegan Jello

vegandaily.com

Most people associate that wobbly, see through, gel like dessert with the brand name Jell-o.  I grew up on Jello and it held a special place in my heart until I went vegetarian. Being vegetarian meant no more meat products which in turn meant no more gelatin. The most widely used form of gelatin in food products throughout the United States is derived from cow bones, pig skins and other animal parts. Since that is the main ingredient in Jell-o I chose not to eat it anymore. I went vegetarian in 2003 and from then until mid last year I never had anything resembling Jell-o. While on a shopping trip in Trader Joe's I came across the natural gel cups in difference fruit flavors which boast being vegan, gluten free, and fat free. I decided to give it a try saying that if they didn't taste good I could always get my money back. I am happy to report that they tasted just as good as regular Jello, so my vegan and vegetarian people may rejoice now!
The substitute for cow gelatin in these gel cups is carrageenan which is the gelatinous extract of the seaweed plant. Along with carrageenan the color for the gel cups are plant derived and sweetened with natural cane sugar. If you are looking to infuse your diet with more all natural products or if your a vegetarian/vegan looking to find some childhood memories in a cup you should look no further than Trader Joe's Natural Gel Cups. The gel cups come in several flavors including, peach-mango and black cherry, retail price is $2.49.

As Healthy As A Cookie Can Get...Whole Grain Chocolate Surprise Cookies

Its mid January and this is the time that people start to lapse on their resolutions a bit and get back into old bad habits. Since I am pretty much determined not to do that but still want to maintan a normal life and eat the things I love I will be trying to find the balance between good and bad in the foods I love to eat. Instead of completely giving up cookies maybe  theres a way to make them a bit healthier. I tried my experiment out on my beloved Chocolate Surprise Shortbread Cookies. I switched around a few ingredients and prayed to the baking gods that It would come out edible. To my surprise the cookies came out really tasty! My sister noted that they tasted considerably "healthier" but that they were good. So enough about how they came out let me tell you about the ingredients switch. I used majority brown sugar instead of white granulated and then I swapped out some of the regular all purpose flour for some whole grain oat flour which is way better for you in terms of having more fiber and vitamins per serving. Heres the proof.

less calories but less fiber and vitamins

 

 

 

Take a moment to compare the amount of fiber and vitamins

Also note the serving size you can have 1/3 cup oat flour instead of a measly 1/4 cup all purpose, it'll cost you 20 calories but dont forget your getting more fiber and vitamins. Now for the chocolate...instead of the semi sweet bar I baked with last time I opted for a 85% cocoa Green and Blacks Organic chocolate bar.

Sorry for the crinkled look, I balled it up to throw out and forgot I didn't take a pic.

This was originally bought as a stocking stuffer for me from my mom for Christmas but this isnt your average dark chocolate, its one of the most intense chocolates I've tasted containing almost no sugar. Although I'm no stranger to Green & Blacks or dark chocolate, this was a bit much for me so I opted to use it in my baking instead. I broke the chocolate into its precut pieces and kept in the fridge until I was ready to add them to the cookie dough.

Freezer cookie balls note the darker color from the brown sugar and oat flour!

I followed  the same procedure for rolling the balls except that I didn't leave the finished balls to chill on a sheet pan, I stored the cookie balls in a bowl in the freezer for a couple minutes to cool.
When the cookies went to bake I noticed that they didnt spread as much as the original batch which is more than likely due to me switching the majority of white sugar for brown sugar, which in my opinion doesn't spread as easily. To correct that problem I just used a spatula to flaten out the cookies a bit. After the cookies cooled a bit and I bit into them I was delighted that they came out perfect...intense chocolate flavor, crunchy outside, chewy inside, and a hint of sweet. I hope you all enjoy!

Whole Grain Chocolate Surprise Cookies

makes 20 cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup oat flour

2 oz dark chocolate broken into 20 pieces

1. Combine sugar and butter in mixer until fluffy, add in vanilla and beat for one more minute
2. Add in flours and mix on medium low until combined.
3. Using a cookie scoop or your hand, scoop half of the dough you need for one cookie, add a piece of chocolate to the center then cover with some more dough to finish the cookie.
4. Continue shaping out all your cookies and lay them on a sheet pan or bowl to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes or freezer for 5 minutes.
5. While the cookies are in the fridge preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare your baking pan. (if you have a large enough fridge you can lay you cookie balls to chill on the sheet you will bake it on)
6. After 15 minutes have passed remove your cookies from the fridge and bake in the oven until cookies are browned on the edges, about 15 minutes.
7. remove pan from oven but don't remove cookies right away, allow cookies to sit for about a minute to firm up and then remove with a spatula.
8. Cool cookies on a rack and then move to cookie jar or container.

Fish Pasta

Fish Pasta..Deelish!

You ever overcooked and had leftovers for days on end? Well sometimes that happens in the Pink Room kitchen...we get all hot and bothered with a recipe, make tons of it, then cant finish all before we get sick of it. Sometime after Christmas we fried some king fish but never got to finish it all and I couldn't bear to eat it the same way that I had been for the past few days so I wanted to make a completely new dish out of it. I know some of you are looking at the screen like "did she just say she had that fish for a few days??" I can assure you there wasn't anything wrong with the fish and if you buy fish on the regular you know how expensive it is, so letting it go to waste wasn't an option. I decided that making some kind of sauce and boiling some pasta would be the tastiest option for the fish. I wasn't really to sure how it would taste since I was using king fish which is a fish with a very outstanding flavor but you can use any thick cut fish that you have on hand. Also if you would like to make this recipe healthier just substitute regular pasta for whole grain pasta. This recipe wasn't hard to make and was ready in about half an hour and it was such a delicious meal. I recommend serving with a light salad and your favorite wine. Enjoy!

Fish Pasta

16oz linguine or spaghetti, cooked, with 1/4 cup pasta water reserved

3 large tomatoes, cut medium dice

1 medium onion, small dice

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp Italian herb blend

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

3 tbsp olive or grapeseed oil

2 tbsp tomato paste

 1lb fish, cooked and broken into chunks

- When pasta is finished boiling make sure to toss pasta with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Place large saute pan on top of medium heat, add in oil and proceed to saute garlic and onions until no longer opaque.
- Add in tomato paste and herbs, stir vigorously
- Add in tomatoes, fish, red pepper flakes, and pasta water, stir
- Lower heat and cover your pot and let it simmer for about 7-10 minutes
- When sauce reaches desired thickness, toss in your noodles and turn off the stove
- Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper, top with fresh parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese if desired
- Serve immediately

Trader Joes Reduced Guilt Kettle Chips

I just want to say that no one and I mean no one loves uber crunchy kettle cooked chips more than me! Since I was in grade school I "nommed"away at salty Deli brand chips and as all the major snack food manufacturers jumped on the kettle cooked chip wagon I decided it was my duty as an American citizen to try out every last kind I could get my hands on. Most left me dissapointed and some bamboozled me, like the UTZ brand "Grandma UTZ" chips that are fried in LARD!!!  Oh the horror...but anyway I do have some faves which include the Archer Farms varieties at Target and UTZ Natural Kettle chips. My problem with kettle chips is the grease and anyone thats eats them knows that you can moisturize your body with your fingers after dipping into a bag. My brother has seen me going hard trying to cut calories so I guess he felt sorry for me and decided to pitch in on my efforts and buy some snacks for me and my sister. My favorite out of the numerous snacks that he hauled in was the reduced guilt kettle cooked chips from TJ's. The package boast that their chips have "33% less fat than regular potato chips." I havent played inspector gadget and went about conducting actual research but I will continue eating these chips when I need a snack for a few simple reasons:

- My hands come out clean everytime
- I can recognize every single ingredient on the package...potatoes, sunflower oil, salt...THATS IT!
- No preservatives and no artificial stuff

You know what time it is people...make the switch.

Makin the switch: White Rice to Brown Rice

Cooked Brown Basmati Rice from Trader Joe's

Growing up in my house we usually used parboiled long grain rice....in fact that was the only rice I remember using. My mom was firmly against cooking plain white rice, her explanation was that it was to hard to digest and that that it didn't have any real nutrients. As a kid I just said whatever and ate what I was given but now that I am grown I realize she was completely right. White rice is brown rice on a starvation diet. White rice may be satisfying to some people but it completely lacks any true nutritional value as its stripped of  most anything good for you in the refining process. Not to say I haven't used white rice before...I have some on hand when I want to make traditional Spanish yellow rice but that is all I use it for. Now back to the brown rice...so I have had this long lasting love/hate journey with brown rice, either its taste like something I should use as compost or it cooked up way to mushy. I tried brown rice from every brand I saw in the supermarket or even the Asian grocer but it always left me disappointed and I would go running back to my parboiled rice. In an continuing effort to eat the healthiest that I can I have been trying to switch out many of the luxuriously rich, fatty food that I love for more waistline friendly versions, so even though parboiled ice isn't that bad for you I still wanted to get the most out of rice if I had to eat it which meant switching to brown rice. I know I know..I'm hearing your "blechs/yucks/ughhhs" from here but I want to tell you about another great Trader Joes find! I started using Trader Joes brand brown basmati rice, its easy to cook and fluffs up perfectly every time. TJ's brown basmati smells similar to their white variety and has the best taste of any brown rice I have eaten thus far.  I wont give you all a recipe because it depends on what amount you will be cooking and the instructions is on the package, but I will leave you with a few tips:

- You may need to add additional water to the pot to get your desired texture, only add in 1/4 cup intervals
- Keep your stove low after your initial boiling, boiling it straight through will result in a gooey texture
- add in bouillon cubes, olive oil, grapeseed oil, garlic, onions, thyme, and any variation of aromatics you like to enhance the flavor but keep an eye on the salt your adding in( I use rapunzel no salt Bouillin cubes from whole foods)

rightbynaturemarket.com