Kashi Goodness

Eating food that's both tasty and good for you can be tricky.It's hard to find a manufacter that can provide flavor and nutrition ,yet Kashi comes to the rescue here.From breakfast to a small snack ,this company can give you healthy and fun food. the best part is that there are a lot of choices and good ones at that too. Kashi first started in crunchy granola SouthernCalifornia byLa Jolla couple Phil andGayleTauber.They started with Kashi Breakfast Pilaf ,a morning mix of different grains and natural sweeteners.They followed it a year later with a kind of puffed cereal.Now you can buy their instant oatmeal, which unlike other instant varieties, has the added goodness of flaxseed to it.They even make waffles both in their seven grain and blueberry kinds.Kashi has also entered the main entree market as well. Their frozen foods range from Italian to Mexican to Asian. there is a three cheese penne to aMayanharvest bake.For those who want a healthier Chinese then try their lemongrass coconut or sweet and sour chicken.They laso have steamed meals which are even better for you. the ingredients are not only heart healthy but tongue tasty too.There's everything from a spinach and artichoke pasta to an Italian veggie medley pasta.They also have awiderange of all natural pizzas,ranging from Margherita to the ultra trendy BBQ chicken. Kashi also has some awesome cookies and snacks.Their dark chocolate chip cookies are not only tasty but good for you.There's the usual seven grains,along with oatmeal and evaporated cane syrup.Wildflower honey is laso added for a slight sweetness. there are laso crackers and pita chips in sorts of sweet and savory flavors.You can serve these to the kids as a between meal snack orto guests as hor d' ouevres.The flavors range from honey sesame and toasted Asiago for the crackers and the zesty salsa, and sea salt seven grain along with garlic pesto for the pita chips.There are also snack bars that look like decadent candy bars but are in fact chock full of theTauber's usual seven grains.These come in the lower calorie Golean or the regular.The first is chocolate dipped in a full of antioxidants dark chocolate.The other is plain but still delicious. if you want tasty plus healthy, then go over to the Kashi line..They offer everything from breakfast to pizzas,from cookies to crackers.Switch over to them now for a healthy and fun diet.

Craft Beers Yet Another Controversy

Artisan beers may be the hippest drinks right now however there's always a fight about them. This time its' how they're bottled. Beer has always been served in smaller bottles unlike wine and since the last few decades in cans. Now they're coming in larger containers, much to the chagrin and dislike of beer lovers.

The New York Times Dining Section wrote about it in yesterday's paper with newcomer ,Clay Risen weighing in on the topic. Most beer bottles now are almost as big as wine bottles. This is fine if you're sharing a beer with a date or with friends. However unlike a Merlot or Chablis , you can't cork it and bring it home with you. Even many  craft beer store owners such as Ben Granger have problems with this. People won't buy the larger beers so they sit on the shelves  and collect dust, more or less.Six packs are still the big seller and probably will be , despite their usual taste

Others , namely brewery owners disagree.This is the case with Bruery , a California beer manufacturer,located in Placentia. The director of marketing,Ben Weiss, believes that people will open up a milliliter of beer to share with friends.These are fancy beers, not Buds or even Sam Adams The brews are made with cacao nibs and honey. They're meant to be opened for a group or a few served at a party with fancy wines and champagnes. Yet as most beer fans point out , beer is just that.It's not as frilly as wines and won't have the connoisseur following that they've always  had already
Should beer be put into larger bottles like wine? Yes, if it's a fancy artesanal one. It would go well , not at restaurants but at parties where a bigger format would be more appreciated.

Winter Pickles

Pickling is usually a summer activity. It's an easy way to deal with extra veggies , especially with all kinds of cucumbers. However you can also pickle in the winter too, with root veggies . It  creates not only an interesting side but also a fun and different appetizer at parties too.

It was the subject of an article(and a really great informative video) in today's New York Times Dining section,Melissa Clark of A Good Appetite took radishes, the traditional kind and a cool melon looking one Radishes make the best pickles during this time of year because they're watery and are able to absorb the juices. She then sliced them and pickled them in an interesting Korean influenced brine.The added hot flakes gave it more zing than a usual kind.

This is an easy recipe for anyone .You can be more truer to form and add some anchovies or Korean fish sauce.vegans can leave that out and rely on the hot pepper  for extra flavor.Without the sauce it;s basically a dry brine with the  radishes tossed and then "marinated" in diced garlic and ginger.the pepper has to be flakes ,Using powdered may give you very fiery kind of pickles and may make for some dangerous eating For a hint of citrus , Ms. Clark added a bruised lemon grass stalk but you can also added kaffir lime leaves too.

This may not be the time for fresh pickles yet if you want them ,make them.This pickled radish recipe is the perfect one for pickle lovers as well as for those who want to liven up their late winter meals.These are easy to make and easy to love, thanks to their fire and and spice.

Hackensack's Heritage Diner

Hackensack, New Jersey has always had a lot of heritage and that inludes it's diner also called The Herirtage. this is Bergen County's oldest diner yet thanks to new ownership ,it's as fresh as waver. The diner is literally surrounded by history.It is near the Bergen County Courthouse near the church where the British raided during the American Revolution.The spot itself was where the first Hackensack Bus station was and has been there since the mid 1950's.The food ,despite the long list of owners has always been good.It was always featuring the salad bar alone with the kid's menu.It was known for it's burgers and fries,along with it's platter sized onion rings.(note order these if you're with three other people because of their mega size).They are also have good grilled cheese ,with the bread being grilled and buttery on both sides. of course the diner is known for the American classic , the giant cookie and they have several different kinds from oatmeal to sugar along with chocolate chip The Heritage has sophisticated meal as well.It has one of the truest to recipe French onion so.completevwith a crunchy slice of French bread and covered in cheese.It's also served in a good sized crock where as some eateries serve it in a bowl.The Heritage features a vast variety of cuisines as well.Thie dim sum is better than any Chhinese restaurant in the local area and it serves excellent nachos and cheese.It also has good Yankeee food like steak , bean soup and melt lof.You can have your lunch oe dinner with a drink but many just stick with soda or the Heritage's excellent fresh brewed tea.

Small Pastas, Big Ideas

Everyone thinks pasta should be long and stringy nor square and chewy to be delicious. That's not necessarily true.Some of the best pasta dishes require the smaller kinds.These are usually made of the same flour but are cut smaller.They still PAC the same taste whether in bowl of sauce or bowl of soup. There are several different kinds of mini or little pastas.Elbow macaroni is probably the most popular and also the most used .These curved little tubes are usually used in the summer ,drenched in mayo and covered with carrot sliced and celery bits .However elbow macaroni is also good with a tangy tomato sauce and makes a fun lunch for kids.Ditalini ,literally meaning little fingers inItalian are another tasty little pasta.It'sone of the ingredients in pasta efagiole and is a chewy , perfect with the soup's other signature ingredient chick peas. Orzo ,usually considered "Greek pasta" is a rice like pasta that can be used hot or cold.Orzo is goods pilaf and can accompany chicken kabobs or even lamb.You can also make salad with it as well.Create a Greek style, using feta cheese along with chopped onions and peppers along with a spice infused dressing.Pastina is another great mini pasta.It can mostly found in soups ,adding spark and flavor to simple beef,chicken and vegetable stock.Pastina can also be made with egg as a quick and healthy dinner.It can also be made with butter fora nice comfort meal or even snack. Small pastas can pack a big punch.Use them in a variety dishes from snacks to dinners.Try them for a huge burst of flavor.

The Mystery of Mung Beans

Most Americans don't have a clue as to what mung beans are. Yet they make up an important part of Asian cooking.They are easy to integrate into American cooking and become a part of everyday dining.Not only  that  they're a fun way of itroducing the family to cook food.

Mung or moong beans orginally came from Siberia and went as far south as India.This was 3,500 hundred years ago and the beans also hit the Thai penisula,It is also known as green or golden gran and made into several dishes mostly in the Indian subcontinent,.You can find them in southern United States and dry regions of Southern Europe as well.Mostly they''re used in Indian cuisiine where they're eaten with every meal from breakfast to dinner,In China, they're used more as a dessert and ice cream. as in Indonesia.Mung beans are usually eaten as pancakes with ginger in Indian cooking where these can be served all day long.

Mung beans can also find their way onto American tables as well.Most are used in healthy soup and rice recipes.They're a good source of dietery fiber and can be made a variety of ways.Many cooks use them as extra beans in bean soup.There is also a stew recipe which includes potatoes along with onions.The mung beans serve as the protein instead of meat You can make the Indian style pancakes however it's a long process that involves three to four hours freezing time.It's bascially as easy as making cookie dough and then rolling it out to fry it.

Mung beans are a different and exotic ingredient that can be added to any meal. Try them in a traditional pancake. or better yet in soup and stews.They're healthy and good for you along with being tasty.

The Intrigue of Malaysian Cooking

Malaysia has always been  one of the world's most exotic places.With it comes a variety of food just as exotic.There are chilies and spices along with different ways of prepping food. It creates a new way of eating and cooking Southeastern Asian.

Malaysia is covers the southernmost part of the Thai peninsula and the northernmost part of Indonesia.Its' influence is Chinese and Indian with other countries thrown in Malaysian cooking has influences of both its' major cultures..Rice is a huge staple there and it's usually steamed with coconut milk and then served with  fried anchovies, peanuts, eggs sliced cucumber and a spicy chili pate. this is called sambai and is one of the country's  national dishes.Noodles and the Indian breads are also popular and are served with a variety of meats. Unless other Asian countries, the Malaysians use every kind of fish and fowl along with beef and goat available. Spices are generously used here and thy are usually turmeric , chiles and garlic. along with tamarind and aromatic herbs.

Malaysians have also give the world's best exotic fruits. They're responsible for lychees and mangos along with guavas along with the mangosteen or the "Queen of Fruits".Coconuts is also widely used both in main meals and desserts.Both India and Java influence the pastries,There is an Indian dish that involves  jaggery ,unrefined brown sugar and mixed with coconut and rice noodles.Malaysians celebrate holidays and probably their birthdays with sticky rice cakes in brown sugar.They also have moon cakes which are big in the Chinese Moon festival.

Malaysian cooking is as varied and delicious and the groups of people who make up the area.it can be spicy and sweet or savory and herbed.It represents a whole range of cultures that blend together beautifully.