referencing the past to move forward....
Chef tips for your home kitchen-How to scoop flour properly
Did you know there is a theory on how to scoop flour? Why does it matter you ask? I will demonstrate the different ways people measure flour and the results.
1) First, start out with a scale and a clean bowl.
2) Put empty bowl on scale and zero out the scale.
3) The Scoop method: Scoop the flour using the measuring cup (not a liquid measuring cup). This method actually compacts the flour and you end up with more flour in your recipe than actually realize. The result may make baked goods too dry and overly thick sauces with you scrambling to figure out how to fix it. Notice the weight says 4.7 oz.
If you are baking, weighing out your ingredients is important.
4) The pour method: Use a spoon to pour the flour into the dry measuring cup. Level the top using a spatula or knife edge. The weight is 3.9 oz.
Coupon for Energy Bars
As you may or may not know, Voyaging Foods is partnering with Lanikai Juice to bring healthy food (and drink!) to the world. We are currently offering a coupon for 25 cents off of each Voyaging Foods Energy Bar you purchase from Lanikai Juice. Just print out this coupon for great savings!
Let's Compare: Gluten Free Pancake Mix
Let's say you're at the grocery store, you need pancake/biscuit mix and you're in the gluten-free section looking at the ample varieties of boxes and bags, and each of them is calling for your attention. How do you decide which to buy?
Here is a list of all the things you should consider to get the best value in terms of quality and sustained energy:
- nutrients
- servings
- serving size
- ingredients such as whole grains, types of sweeteners, etc
That may seem like a lot of things to evaluate, but once you get the hang of it, comparing products will be a piece of cake (gluten-free, of course). Today we are comparing our own Voyaging Foods Gluten Free Tarocakes Pancake Mix and a popular brand we found at our local health food store. You can see where we have highlighted some important facts and differences. Take a look at the chart and then you can decide for yourself.
VS 
|
|
GF Pancake Mix |
Voyaging Foods Tarocakes Gluten Free Pancake Mix |
|
Highlights |
Wheat free, nut free, soy free |
Wheat free, nut free, soy free, corn free, aluminum free, no refined sugars, no added flavoring |
|
Weight |
15oz (425grams) |
10 oz |
|
Price |
$10.00 |
$16.00 |
|
Servings |
16 four-inch pancakes |
50 three-inch pancakes |
|
Price per Pancake |
$0.63 |
$0.32 |
|
Serving Size |
53 grams or 2 pancakes |
40 grams |
|
Price per Serving |
$1.26 |
$1.92 |
|
Organic ingredients |
No |
Yes |
|
Certified Gluten Free |
Yes |
Yes-Celiac Sprue Association |
|
Non-aluminated baking powder |
Not specified |
Yes |
|
Corn-free |
No |
Yes |
|
Fiber |
1 gram per serving |
9 grams per serving |
|
Iron |
4% Daily Value |
6% Daily Value |
|
Calcium |
2% Daily Value |
10% Daily Value |
|
Protein |
2 grams per serving |
3 grams per serving |
|
Sugar |
4 grams per serving, unspecified |
7 grams per serving, palm sugar (low-glycemic) |
|
Ingredients |
Whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, rice flour, sugar, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate), natural flavors, salt, xanthan gum. |
Organic gluten-free coconut flour, gluten-free Hawaiian Royal Ali’i taro powder (dried organic taro), organic palm sugar, non-alluminated baking powder (monocalcium phosphate, potato starch, potassium bicarbonate), Hawaiian sea salt. |
Recipe for a Self-Rising Gluten-Free Flour Mix
Voyaging Foods was created based on the ideal that we could make a unique gluten-free flour blend. And yes, it is very expensive to make because we source Hawaiian-grown Taro and make it here in the Hawaiian Islands. We believe there is no substitution for Hawaiian Taro. (see post about Hawaiian Taro)
Here's our recipe to make your own Self-Rising Gluten-free Flour mix
Combine in a large bowl:
1 cup Voyaging Foods Gluten-Free Special Blend
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (we like non-aluminated such as HAIN's) see Baking Powder post
1/2 teaspoon salt (we like Hawaiian sea salt)
Ingredients-Baking Powders-all the same?
Ingredients-nothing can be more confusing to consumers at the moment. "if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it". Names of ingredients are changing all the time, such as corn syrup to corn sugar, AminoSweet (the new name for apsartame), and MSG which can be hidden in a bunch of different names...check www.truthinlabeling.org to learn more.
In gluten-free baking, and most baking, baking powders are key. Baking powder is a leavening agent that cause batters to rise when baked.
Baking powder is essentially baking soda, cream of tartar (a bi-product of winemaking) and a "moisture absorbtion agent" which can be cornstarch (most often), potato starch (gluten-free) and wheat starch (not gluten-free).
Voyaging Foods chooses to always use a non-aluminated, corn-free baking powder. Did you know some baked goods and breads contain aluminum because of the baking powder? Some people prefer not to use baking powder with aluminum because they believe it gives food a metallic taste and because of specultations on the connection between aluminum intake and diseases such as Alzheimer's. We also choose to go corn-free since some of our customers have corn allergies.
A do-it-yourself baking powder recipe is:
2 parts cream of tartar
1 part baking soda
1 part arrowroot or potato starch
We sift our Voyaing Foods Special BlendTM all-purpose flour (www.voyagingfoods.com/shop) with baking powder to ensure uniformity.
Ingredients...let's get into it. Barcodes & labeling GMOs
Ingredients-do many people think that much about them? I do, and I am happy to attempt to break it down for those that don't-because it is confusing-and unfortunately, I think some companies like to keep it that way.
Personally, I don't like to be test ground for someone else's (food/plant scientists?) hypothesis in terms of changing a food's DNA-so don't try to sneak something "innovative" into my body-especially if it's main purpose is to withstand a chemical! We could get into labeling genetically modified organisms (GMOs) here but I'd like to take it further than that-and it puts the blame on the consumer. You really don't need them labeled unless you don't read the back side of the label-and in that case you already know there is GMOs in there anyway. But, if labeling them will bring the consumer an awareness to what GMOs are, then you have to start somewhere. But it sure seems like a lot of time and money is being wasted on fighting this labeling battle-but somehow I think that may be the point.
Did you know that fruit and vegetables are already labeled with the barcodes?
Organic produce has a five-digit number beginning with a 9. Organic bananas, for example, would be given the designation of 94011.
Conventional produce has a four-digit number beginning with a 3 or 4. Therefore, the number on conventionally grown bananas would be 4011.
Genetically engineered produce also has a five-digit number on the label and begins with an 8. Again, the number on genetically altered bananas would be 84011.
If you would like more information on how to avoid foods made with GMOs check out NonGMOShoppingGuide.com. There is an app too!
Michael Pollan, printed at bioneers.org, a great informative site for all questions you may have pertaining to your food. The link to the article is here: http://www.bioneers.org/programs/food-farming-1/articles-interviews/beyond-the-barcode-the-local-food-revolution
Ingredients are SO important to us-why?
Ingredients are very important to Voyaging Foods. We only source the best ingredients and I'd like to explain why and how I choose each ingredient. I created Voyaging Foods to put the value into food that does something good for your body.
I am a label reader-I'm talking about the backside of the product. I even go as far as to research what ingredients really are, how they are made and contact the companies that make them so I can get an idea of what I am feeding to my family. Most food companies develop their products benefiting the company first. For example, why are there preservatives in food? To add shelf life. Shelf life=benefit for the company-not you.
It takes quite a while to develop new recipes because we put a lot of energy into researching the ingredients that are. I use these ideals when developing recipes and choosing ingredients:
- nourishing
- includes organic whenever possible
- no preservatives
- no colors
- no synthetic ingredients
- low glycemic
- promotes prolonged energy rather than sugar crash
- whole foods/grains,
- we choose whole grain flours
- least amount of top allergens
- no corn-based ingredients (see starch & baking powder section)
- no nuts (except coconut)
- no soy products
- no dairy
- no wheat
- no gluten
Simple Gluten-free Soy Balsamic Slowcooker Chicken-Hawaiian style
Simple Gluten-free Soy Balsamic Slowcooker Chicken-Hawaiian style
Prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 6 hours
6 servings
ingredients:
3 lbs chicken (breasts and thighs)
1/2 chopped onion (we prefer Maui onion)
3/4 cups GF tamari (San-J organic gluten-free brand)
1/3 cups Balsamic vinegar
1/3 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons GF Worcestershire sauce (Wan Shan organic gluten-free brand)
2 whole bay leaves
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons cracked peppercorns
2 Tablespoons Taro Powder (Hawaiian Royal Ali'i brand from voyagingfoods.com)
1 Tablespoon Palm sugar
side dish: cooked brown rice (Lotus Foods brand) for each serving bowl.
chives for serving
Place chicken and onion in slow cooker. Pour GF tamari, balsamic vinegar, GF Worcestershire sauce, garlic and peppercorns into the slow cooker and stir to coat chicken. Add palm sugar, taro powder and chicken broth and incorporate. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
When finished pull the chicken into shreds. Serve over a bowl of brown rice and garnish with chives.
Hawaii eat local discussion. Part 5 tips and creative ideas
Tip 5) Play Grocery Geography. This will help you monitor your food purchases at the grocery store. We love our local grocery stores for the convenience and customer service. Bring a map (either local or national) and go on a geography lesson! Assign a child or family member the task of determining where your food purchases come from. Bring some produce stickers to match the origin of the food to the location on the map! At home research how and where you can make more local purchases.
Part 4. Eat local tips and creative ideas
At home I have started a menu calendar. It is a general plan but certainly not something set in stone. We have Meatless Monday’s, Italian Tuesdays, Slow cooker Wednesdays, Chinese Thursdays and BBQ Fridays. Local food Saturday! 
It seems easier to plug in dinner options especially if I am trying to incorporate some of our CSA and garden produce. A majority of these dinners are made in double portions so they can become lunch items which increase our “cost per meal” (similar to that all too familiar “cost-per-wear” the ladies apply to retail). More on this concept later....
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