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softbiker · 5 years

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Steve Rogers Oneshot

Warnings: maybe a bad word or two? I forget, sorry

Summary: If it’s green, it’s healthy. Nobody tell Steve otherwise.

Word count: ~2k (oops my hand slipped)

A/N: This was supposed to be a very short drabble based on a conversation I had with @kentuckybarnes last night...and then I don’t know this happened. Anyways! This is a little gift for @nacho-bucky , who deserves all the extra whip; the story features her character Agent 41, as well as a brief appearance by @kentuckybarnes Agent 28! A “reader” character may or may not make an appearance ;) Enjoy!

He hasn’t said so out loud - not yet - but Steve is really proud of her. She’s been doing really great this time around. Really, really great.

After last year’s health kick ended (sometime around the holidays, even the heroes stop caring), everyone’s diets slid back to a state of normal that was…somewhat shy of their (read: Steve’s) original goals. Sugary cereals and waffles dripping in syrup and butter; everyone having their own pint of Ben & Jerry’s in the freezer; Sam and 41 insisting on an extensive comparison of all available delivery pizza, often side-by-side taste tests that led to multiple pizzas devoured each night.

Steve gave them a warning this time, 4 weeks in advance. It would be hard to jump right in and change their habits on January 1, since they’d be up late partying the night before, and then of course there were the holiday leftovers, etc etc. So he’d give them some time to mentally prepare.

“Mark your calendars, guys,” he warned, eyebrows arched, Captain Six-Pack posed in the community kitchen. “We’re cleaning up this kitchen - starting February 1st.”

A month of healthy eating - but he picked the shortest month, so he was going easy on them, right?

Like before, he had worried a little about their agent with the biggest sweet tooth. Poor thing, 41 had nearly had a breakdown last time, and Steve thought she might hate him forever. It was probably a close call. But she made it through the first time around, and February is only 28 days anyway. Well, 29 this year.

She took it like a champ. Met his announcement with quirked brows and an amused glance in Clint’s direction, but no more wailing and gnashing of teeth than the rest of the team. Bucky had watched them over his steaming mug of coffee, secret smile around his mouth.

“You know,” 28 piped up from across the island. “It might be a good idea to cut back on caffeine, too. It is an addictive substance.”

Bucky’s eyes had twitched, big knuckles flexing as his hand tightened on the mug.

“Come back with a warrant,” he grumbled. 41 giggled behind her hand and patted his shoulder. Steve just rolled his eyes.

Fast forward a few weeks, just over halfway through this little challenge, and he has to admit that she’s really leaned into the healthy lifestyle. More so than last time; in fact, she’s the one in the kitchen, night after night, iPad poised with a healthy recipe from Pinterest. Everything she’s made has been damn good - he always goes back for seconds. And she’s the first to volunteer to go for grocery runs for the team, dashing off to Whole Foods and the farmer’s market, a triumphant return with a beaming smile and arms full of lush, colorful produce.

Feeling accomplished, and not a little proud of his leadership skills, Steve decides they’ve earned a little treat. Just a little one.

Modern coffee and Steve Rogers have struck a deal - he’ll pipe down about price margins and inflation, as long as they continue to deliver strong, kick-you-in-the-teeth flavor. He loves a mean cup of joe, bitingly bitter, with only the occasional splash of milk to soften the harsh taste in his mouth. Coffee was scarce during the war, desperate rationing pared down the drink to little more than brown water, drunk from a helmet while he crouched down next to Buck in a foxhole. He’ll dig a little further in his wallet for something stronger than that.

He’s familiar with the Starbucks down the block from the tower, having stopped in several times after runs with Bucky and Sam; they haven’t been in a while - a part of his health initiative includes less eating out and more making their own food and drinks. But it’s just coffee. And coffee has plenty of health benefits - he was just reading an article this morning about studies on the preventative effects of caffeine in dementia patients. Not that his brain cells are likely to be affected, but still.

Coffee it is.

41’s eyes light up when they walk in the door, a chorus of “Hello!” and “Welcome to Starbucks!” greeting them from behind the bar. She can smell the syrup in the air, blenders whirring double chocolatey chip frappuccinos with extra mocha drizzle and - what did the menu say? A…caramel ribbon crunch? Yum.

Steve Rogers is a purist in terms of coffee. The concept of frappuccinos and white chocolate mochas makes him want to roll his eyes a little. But he doesn’t make the rules - and hey, the people who invented this are raking in profits, so it looks like they’ve got the right idea.

Clint’s got his arms around 41 from behind, his chin propped on top of the beanie he knitted her, both of them swaying a little as they glance over the menu. Steve knows Clint is a coffee-addict, too - he’ll probably order straight espresso. 41 loves her lattes, the sweet-flavored ones of course, but she’s done so well cutting out sugar. He trusts her. She’ll be fine.

It’s just the three of them, with a list of coffee orders to bring back for the team. The cafe doesn’t seem too busy, so he doesn’t feel like an asshole when he shuffles up to the register, pulling up the list on his phone.

“Be with you in just a second, okay?”

His head pops up and he notices her standing there, smiling over her shoulder as she preps a new batch of coffee to brew. He nods, a little smile - “sure” - and slides one hand in his pocket while she finishes. She’s efficient and fast, measuring the grounds into the basket, sliding the urn into place and pressing the right button. He notices the way her hair swings, twisted up into a big butterfly clip at the back of her head, the ends falling like a ponytail, longer strands hanging next to her face.

And then she’s twisting back around and popping up at the register, a nose-scrunching smile and a “What can I get started for you today?”

Blink.

“Um, I’ve got a list-” He fumbles for his phone again. “Sorry, it’s quite a few drinks.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” she nods. Smile still curling up her cheeks - he can’t quite tell if she’s wearing makeup or if that glow is just natural.

“O-okay,” he clears his throat, swipes at the notes app on his phone. “So first, a tall dry cappuccino with an extra shot-”

He gets through Sam, Bucky, Nat, Wanda, and 28’s orders, before sliding his phone back in his pocket, puffing a harsh breath past his lips.

“What else can I get for ya?” The barista leans a hip against the counter, tilting her head, smiling eyes still watching him. There’s just something about that look - like she’s in on a joke and he’s still waiting for the punchline.

“For me…uh,” he shrugs, falling back on a standby. “An Americano, with a little bit of milk and cinnamon, please.”

That makes her smile deepen, and he would really love to be let in on the joke, but she just nods and repeats the drink, tapping the buttons on her screen.

“Okay - anything else?”

“Oh, and whatever they’re having.”

Over his shoulder, he nods Clint and 41 forward, their hands linked as they slide up to the register. With a smile and a quick greeting, Clint goes for a triple shot, double cupped, one Stevia. Pretty standard - whenever he’s not sharing sweets with his sweetheart, Clint tends towards strong flavors. For Christmas, 41 bought him a bag of something called Death Wish coffee - he brewed it all within a week.

When it’s her turn, 41 grins at the girl behind the counter, standard sweet and friendly. She leans close to the register and tilts her eyebrow as she orders.

“I’ll have a spinach milkshake,” she hums. “Venti, please. Oh! With extra whip.”

Spinach milkshake, huh? Steve’s ears prick up, a little bubble of pride floating up in his chest. He knew if she just gave it her best shot, she’d get used to it.

The barista grins back at her, and Steve does not at all notice the dimple in her cheek.

“You got it, girl,” she winks.

Steve pays, leaving a generous tip in the jar by the register, as the girl flits away from the computer to help prep their drinks herself. She smiles and chats with 41 over the espresso machines, her hands wicked fast between steaming milk and pulling espresso, lining up the finished drinks in the little cardboard tray at the end of the bar. Under her apron, she’s wearing a pair of baggy overalls and for a moment a memory sweeps up in him - factory girls and borrowed boots and rolled up sleeves. A victory smile, that’s for sure. Standing next to Clint at the counter, he pretends not to watch.

She’s got the trays loaded up, all except one, and turns around to the counter behind her, pouring cold milk and some kind of green powder into a blender. Must be 41’s drink - she’s busied herself at the counter writing everyone’s names on the tops of their cups, adorned with little hearts. Characteristically cute.

The blender whirs loudly, and as she reaches for a cup and lid the barista meets his eyes over the machines. It startles him, that guilty thump in his ribs, like he was caught doing something he shouldn’t. Her smile stays glued in place as she turns back to the blender, fetching the pitcher and neatly filling the cup with the creamy, green drink, before dropping the pitcher in the sink to rinse. She flips the metal canister in her hand, shaking it a few times, before swirling up a veritable mountain of whipped cream on top.

Steve sighs one of his long-suffering sighs, his eyes flitting up to the ceiling before he catches the look of excitement on 41’s face, already peeling the wrapper from a straw as the pretty barista snaps the plastic lid over the cup. Well…what can some whipped cream really hurt? At least it’s a healthy drink…she called it a ‘spinach milkshake’ and he has no idea what the ingredients would be in that, but the bright green color has him sold on some marginal health benefits. She’s earned a little dollop of cream.

“Here you go, babe,” the barista grins as she hands over the drink to an eager 41, who immediately scoops her finger under the dome lid and pops a little whipped cream into her mouth.

“Mmmm,” she smiles, dreamy. “You did great.”

“Oh, thanks,” the girl laughs back, now wiping down her counters with a rag, cleaning up any of her milk and coffee spills.

“Seriously,” 41 insists, between slurps through her straw. “You’re, like, my new favorite person.”

“Hey, now,” Clint hip-checks her as he reaches around to grab the drink carriers. He offers the barista a smile. “Thanks, kid, it looks great.”

“Oh, it’s no problem,” she insists, sliding away her steaming pitchers and milk jugs.

They’re turning to leave, all drinks accounted for, and the girl gives Steve one last smile as she turns to restock the cups next to the espresso machines. He sips his Americano - good, bold, perfect combination of milk and cinnamon.

“Steve?” 41 is slurping at her…spinach thing, Clint holding the door open with his back, hands occupied with the drink trays. Steve licks his lips.

“Excuse me, miss?” Starbucks employees have their names on their aprons, right? He remembers that being a thing.

She turns back, bright-eyed, expectant.

“Yes, Captain?” The smile twitches at the corners of her mouth. “Anything else I can help you with?”

He opens his mouth, starts to say yes, not surprised she recognized him but willing to hope-

His eyes slide down to the top of her apron, corners adorned with colorful, cute little pins, black name tag fixed to the top left corner. A neat cursive scroll spells the word ‘Fourteen’ in stark white chalk.

Oh.

His mouth shuts.

41 gives an exuberant wave as she grabs his elbow and all but drags him out the door. The grip around his drink tightens when he almost stumbles over her behind him.

“Thanks, see you next time!” 41 grins.

Without breaking his gaze, the barista leans against the counter and winks, waving her fingers at them.

Maybe he should give one of those spinach milkshakes a try.

#steve rogers oneshot #steve rogers imagine #agent 41 #agent 28 #steve rogers fic

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fouralignments · 4 years

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Charles, Pietro, and Tea

Another headcanon.

Erik with very good reasons forbids Pietro from having espresso, coffee, lattes, energy drinks, or caffeinated beverages; except for soft drinks to help with his caloric intake. For speedster, due to their body chemistry, caffeine tends to overreact within their systems because is hyper-efficient. So, when a normal human drinks coffee or a frappuccino, they might get a buzz and wake up for work, but when a speedster takes it, it gives them a high with an intense feeling of euphoria and fervor focus (which for speeder who have the mutant version of ADHD; its kinda-of nice); it slows down their thoughts a bit, it has the opposite effect to their human counterparts.

So, instead of coffee, Charles gets Pietro into drinking tea. This comes around by Charles inviting Pietro to discuss books like Dune by Frank Herbert, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, and of course The Once and Future King by T.H. White; to help Pietro become more rounded and to help with his studies. The tea that Charles get Pietro into is a blend of lavender, chamomile, and a touch of earl gray. Charles makes Pietro’s tea a special way and instead of a water based tea, he instead makes it with milk and lets the tea steep in the milk; before adding sugar and a dash of vanilla simple syrup; because Pietro being an American, really can’t stomach tea on its own with only just milk and a lump of sugar, the taste is far too bitter for his overly sweet American taste.

#x-men #charles xavier #peter maximoff #headcanon #tea #erik lehsherr #dadneto

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shuoshuzhe-aa · 4 years

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fe3h’s starbucks orders bc i got starbucks and i used to work there headcanon post

claude tends to go for more tea based drinks and more COLD beverages than hot ; when he does get hot beverages , he’s getting down to business . . . gotta be professional . his go to ?? often the refreshers !! mango dragonfruit with lemonade , light ice and extra inclusions .

byleth and astaroth tend to go for the straight up hot teas or hot brewed drip coffee ; with a dash of cream and a bit of sugar ( though , often , it’s just some bit of cream / milk ) . summer time often calls for a cup of iced coffee or if they need something STRONGER , the cold brew is straight up caffeine with no sugar .

felix says he’s not a starbucks kinda guy but when asked what he wants , he goes for a simple latte ( no sugar , extra hot , less foam ) or a simple americano BUT , a guilty pleasure when the need for sweets do kick in , he goes for a half-sweet vanilla latte . if he’s really fancy , an upside down americano .

ingrid is also not the type for fancy handcrafted beverages and tends to go for the straight coffees / teas . a good flat white or a simple latte works for her OR a black tea misto with just a bit of foam is great . sometimes , if she’s feel like a splurge , a half-sweet caramel macchiato OR a tea latte with 1 pump of classic is enough to brighten her day .

dimitri is a coffee drinker ; an espresso type of guy . goes for the straight espresso , and sometimes as an americano or if he’s feeling like a sweet treat , espresso con panna . sometimes , the double shot on ice is great too on a hot summer day .

eliana is a TEA drinker through and through ; going for the rooibos tea latte ( avoiding the blossoming rose series vehemently because no one can convince her such a strong tasting floral tea is good ) or a london fog . she does sometimes opt for a caramel apple spice if she’s feeling the mood for it , especially during the fall !!

portia doesn’t have much of a preference but is a frappuciuno drinker ; rain or shine , snow or sun , she’s got a frap in hand and has almost tried ALL of the different secret recipes she can get her hands on . she’s made it a mission to order every drink heard of on the secret menu .

mercedes is a simple tea drinker ; straight and herbal , no sugar and no dairy . she likes her tea brewed extra hot with TWO tea bags . during the summer , this changes to maybe a simple tea lemonade with a splash of berry inclusion OR hot tea with a few ice cubes to make it on the warmer side than the hot . the blueberry tea lemonade is pretty good and she hopes they bring it back .

linhardt doesn’t have a preference ; he just drinks what he’s given . . . mostly because he’s sleeping half the time the orders are being made and no one really knows his preference so he gets whatever the person who’s making the run feels like getting him . . . though , that also gets taken by someone else because he is napping through it all . a hot chocolate ( half sweet , no whip ) sounds pretty good though .

manuela enjoys the starbucks that are licensed to have alcohol within their bar ; though , if asked , she goes for simple tea lattes or coffee-based lattes . she isn’t picky ; she does quite like their pastries , the butter tart and cheese danish are delicious .

bernadetta is afraid to admit , but she does quite enjoy the SWEET drinks and does go often for the hot beverages over the cold ones . opting for thinks like vanilla bean steamers or hot chocolate with a bit of vanilla syrup , she sometimes does ask for extra whip cream , if she’s brave enough to say so .

marianne enjoys the herbal teas , especially chamomile . that’s it . nothing special . she always defaults to herbal teas and if chamomile is available , then that’s what she goes for . she does sometimes go for the special tevana teas and things like the sick tea ( honey citrus mint tea — a peach tranquility tea bag with a jade citrus tea bag steeped in hot lemonade and honey ) .

lysithea has a sweet tooth and that’s no surprise ; coffee isn’t her thing nor is tea . she goes straight for the cream base frappuciunos like strawberrys & cream or birthday cake frap ( vanilla bean frappuciuno with a shot of raspberry syrup ) OR hot beverages like milk steamers ( with either vanilla bean powder or whatever sweet syrup she wants ) and hot chocolate with extra whip and chocolate topping .

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cliftonsteen · 5 years

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What Is a Cortado?

A customer walks into your coffee shop and orders a cortado. Depending on your perspective or where you are in the world, you could give them many drinks. For some, a cortado is a certain ratio of coffee to steamed milk. For others, it’s a small flat white or latte. Some even say it’s up to the customer.

With so many opinions on what a cortado is, there’s plenty of room for miscommunication – whether you want to order one, or serve it to customers. Despite this, it remains a coffee menu staple – but due to a variety of factors, it might not be for long.

Keep reading to explore the many existing variations of the cortado, and what the future could hold for them all.

You may also like How to Adjust Espresso Extraction & Create New Recipes

Many serving sizes, ratios, and presentation styles exist for the Cortado.

Not much is known about the cortado’s origins, apart from the fact that it comes from Spain’s Basque Country. The term cortado, or cut, refers to the milk cutting through the intensity of the espresso, toning down its acidity while retaining the coffee’s flavour.

Traditionally it’s served with little froth and a 1:1 milk to espresso ratio. The milk is steamed until a very light foam is created before being added to the espresso, and is served in a small glass with a metal ring base and a metal wire handle. Based on its appearance, it’s often confused with an Australian/New Zealand flat white, macchiato, or piccolo latte.

Nino Tusell is the Owner of Tusell Tostadores, a roastery in Barcelona, Spain. He says, “In Spain, a cortado is one shot of espresso plus a little milk. [It] could be a ratio of 1:1 or 1:0.5, [with] less milk than coffee most of the time.” Visit Spain and you’re likely to be presented with this traditional form and ratio. However, venture further abroad, and you’ll encounter other versions of the drink.

The recipe for a cortado always starts with fresh shots of espresso. Credit: Rea Café

The Cortado Around the World

A Specialty Coffee Association article on milk-based drinks admits that “While the idea of standardisation is attractive – we all want a standard to work from – it’s important to understand that [drinks] are a product of culture.” For the cortado, this is especially applicable.

Often, its ingredients depend on what the customer requests. Camilo Cárdenas is a barista at Brew92, a café and roastery in Saudi Arabia. He says, “Traditionally [the cortado] was just black coffee and a small dash of milk, hot or cold. Then, when people asked for it in coffee shops, it got adapted as an espresso with a small quantity of steamed milk. In my workplace, we serve it with a double shot and steamed milk. [It’s] a bit smaller than a flat white”.

Adrian Valentine Yong is a roaster at Malaysia’s Mountain Coffee Roasters and says, “I’ve met a few people who order cortados, and each of them interprets it differently… It’s how we make an espresso macchiato (double espresso with a dash of milk). Another type… would be similar to a flat white (double espresso and warm milk). I’ve also experienced people who request half-and-half (equal parts heavy cream and milk) with a double espresso, [and] some ask for ristretto shots.”

For others, it’s all about the ratio. Paula Chaverri Echandi, the owner of Café Sikëwa in Costa Rica, says “[The] cortado as I know it is one espresso plus one ounce of hot milk.” Bruno Danese is the owner of Japan’s Hoccino Coffees, and says it’s “1:1 espresso and steamed milk… a cortado can be as small as three ounces or as big as 16 ounces, as long the coffee to milk ratio remains the same.”

Other baristas and coffee professionals have different ideas. Frederik Westborg Schiøtz, an Educator at True Intent Coffee in Denmark, says it’s a “Double-shot [with a] minimal amount of foam, preferably with no latte art.” Lanz Castillo, owner of Candid Coffee in the Philippines, says it’s a one-ounce double ristretto with two and a half ounces of steamed milk, while Melaleuca Head Barista Johnsy La Jessica Sartiani says that in Italy, it’s called a macchiatone and consists of a single espresso shot with milk, served in a 50 ml cup.

Many recipes for a cortado consists of a 1:1 espresso to milk ratio. Credit: Neil Soque

Significant Variations

As the cortado spread from Spain to cafés around the world, its recipe evolved to meet the needs of local consumers. A significant change it underwent occurred when it reached the USA. Here, serving sizes for coffee beverages have steadily crept up over the past half-century, and it’s not uncommon to find 20-ounce beverages on offer at US coffee shops.

A famous variation of the cortado is the Gibraltar, which Time Out USA says was invented by the Blue Bottle Coffee Company in San Francisco in 2005. This variation is served in a four and a half ounce Libbey Gibraltar glass tumbler, and features two shots of espresso and two shots of steamed milk. For this reason, many third-wave coffee shops find the Cortado synonymous with this glass.

Rodolfo Ruffatti Batlle is Managing Director of a green coffee import business in Berlin, and says that many popular versions of the Cortado exist, including the Cuban cortadito. This version is popular in Cuba and Cuban immigrant communities. Translated as “little cut”, it starts with Cuban espresso, which is a dark roast espresso whipped with spoonfuls of sugar to create a caramel coloured shot with a thick foam. To this, frothed milk is added, with the option to thicken the drink by replacing the milk with evaporated milk for a treat or in place of dessert.

An important component of the cortado is steamed milk. Credit: Red Band Academy

Mainstream Adoption of The Cortado & Its Future

As the cortado made its way to major coffee chains such as Starbucks, Costa Coffee, and Café each one developed their own take on it. The Starbucks cortado is made with two ristretto shots topped with milk, while Costa Coffee (the world’s second-largest coffee chain) describes their cortado as “small and luxurious”. Café Nero, the fourth largest chain in Europe, prepares theirs with 1:2 parts espresso to milk and 0.5 cm of micro-foam.

Increasing prices may be why the relatively smaller Cortado remains on menus today, as some businesses move to cut costs by hiking prices and shrinking sizes. Costa Coffee recently reworked its serving sizes and prices in certain stores, based on industry trends and consumer feedback – possibly indicating a move towards smaller drink sizes with a premium price tag.

Mike Chapman owns the 1914 Coffee Company in Canada, and acknowledges that inconsistency over serving sizes, ratios, and volumes can get frustrating for coffee shop owners. He says, “Some days I want to rename my café The Metric Café where it would be up to [the customer] to detail specifically what [they] want… and be charged accordingly.” Talor Brown, the Owner of Talormade Oslo in Norway, says that “[A cortado] can be anything from a macchiato to a latte, and it’s maddening to cost.”

If dairy consumption continues to plummet as it’s been doing for the past few years, it may fall out of favour with customers and coffee shops alike. Cargill, an international company in the food, agriculture, nutrition, and risk management sector, released a White Paper in 2018 stating, “Consumer attitudes about dairy are changing around the world… usage… has been in decline over the past two decades as consumers – particularly in dairy’s most prominent markets – act in response to worries over allergens, hormone usage and perceived unhealthfulness of some dairy products.” Steamed dairy milk gives the cortado its silky texture, low viscosity, and creamy mouthfeel, which means that cortados made with alternative milk could fall short.

With so much confusion surrounding what a cortado is, coffee shops might decide to remove titles altogether. Research indicates that many customers are confused over the number and complexity of coffee drink options presented to them. To simplify orders and pricing, coffee shops might move towards asking customers to describe their desired drink instead.

Two cortados served in Libbey Gibraltar glasses.

It’s apparent that the Cortado has many distinct variations, and that what you order (or serve customers) will depend on where you are in the world. Use this exploration of what the Cortado is to create a personal recipe that suits your unique tastes – or that of your customers.

Enjoyed this? Then Read Barista Basics: How to Texture Milk in 14 Steps

Written by Janice Kanniah. Feature photo caption: A cortado, served on a saucer with a teaspoon. Feature photo credit: Jos Dielis under CC BY 2.0

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afterourhearts · 7 years

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amy’s fav moist banana bread & starbucks hack

There’s not much to do outside of med school besides studying, cooking, eating, and then more studying (although lately, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has been ruining my productivity ... I don’t even like it because of the animals, I like it for the same reason I like playing The Sims ... it’s a slow “at your own pace” sort of game that allows you to construct the “perfect house/living space” by purchasing materials and “working hard” ... I guess the whole ‘work hard reap benefits’ mentality has really stuck with me even in my leisure time, but I’m getting off topic and you came here for a recipe ...)

Anyways, theres nothing like a good ole’ loaf of moist banana bread to perk up the cold weather, especially when paired with a cup of hot chocolate or steamed milk. Years ago, after tasting the most amazing banana bread at Bob Evans (haha no it was not some bourgeois bakery it was Bob ok) I made it a goal to re-create only moist banana breads as well. I’ve had the dry stuff and I don’t like it. So here goes a recipe that has been tested many times in our family (mom even played an experimental hand) and this is what we’ve nailed it down to. (Btw, I’m lame and the photo below is not one I took, credits go to Well Plated by Erin, BUT this is not based on her recipe at all but rather our own experimenting)

Ingredients:

-Butter/flour to grease the loaf pan -1.5 cups flour -1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder -1 tsp salt -Dashes of cinnamon & nutmeg (optional, doesn’t seem to make a huge difference because banana will be the primary flavor) -1/3 cup granulated white sugar -1/3 cup honey -1/3 cup vegetable oil -1/3 cup greek yogurt -2 large eggs, beaten -3 ripe bananas mashed (not totally liquified ... it can be chunky) -1 tsp vanilla extract -1.5-2 cups of fresh blueberries OR chocolate chips OR finely diced nuts ... whatever add in floats your boat!

Directions: -Preheat oven to 350 and butter/flour your loaf pan (this recipe calls for those standard loaf pins not the cute mini ones ... makes a good amount of bread!) -Whisk dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda + powder, salt, spices) and in a different bowl mix the wet ingredients with sugar (sugar, honey, vanilla, eggs, oil, greek yogurt) -In the wet ingredients bowl, stir in bananas and add-ins gently. -Finally add the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. -Pour into loaf ban and bake for an hour or so. CHECK to make sure you don’t overtake as that will dry this baby out and nobody wants dry bread :( I usually start checking around 45 minutes in, every 5 min, until toothpick comes out almost completely clean, because it will keep cooking a little even after you take it out. This step is crucial!! Everyone’s oven is different.

Let me know if you try this recipe and hope you enjoy!!!

BONUS Starbucks Hacking: Make the most out of your free holiday iced drink!!

-Order a venti latte (I like caramel brûlée for this recipe) with extra espresso shots which would have been like an 8 dollar drink but you’re getting it free so yay -Because it’s massive, you take it home and place in blender along with a bunch of add ins! I like to put chocolate flavored protein powder (I use GNC’s Gold Standard Whey), 2 or 3 frozen bananas, a crapload of Greek Yogurt, and a few big globs of peanut butter. This adds a HUGE protein boost, tastes like a caffeinated chocolate & PB shake, and extends my free drink for the whole week lolz -Makes a TON of drinks, like at least 3-4 tall glasses. Chill in fridge and drink in the morning in lieu of the daily coffee. (Only thing better than your AM caffeine is getting a healthy protein boost alongside it!!)

That’s it for this first segment of Amy’s recipes hahaha, stay tuned for more and enjoy the holiday baking!

#bananabread #recipe #baking #chocolatebanana #bananablueberry #starbucks #caramelbrulee #smoothie #proteinshake #nomnom #caffeine

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bestmanualcoffeegrinder-blog · 5 years

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Making Your Coffee Healthier For A Good Health.

Espresso is one of the most well known refreshments on the planet. Numerous wellbeing experts trust it's likewise one of the most advantageous.

For certain individuals, it's the single biggest wellspring of cell reinforcements in the eating routine, outranking the two products of the soil consolidated

Here are a couple of tips to divert your espresso from beneficial to overly sound.

1. No Caffeine After 2 P.M.

Espresso is one of the most extravagant regular wellsprings of caffeine in the eating regimen.

Caffeine is a stimulant, which is one of the principle reasons espresso is so mainstream. It gives you a shock of vitality and encourages you remain alert when you feel tired.

Be that as it may, on the off chance that you drink espresso late in the day, it can meddle with your rest. Poor rest is related with a wide range of medical issues.

Therefore, it's significant not to drink espresso late in the day. On the off chance that you should, pick decaf or settle on some tea rather, which contains significantly less caffeine than espresso.

Refraining from espresso after 2–3 p.m. is a decent rule. All things considered, not every person is similarly delicate to caffeine, and a few people may rest fine and dandy regardless of whether they had espresso late in the day.

In any case, in the event that you have an inclination that you could improve your rest, keeping away from espresso late in the day could be a successful system.

There are numerous different ways you can improve your rest quality. Peruse this article for more science-based tips.

Outline

Drinking espresso late in the day could be debilitating your rest quality. Staying away from espresso after 2–3 p.m. is presumably a smart thought.

2. Try not to Load Your Coffee With Sugar

In spite of the fact that espresso is sound in itself, you can without much of a stretch transform it into something hurtful.

The most ideal approach to do that is to placed an entire pack of sugar in it. Included sugar is ostensibly one of the most noticeably awful fixings in the advanced eating routine.

Sugar, fundamentally because of its high measure of fructose, is connected to a wide range of genuine ailments like stoutness and diabetes.

On the off chance that you can't envision carrying on with your existence without a sugar in your espresso, utilize a characteristic sugar like stevia.

There are various ways you can lessen your admission of included sugar significantly further. Here are 14 extra methodologies.

Rundown

Abstain from adding sugar to your espresso. On the off chance that you normally transform your espresso into a sugary treat, you may dispose of its general medical advantages.

3. Pick a Quality Brand, Preferably Organic

The nature of espresso can differ significantly relying upon the handling strategy and how the espresso beans were developed.

Espresso beans will in general be showered with manufactured pesticides and different synthetic substances that were never expected for human utilization.

In any case, the wellbeing impacts of pesticides in sustenance are questionable. There is as of now constrained proof that they cause hurt when found at low levels in produce.

By the by, on the off chance that you are stressed over the pesticide substance of your espresso, consider purchasing natural espresso beans. They ought to contain much lower measures of manufactured pesticides.

Rundown

In the event that you are stressed over pesticide sullying in your espresso, pick a quality, natural brand.

4. Abstain from Drinking Too Much

While a moderate admission of espresso is sound, drinking an excessive amount of may diminish its general advantages.

Unnecessary caffeine admission may have different antagonistic reactions, in spite of the fact that individuals' affectability shifts.

As a rule, Health Canada prescribes not surpassing 1.1 mg per pound (2.5 mg per kg) of body weight every day.

Given that a normal mug of espresso may contain around 95 mg of caffeine, this compares to around two cups of espresso for every day for somebody gauging 176 pounds (80 kg).

Be that as it may, a lot higher measures of caffeine (400–600 mg) every day (around 4–6 cups) are not related with any unfriendly reactions in the vast majority.

Peruse this article for point by point data about the measure of caffeine found in various espresso drinks.

Drinking espresso is tied in with adjusting its dangers and advantages. Tune in to your body and expend close to you can easily endure.

Synopsis

Drinking an excess of espresso may cause unfriendly reactions. In any case, this relies upon the measure of caffeine devoured and singular resistance.

5. Add Some Cinnamon to Your Coffee

Cinnamon is a delectable herb that blends especially well with the kind of espresso.

Studies demonstrate that cinnamon can lower blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetics.

In the event that you need some flavor, take a stab at including a dash of cinnamon. It's shockingly great.

Simply make a point to not place a lot of it in your cup. While limited quantities of cinnamon are solid, an excessive amount of may cause some antagonistic reactions.

Outline

Flavor your espresso with a dash of cinnamon. In addition to the fact that it tastes great, it may likewise improve your wellbeing.

6. Stay away from Low-Fat and Artificial Creamers

Business low-fat and fake flavors will in general be exceptionally prepared and may contain faulty fixings.

Be that as it may, there isn't much inquire about on the wellbeing impacts of non-dairy espresso flavors. Their substance differ by brand, and some might be more advantageous than others.

By and by, entire, regular nourishments are commonly a superior decision.

Rather than a non-dairy flavor, consider adding some full-fat cream to your espresso, ideally from grass-sustained cows.

Studies demonstrate that milk items contain some significant supplements. For instance, dairy is a magnificent calcium source and may lessen the danger of osteoporosis and bone breaks.

Furthermore, grass-nourished dairy animals' milk contains some nutrient K, which is additionally connected to improved bone wellbeing.

Outline

Non-dairy flavors are profoundly prepared and may contain sketchy fixings. In the event that you like weakening your espresso with a half and half, think about picking entire milk or cream.

7. Add Some Cocoa to Your Coffee

Cocoa is stacked with cell reinforcements and related with a wide range of medical advantages, including a decreased danger of coronary illness.

Have a go at including a dash of cocoa powder to your espresso for some additional flavor.

Caffè mocha, a chocolate-enhanced variant of caffè latte, is served in numerous cafés. Be that as it may, caffè mocha is generally sugar-improved.

You can without much of a stretch make your very own at home and skirt the additional sugar.

Synopsis

You can consolidate the advantages of espresso and dim chocolate by including a dash of cocoa powder to your espresso.

8. Blend Your Coffee Using a Paper Filter

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Fermented espresso contains cafestol, a diterpene that can bring cholesterol step up in the blood.

Notwithstanding, diminishing its levels is straightforward. Simply utilize a paper channel.

Blending espresso with a paper channel successfully brings down the measures of cafestol yet gives the caffeine and helpful cell reinforcements a chance to go through.

In any case, cafestol isn't all awful. Ongoing investigations in mice recommend it has against diabetic impacts.

Synopsis

Espresso contains cafestol, an intensify that may raise blood cholesterol levels. You can bring down the measure of cafestol in your espresso by utilizing a paper channel.

The Bottom Line

Espresso is a mainstream refreshment known for its stimulant impacts.

A high admission of espresso is connected to different medical advantages. Be that as it may, there are a few different ways you can improve these advantages much further.

Above all, abstain from stacking your espresso with included sugar. Rather, you can enhance your espresso by including a dash of cinnamon or cocoa.

Additionally, consider swearing off espresso in the late evening and night, as it might weaken the nature of your rest.

#Healthy Coffee #best healthy coffee tips #coffee tips #drink heathy coffee #health & coffee

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cliftonsteen · 4 years

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What Is a Macchiato?

‘Macchiato’ is an Italian word that loosely translates to ‘marked’ – and is commonly used to describe the coffee beverage of the same name. Ask most fans of the drink how to make it, and they’ll say that you add some milk to an espresso shot.

While this is correct, there’s no universally accepted amount of milk used, which means that if you order a macchiato in different cafés, you could get drastically different drinks. Here’s where the macchiato originates from, how it’s served today, and how it might evolve in the future.

You may also like Crema: How It’s Formed, What It Tells Us, & How to Learn From It

Who Invented The Macchiato & How Is It Made?

The macchiato was likely created in Italy in the eighties by baristas wanting to distinguish an order for a plain espresso from one including some milk. A similar beverage is consumed in Portugal called a café pingado or coffee with a drop of milk. It means that the recipe for a macchiato will depend on the ratio of espresso to milk used – bearing in mind that many consider a cortado to be equal parts milk to espresso and a piccolo latte to be a shot of espresso topped with milk and foam.

Other drinks share the same name as the macchiato, making it challenging to differentiate it. For example in Australia, you can order a long macchiato, which is two espresso shots and a dash of milk. You can also order a caramel macchiato from Starbucks, which is a drink invented in the nineties consisting of steamed milk with a little espresso added to it, topped with caramel syrup or flavouring.

For a more accurate modern definition of the drink, I spoke to four coffee professionals from around the world to get their opinions on the topic.

Everyone’s Ideal Macchiato Is Different

Lauro Fioretti is head of Knowledge and Education at Simonelli Group, a coffee equipment manufacturer. He explains to me that two different drinks exist – the macchiato and the espresso macchiato. The former is usually served in a tall glass and consists of espresso, cold milk, and hot milk layered upon each other. The espresso macchiato is smaller and served in an espresso cup. This cup is almost filled to the brim with a regular dose of espresso, with steamed milk added to bring it to the brim.

In speaking to two other professionals, it became apparent that many make the macchiato with foam instead of milk. Ollie Futcher, Head Roaster at Saint Espresso in London believes macchiato is “a double espresso (unless specified otherwise) with milk foam that’s textured smoothly spooned on top”. Mikael Jasin, Director of the So So Good Coffee Company in Jakarta, Indonesia, agrees that a macchiato is made “using one full shot of espresso and a dollop of milk foam.”

While Lauro believes that the base of an espresso macchiato should contain a shot of espresso and a little milk, he admits that some coffee shops in Italy customise it with latte art or make other swops. “There are people that only add foam on top of the espresso, there are people that add only hot milk and people that add only cold milk.” However, Ollie agrees that the drink is usually customised, as he says he often asks the customer if they want a top-up of hot milk.

Who Does The Macchiato Appeal To?

Whether it’s made with milk or milk foam, the macchiato is a drink dominated by espresso. The traditional espresso macchiato is popular in many countries as it’s not as strong as an espresso but not as diluted as a latte. Lauro says “it’s a nice compromise between these two beverages. People that like something softer than the espresso… generally, go for an espresso macchiato. It can be a good alternative to the latte or cappuccino in the morning or midday”. 2017 Swiss Barista Champion André Eiermann of Victoria Arduino Australia agrees that the drink suits someone who wants something less intense than an espresso. He says, “It’s a harmonious espresso-based milk beverage for espresso lovers who look for a hint of additional sweetness and creaminess from the milk.” Ollie agrees, stating that it’s “a balance between a customer that doesn’t want the full impact of espresso but likes to maintain the strength of flavours in the cup. The milk foam adds texture to the drink, whilst not diluting the espresso too much.”

In a market where dairy milk is falling out of favour with customers, the espresso macchiato might be seen as a healthier option, as it only contains a small amount of milk or milk foam – something that also won’t dramatically increase the drink’s calorie account. André says that it “attracts calorie-conscious coffee consumers or milk beverage enthusiasts who don’t want to drink a lot of milk.”

Lauro concurs, saying that “we need also to consider the nutritional aspect of the beverage… [the[ espresso macchiato… will add much fewer calories than a latte or a cappuccino.” Mikael adds that this could also decrease the amount of sugar added to the drink, as “the milk foam is there to sweeten the coffee without the use of sugar, so it’s seen as … the healthier option.”

How Will The Macchiato Evolve in the Future?

The macchiato has obvious appeal for some customers, despite its recipe differing from coffee shop to coffee shop. Ollie believes that it will keep doing this – and that future versions of the drink will have less milk than ever as roasters start roasting beans to create a more balanced espresso that appeals to a wide audience and requires fewer additives like milk and sugar. He explains that “it’s difficult to consistently make a great tasting espresso that would appeal to a wide audience. You have roasters trying to achieve different results, whether that be roasting darker and accommodating the added bitterness with sugar/milk/salt, or you have roasters pushing lighter and lighter with consumers attempting similar remedies to balance the cup. As espresso moves further towards achieving more balance in the cup and more consistency, you may see customers trend towards using less milk.”

Lauro believes that as companies start to roast their coffees in order to highlight its best characteristics, they won’t need to compensate with milk. However, he cautions that this might be challenging for baristas, as the espresso macchiato is “difficult to balance as it requires a balanced espresso cup at the beginning as you can’t cover any defect with the milk.”

André also believes that the success of the drink could be impacted by who is making it, as “the espresso shot has to be consistently perfect. You cannot hide a badly extracted espresso in a macchiato. I personally like this challenge for baristas to showcase their best skills”.

Whether it’s foam-based or contains milk, the macchiato is arguably the coffee-based beverage that contains the least amount of milk. While this might have been part of its appeal in the past, a rise in quality of roast beans might mean that future espressos require no milk at all. However, this will depend on many factors – including the local market demand as well as the skills of the baristas in question.

Enjoyed this? Then Read How to Adjust Espresso Extraction & Create New Recipes

Photo credits: Nuova Simonelli

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clickwish2-blog · 5 years

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Lemon & Chicken Soup

Ahhh . . . Winter. That time of year when the heart and belly long for warming, comforting, sustenance food. Foods like stews and soups . . . Soups like this fabulous Lemon & Chicken Soup, that are not only delicious but also simple and quick to put together. To be honest, I am not overly fond of tinned soups and only use them when I have no alternative. Most often I like to make my soups from scratch. My mother always made delicious homemade soups when we were growing up. This spoilt us a bit for tinned soup, with the exception of Tomato Soup. I have always enjoyed tinned tomato soup.

Every month I am the lucky recipient of a Degustabox. Once a month, around the middle of the month, I am sent one of these lovely boxes which contain a delicious assortment of all things foodie. I just love these boxes. Opening each one is tiny a bit like opening a Christmas gift. Always a surprise, and always filled with things that pique my interest and desire to try. Degustabox is a monthly foodie subscription service that sends out a range of 10 to 15 specially selected foodie products.

There's always a great mix of new products that I haven't tried before, as well as plenty of treats from more established brands. Quite often you will have the opportunity to try new products before they arrive in the shops, so it can be a bit of a sneak peak! Each Degustabox costs only £12.99, delivery costs are included in the price, and there is no fixed contract involved - you can cancel at any time. I love getting these boxes! They are great value for money spent.

I also enjoy the challenge each month of creating a recipe using at least one of the products included in the box. Sometimes they immediately jump out at me, and sometimes I need to chew them a bit in my head. When I saw the Delverde pasta in my December box, I knew it was something that I wanted to use in a recipe, but it took me a few days to decide what to do with it. Lemon & Chicken Soup is what I came up with, but more about that later. First I want to share with you what all came in my December box!

Funkin Cocktails exist to shake up the ordinary making great tasting cocktails available to all. Simply add spirit and ice and make it shake to create four delicious cocktails. Available in a range o classic flavours such as Mojito, Pina Colada, and Espresso Martini.

We don't drink alcohol, but our neighbour and her son were really pleased with this. It kept them company on NYE!

Indulgent fruit centres, delicately coated in rich, smooth dark chocolate. Discover a new indulgent chocolate experience.

I love Green & Black's anything. These were no exception.

Jack Daniel's Lynchburg Lemonade combines the distinctive character of their fine Tennessee Whiskey. a dash of triple sec and a measure of zesty lemonade for an expertly crafted drink.

Again, we don't do alcohol, but they were enjoyed very much by a friend

MAGGI FUSIAN Noodle Pots/chowmein/spiced curry/sweet chilli 3 C £1.15

Take the taste of Asia with you wherever you go with the new Maggi Fusian Noodle Pots. Each pot included premium noodles and sachets of spices and veggies, so you can enjoy Asian flavoured noodles which are ready in just four minutes!

These are always handy to have in the cupboard when you are starving and just want something quick, quick to eat!

The iconic Slush Puppie is now available in convenient, resealable pouches The brand new range contains the original Slush Puppie taste but with no added sugar. Available in Sour Cherry Blue Raspberry and Strawberry. Each pouch contains just 95 calories. Simply freeze, squeeze and drink!

This was the product of the month and is available now as Multi packs of 3 for £3 at Tesco. I like that there s no sugar in them. These are refreshing. I also like that they are resealable! Now you CAN take the pooch home!

NESTLE Shredded Wheat Breakfast on the Go 1 X £1.99

Made with just one natural ingredient, 100% wholegrain wheat, which is crafted into deliciously crispy biscuits for a mouthwatering good breakfast cereal for the whole family Their wholegrain wheat is sown, grown and ripened in Britain, using a recipe unchanged since 1893.

I love shredded wheat and love the portability of this.

NATURE'S STORE Salted Caramel Popcorn Bar

New Popcorn bars from Nature's Store are a super healthy, free from way to snack. They contain popcorn, seeds, dates and gluten free oat with no added sugar Belgian Chocolate. With four high fibre, nutrient rich seeds and at less than 150 calories per bar, they're the perfect healthy and delicious snack Soon available in major supermarkets.

Delicious!

Sleep Well is the new, natural milk drink that helps you relax and get a better night's sleep. A gorgeous tasting, long life drink for the whole family made with whole Jersey milk, honey and Valerian, the herb that's been helping people relax and sleep for 2000 years.

Real Good Ketchup is an awesome range of Award Winning, No Added Sugar ketchup's made with rich Mediterranean tomatoes, allergen free & plant-based ingredients – nothing artificial. Winner of the Best New Sugar Reduced or No Sugar Product & The Food Talk Clean Eating Gold Award. Deliciously tomatoey!!

This was actually very nice. I am not surprised it has won an award.

Delverde Pasta is made with the best durum wheat and the water from a very special place; the Verde river, which flows through the Jarella National Park, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Made using traditional bronze dies and slow dried to preserve its wonderful flavour. Available as Festonati, Spaghetti or Penne Zita Regate.

This is the product I decided to highlight with a recipe this month and what a recipe it is! The perfect recipe to use with the perfect pasta!

This is a soup you won't want to make too far ahead of time because of the pasta in it. The pasta will swell up, having absorbed all the liquid if you do. So do plan on making it right before you go to eat it.

That's not a problem really because it is so quick and easy to make. If you are really keen on making it ahead, you can get the stock ready, squeeze the lemon juice, peel and slice the carrots, cube the chicken and break up the spaghetti ahead of time, but that's about all the ahead of time that I would recommend!

This is a fabulously tasty chicken soup, with fresh flavours! It uses chicken stock along with lemon juice. You might think the lemon would be overpowering, but it really isn't. It adds a lovely layer of flavour that is quite pleasant!

It also uses already cooked chicken, so you can use leftover chicken, chicken from a rotisserie bird, or you can poach chicken. I always have poached chicken in the freezer ready to use.

One optional ingredient is a Parmesan cheese rind. I always have them in my fridge. We eat a lot of Parmesan cheese, and I always grate my own. Grating your own is so much more delicious than buying already grated. They add things to already grated to make it free flowing. When I was growing up we always had the one in the green can. We didn't know any better and were happy with that. As an adult I have come to love and appreciate the real, unprocessed product, and I always save the rinds from them. I keep them in a jar in the refrigerator. They are great for using in flavouring soups and sauces!

You will want to break the spaghetti up into 2 inch pieces. That's very easy to do. Just wrap it up in a tea towel and then, grabbing both ends of the wrapped towel, pull it sharply down over the edge of your counter. You might have to do it in sections. I find this technique works best when your bundle of spaghetti is no larger around than a one pound coin (about 1 inch).

Your spaghetti will break up into perfectly sized bits. Easy peasy.

You don't want really long strands of spaghetti in this . . . its soup and you won't be eating it with a fork!

This soup is well flavoured, delicious and satisfying . . .

Served in heated bowls with some crusty bread and a scattering of more cheese on top, it is a wonderful belly warmer. Hearty and healthy without any fat, except for the cheese!

Yield: Serves 4Author: Marie RaynerPrint Recipe

With ImageWithout Image

Lemon & Chicken Soup

prep time: 15 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 40 mins

This soup is so simple to make. Its quick, easy and is very delicious, low in fat and makes good use of leftover cooked chicken.

ingredients:

1.5 litre of chicken stock (6 cups)

80ml fresh lemon juice (the juice of 2 large lemons)

(Bring your lemons to room temperature and roll them

on the counter firmly before juicing to extract as much

juice as possible)

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins

1 broken bay leaf

1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional, but nice)

225g spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces (8 ounces)

450g cooked chicken, diced (about 1 pound)

handful of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

225g grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)

salt and black pepper

instructions:

Measure the stock and lemon juice into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add the Parmesan rind (if using), bay leaf, and carrots. Simmer until the carrots are crispy tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broken pasta and cook for a further 6 to 7 minutes until al dente. Stir occasionally. Add the chicken and heat through. Remove and discard the cheese rind and bay leaf. Stir in half of the cheese and the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with salt and pepper. Ladle into heated bowls. Top each with some of the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Degustabox is running a Giveaway competition until the 19th of January (2019) where anyone who has purchased a Degustabox has the opportunity to win a free box for each themselves and a friend. To be in it to win it just follow the steps below:

1. Follow the Degustabox Instagram account @degustabox_uk

2. Post a picture of the December box, or a picture of you enjoying some of the products in the box.

3. Tag your post with #degustaboxnewyear and tag one of your friends who you think would like to receive a free Degustabox. Your friend will also have to follow their Instagram account @degustabox_uk

DEAL: Get your £5 off your first box, plus get free bonus item and delivery! Use coupon code HELLOSUBSCRIPTION18.

In the US but just looking for fun? Use code HELLOSUBSCRIPTION7 to get your first US box for $12.99! You’ll also get free shipping and a free bonus gift!

So, that was the December Degustabox - a nice selection of products as always. We loved it. The price of each Degustabox is £12.99 (including delivery). To order your box, visit www.degustabox.com

Many thanks to Degustabox UK for sending me this box. I have to say I really look forward to getting my box each month. There are always lots of things in it to enjoy and new products to try out. I highly recommend. You can also tailor the boxes to your own likes and dislikes by filling in your own Taste Profile. Do you like the sound of this box? Why not sign up now! I find them to be really good value for money spent and I really enjoy trying out new products that I have not tried before.

Follow them on Facebook

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Note - Although I was sent a box free of charge any and all opinions are my own.

Bon appetit!

Source: https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2019/01/lemon-chicken-soup.html

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comfsy · 7 years

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A Foodie’s Guide to Santiago | Chile

by Victoria Khroundina

When we think of the best food destinations in the world, Santiago isn’t a city that immediately springs to mind. Chile is mostly known for its fish, empanadas and of course wine, but many of its other culinary treasures are still waiting to be unearthed. Santiago might not be a magnet for diehard foodies just yet, but its gastronomic potential is undeniably growing. The city’s restaurants are steadily populating Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants List and the premiere of MasterChef Chile a few years ago has sharpened people’s food knowledge – and their palettes.

The narrowest country in the world is framed by the Andes, one of the world’s longest mountain ranges, to the east and the Pacific Ocean, home to a myriad sea life, to the west. The north is home to the arid but pristine Atacama desert, the world’s highest, and vegetated Patagonia is in the south. It is this unique climate and landscape that makes Chile an ideal place for growing a huge variety of fruits and vegetables. It’s got some of the best beef in the world (second only to adjacent Argentina) and its wine credentials are top-notch. The variety of seafood products (not just fish but also shellfish, molluscs and seaweed) is simply staggering. There is also an increasing number of biodynamic farmers and winemakers who are growing their crops without the use of pesticides, fertilisers or artificial chemicals, resulting in fresh, healthy, delicious produce.

Chileans love to eat – so much so that they have four meals a day! They start with a ‘light’ breakfast (desayuno) of bread, smashed avocado (which they surprisingly don’t salt), cheese, jam and very sweet tea or coffee (Chileans have a real sweet-tooth). Lunch (almuerzo) is a big meal consisting of 3–4 courses (including soup, main, salad and dessert). Then there’s once, late afternoon/evening tea (eaten between 5pm and 7pm), which typically consists of breakfast foods like pastries, sandwiches, avocado, scrambled eggs, jam, and tea and coffee. Dinner (cena) is eaten between 8pm and midnight, and involves knocking down a couple of glasses of wine.

As Chile’s bustling capital, Santiago is home to some of the country’s best restaurants, cafés and markets. The capital is also where you can delve into the fine-dining scene – something not possible in many parts of the country. Whether visiting for a day, week or month, there’s no shortage of places to embrace the Chilean tradition of feasting, drinking and chattering away no matter the time of day. I enjoyed every morsel, every drop and every vignette of effervescent conversation.

First stop: coffee. Chile is not known for its strong coffee culture and many people are content with drinking Nescafe at home. But out and about, the coffee of choice is a cortado, literally translating to ‘short’. It’s basically an espresso with a dash of milk. You can get it in most cafés or restaurant – but the quality does vary. There’s also been a recent burgeoning of pop-up coffee trucks serving cortados and other variations of espressos with or without milk. Stop by Plaza de Bolsillo Morandé, an inner-city oasis brimming with food trucks, for coffee from the Porta Café. Sip it while you marvel at a mural by Alejandro ‘Mono’ González, known for his socially conscious art.

The best coffee I tasted is at 3841 Coffee Roasters on José Victorino Lastarria. In this cosy space, tattooed bearded hipsters cut hair in one part and serve perfect espresso made using Ethiopian beans roasted in-house in the other. The two young owners learned their craft in Brisbane and Australia is known for its obsessive coffee culture. This is not a café per se, more of a takeaway joint to drop in on foot or bike (there’s a handy window for those on two wheels) and get your caffeine fix as you explore the colourful bohemian Lastarria neighbourhood.

Another peculiarity of coffee drinking custom in Santiago is its infamous cafés con piernas. At these ‘cafe with legs’, your coffee is served by scantily dressed waitresses. These were established in the 1950s to try spruce the coffee drinking culture (basically as incentives for workers to take a break), but although the 1950s are long gone, this out-dated tradition has for some reason stuck. We didn’t visit a cafés con pierna but we did observe flaxen-haired women in tight, red velvet dresses serve drinks to people of all ages at an outdoor café in the city centre. No one seemed bothered by or enamoured with them.

To get a good (touch and) feel for the produce of Chile, visit a few of Santiago’s markets. The Mercado Central, housed in a 19th-century neoclassical building, is the city’s main market. Appreciate the beauty of the building – particularly the intricate domed towers on the pyramidal roof – before passing through the wrought-iron gates to the famous fish market. The city conjugates here for seafood lunches and there is an overwhelming number of restaurants to choose from. Avoid the brazen, touristy spots in the middle and head to one of the smaller, homelier restaurants or stalls on the market’s edges.

Delicacies include pastel de jaiba, a crab stew made using only cheese, milk, bread and crab – it’s the ultimate comfort food. For something lighter, try a fish stew like the tomato- and potato-based caldillo de congrio. Known for its hangover curing properties and being poet Pablo Neruda’s favourite, its base is a fresh, flavourful broth made from boiling conger eel heads with garlic, coriander, carrots and pepper. True seafood aficionados should go for the locos, a type of Chilean abalone. These edible sea snails are named after a word derived from the Mapuche language, which translates to ‘crazy’. Why the abalone is christened this is a mystery, but the flavour is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

For a sensory overload, don’t miss the nearby Mercado Vega. Stalls and stalls of kaleidoscopic arrays of fruits, vegetables, meats and dry goods paint a picture of Chile’s culinary riches. Everything is cheap and some vendors want you to buy in bulk so they might not sell you a single apple to snack on. Don’t take it personally – just move onto the next stall. Many stalls are run by vendors from neighbouring countries such as Peru and Colombia. Buy some yucas (cassava root) to take home (we hand cut ours and served with fried fish) or cactus to make a sauce. There are also stalls selling great coffee and if you need sustenance, order a pizza slice from the hilariously named Livin’ la Pizza Loca. For a healthy pick-me up, grab a delicious juice from one of the vendors at the Abastos Tirso del Molina part of the market. Try one made from cherimoya (a type of custard apple dating back to Inca times), lucuma (a subtropical fruit which has a creamy, citrusy flavour with hints of maple syrup), or maracuya (a milder and sweeter passion fruit). Remember to say ‘sin azucar’ if you don’t want any added sugar.

Once it hits past midday, it’s not too early to get stuck into the world-famous Chilean wine. Chile has a viticultural history dating to the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors brought Vitis vinifera vines into the region. The most common grape is the Carménère, which was originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. These days, it’s almost extinct in France and Chile boasts the world’s largest planted area of this grape in the world. Wine producers are getting more and more experimental with it too and blending it with other grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a delicious, deep, lingering red, somewhere between a Pinot Noir and Merlot in strength, which makes it easy drinking but still full-bodied.

An absolute must-visit for wine lovers is Bocanáriz in Lastarria. There are almost 400 wines on offer, with knowledgeable sommeliers on hand to help you choose. Although primarily a wine bar, Bocanáriz also has a robust menu. The idea is for the food to enhance the taste of the wine, not the other way around. The dishes are categorised by notes such as iodized, citrusy, light, creamy, herbaceous, sweet and sour, spicy, smoked and aged. There are also themed flights of wine, including one dedicated to Carménère, another to ‘wild’ wines, iconic wines, ‘extreme’ wines (from vineyards located in locations characterised by inhospitable climates and landscapes), and more. We declined (with difficulty) a flight and had a glass of Koyle Carménère from the Colchagua valley. The fit-out is slick but cosy and getting a table on a weekend nights is no meat feat. Stop by in the late afternoon for a pre-dinner drink.

Something I had no idea about before visiting Chile is the country’s obsession with sandwiches. Called sánguches, these aren’t your standard ham and cheese toasties. They come loaded with ingredients and enjoyed at any time of day – for breakfast, lunch and especially as a pre-dinner snack. We got introduced to the Chilean tradition of once when our hosts served us a spread of ham, cheese, avocado and bread rolls to self-build sandwiches at 6pm. Thinking this was a quick and simple dinner, we loaded on these only to discover that dinner (cena) doesn’t get eaten until later.

One of the most exciting parts of sandwich construction and eating is getting to choose the bread. Chilean cuisine has many different types of bread, the most common – and perhaps tastiest – of which is the marraqueta, a bread roll similar in taste to a French baguette. Chileans buy it bulk and carry it hot from the bakery in those old-school reusable cotton mesh bags. It’s enjoyed at any time of day and with any meal, including as the first course to every Chilean asado (barbecue), when these are stuffed with a sausage (choripan). Frica (a round, flat, light roll) and pan amasado (a round roll baked in a brick oven) are other good choices.

We came head-to-head with Santiago’s sandwich culture on our first night when we stopped for a ‘snack’ and a pisco sour at El Mitico. At this laid-back pub-type restaurant in Provedencia, the humble sandwich gets a reworking into 12 different types. There are seven Peruvian sandwiches and five Chilean offerings – the most popular of which is the Chacarera, which is packed with tomatoes, green beans, green chilli, mayo and parsley pesto. Also delicious is the Con cabra, which has goat’s cheese, avocado, caramelised onion, shoestring fries and coriander mayonnaise. Each sandwich comes with your meat of choice – slices of roast beef, suckling pig, chicken or fried fish. As a bonus, the pisco sour was surprisingly strong and well balanced. (On a side note, we didn’t find a great place for empanadas in Santiago and we had some awesome, home-baked ones at our relatives’. But in the country in general, the best empanada I had was deep-fried and stuffed with cheese and shrimp at an unassuming stall, aptly named Delicious Fried Empanadas, on the outskirts of the coastal town, Con Con.)

Santiago’s fine-dining scene is still young but it’s imaginative and brave. All the action happens in the upscale Vitacura district. The area itself is a bit soulless but it’s full of fancy rooftop bars with stunning 360-views of the city and pioneering restaurants. Catch a taxi there to avoid the climb.

Our dinner at Boragó was a highlight of the entire trip. Chef Rodolfo Guzmán’s contemporary, innovative spin on Chilean cuisine earns him every bit of his fourth place on Latin America’s Best Restaurant List (Boragó is 42nd on the World’s 50 Best). A foraging Svengali, Guzmán’s ambition is to introduce little-known wild Chilean ingredients to the world. He scours the salt flats of the Atacama for native herbs and plucks sea asparagus from the rocks dotting the shoreline of the Pacific. The name too pays homage to foraging – boragó translates to starflower, of the flowering herb family Boraginaceae.

Guzmán worked at Mugaritz (number 9 on the World’s 50 Best List) in the Basque country before returning to his native Chile and opening Boragó in 2006. It struggled in its early years (Chileans haven’t fully caught on to the fine-dining scene and cooking meals at home has always been the norm, so Guzmán’s visionary dishes fell on dead mouths), but it’s now packed every weekend.

Rather than borrowing from European cooking conventions, Guzmán’s menu is a firm nod to the local traditions and ingredients, whether these are indigenous seafood, the ancient culinary culture of the Mapuche people or vegetables from bio-dynamically unique farms from all over the country.

We had the 16-course degustation that lasted almost four hours and brought more than one tear to my eyes. Even the house-baked bread to start was exceptional. It was served with the favourite Chilean condiment, pebre, a mix of chilli, coriander and red pepper paste, which Guzmán makes extra special by adding toasted flour.

Other highlights included the chupe of mushrooms from Quintay (a coastal town near Valparaíso), which was an incredible, earthy mushroom puree topped with spinach endemic to Chile. Seafood wise, we had jibia (local cuttlefish) served under red plum leaves flavoured with murra, a popular berry that is mostly used for juicing (it tastes like a hybrid between a grape and a blackberry). The Cojinova, a local fish, was served filleted under bitter plants withered in burnt butter and cochayuyo (a seaweed indigenous to Chile and New Zealand). Carnivores will appreciate the lamb cooked à la inverse served with vine leaves, grapes and herbs. But really, there wasn’t a bad dish. The plating too celebrates the treasures of Chile’s wild beauty. The very last course, the Cold Glacier, was a potent mint bomb that completely refreshed the mouth. It was almost like the slate was wiped clean and you could do the 16 courses all over again.

If you want to try noveau Chilean cuisine but are feeling slightly intimidated by 16 courses, try lunch or a six- or nine-course dinner menu at the much more casual 99 in Provedencia (it won’t break the bank either). Here, ex-Boragó chef Kurt Schmidt (who’s also a Noma and Azurmendi alumni) breaks out on his own to serve wonderfully executed dishes that likewise celebrate the intense flavours of Chilean ingredients. He’s joined by Gusta Saez, crowned the best pastry chef in Latin America in 2016, at an eatery that’s being dubbed the leader of ‘Chilean bistronomy’ movement.

The fit-out is stripped-back but classy, with tables carved from roughly chopped timber with streaks of turquoise paint, recycled furnishings and beautiful wooden plates. We had lunch on the terrace that opens out onto bustling Providencia, indulging in some people watching while enjoying amazing food.

Typical dishes include ‘fungal textures’, mushroom varieties in raw, cooked, powder and puree forms; lamb tongue on a cauliflower puree with prunes and caramel; and carrot sorbet with coconut foam and caramelised peanuts. For lunch, the food and the vibe are a lot more casual. We had creamy tomato soup garnished with shavings of dehydrated tomato, an Asian-style bao with pancetta, oven-roasted sea bass with a medley of Chilean potatoes, a delicious bean ‘stew’ with cameos by mushrooms and broccoli, and two desserts, including a chocolate cheesecake served with a lemon reduction.

The drinks list showcases independent Chilean producers making natural and biodynamic wines, which is all part of the restaurant’s overall commitment to sustainability. I had a beautiful Pinot with the savoury courses and a German-style Riesling with dessert. It married so well with the mouth-watering strawberry shortcake (our second dessert!!). I couldn’t tell you the names of the wines unfortunately as the friendly waiter recommended something from the opened bottles and I happily accepted.

Like Indian in London or Mexican in LA, Peruvian cuisine is widespread and very popular in Santiago. Known as the original ‘fusion’ food, Peruvian cuisine has incorporated influences from every continent and fused them with ingredients that date back to the Incas. It’s not only about ceviche – there’s an abundance of other fish dishes and a huge assortment of potatoes, corn and chillies, to name a few. The flavours are also a lot more potent than some of the more nuanced flavours found in Chilean cuisine.

Peruvian restaurants are a dime a dozen in Santiago – from fancy (and pricey) white tablecloth options to downtown eateries favoured by Peruvian immigrants. Like with everything, some are great while others not so much. For reliability and taste, it’s hard to go past Mistura Del Perú. With three locations (in Santa Isabel, Infante and Pedro de Valdivia) and prices that won’t make your jaw drop, it’s a great way to sample exciting Peruvian food.

The menu is vast and, be warned, the servings are massive. Start with some ceviche – we had the mixed, which comes loaded with cuts of fresh local fish, octopus, squid and prawn, and dressed with red onion, red pepper and seaweed. There is also a great selection of tiraditos, a dish of sashimi, similar to crudo and carpaccio, served in a spicy sauce. We had the tuna, which came lightly scorched and drizzled with a pumpkin and chilli reduction and then topped with mini crumbed calamari. For some bulk, go a rice dish (the ‘green’ rice, which is rice flavoured with coriander and mixed with shrimp and mussels was perfectly al dente and delicious). The grilled ocean trout had a pleasant charred flavour and was very juicy. The vegetables it came with were crisp and the asparagus was knockout.

Just like there are a plethora of Peruvian restaurants, Chile’s fish and seafood culture lends itself perfectly to Japanese cuisine. We couldn’t get into Osaka (number 43 on Latin America’s Best Restaurant List) where popular Peru-born chef Ciro Watanabe serves Nikkei fusion dishes so we tried Hanzo, a restaurant of the same ilk in Vitacura.

The vibe is sophisticated – minimalist fit-out, low lighting, down-tempo tunes – it could very well be in New York instead of Santiago. The menu is long, with every Japanese and Peruvian delicacy you could want. There’s nigiri, sashimi, maki rolls, salads, soups, hot plates, rice – the choice is overwhelming. We had ceviche, which sees thick cubes of fish and avocado enlivened with nori (seaweed) and chulpe corn, and dressed with soy and leche de tigre (Peruvian citrus-based marinade used for curing seafood). The spicy tuna gunkan sushi – aka battleship rolls – was likewise delicious, but we particularly enjoyed the potato croquettes, which are made with two types of Peruvian potatoes, drizzled with a mild yellow salsa and topped with a creamy mass of octopus and shrimp. The carpaccio beef, dressed with sesame oil and citrusy ponzu sauce, and garnished with avocado, tiny fries and crunchy quinoa croquettes – a true showcase of Japanese and Peruvian fusion – didn’t taste as flavoursome as it sounds. The drinks list is also disappointing, with wines from just one vineyard. Nevertheless, it was a great meal to conclude our odyssey of Santiago’s gastronomic delights.

Directory:

Porta Café

Various locations

Plaza de Bolsillo Morandé 83, Santiago, Chile

3841 Coffee Roasters

José Victorino Lastarria 228, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://www.3841.cl/

Mercado Central

San Pablo 967, Santiago, Chile

Mercado La Vega

Calle Davila Baeza, La Vega Central, Santiago, Chile

Bocanáriz

José Victorino Lastarria 276, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://ift.tt/1IvSfd6

El Mitico

Av. Nueva Providencia 2020, Providencia, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://ift.tt/2hW7Avy

Delicious Fried Empanadas (Empanadas Fritas Las Deliciosas)

Av. Borgoño 25370, Con Con, Concón, Región de Valparaíso, Chile

Boragó

Av. Nueva Costanera 3467, Vitacura, Santiago +56 2 2953 8893

http://www.borago.cl/

Andrés de Fuenzalida 99, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

+56 2 2335 3327 http://ift.tt/1R3nXQl

Mistura Del Perú

Santa Isabel 0496, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

Av. Pedro de Valdivia 3580, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile

José Manuel Infante 1502, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

http://ift.tt/2hYhOLY

Hanzo

Av San Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer 5970,

Vitacura, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://www.hanzo.cl/

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outsidespaceblog · 7 years

Text

A Foodie’s Guide to Santiago | Chile

by Victoria Khroundina

Directory:

Porta Café

Various locations

Plaza de Bolsillo Morandé 83, Santiago, Chile

3841 Coffee Roasters

José Victorino Lastarria 228, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://www.3841.cl/

Mercado Central

San Pablo 967, Santiago, Chile

Mercado La Vega

Calle Davila Baeza, La Vega Central, Santiago, Chile

Bocanáriz

José Victorino Lastarria 276, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://ift.tt/1IvSfd6

El Mitico

Av. Nueva Providencia 2020, Providencia, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://ift.tt/2hW7Avy

Delicious Fried Empanadas (Empanadas Fritas Las Deliciosas)

Av. Borgoño 25370, Con Con, Concón, Región de Valparaíso, Chile

Boragó

Av. Nueva Costanera 3467, Vitacura, Santiago +56 2 2953 8893

http://www.borago.cl/

Andrés de Fuenzalida 99, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

+56 2 2335 3327 http://ift.tt/1R3nXQl

Mistura Del Perú

Santa Isabel 0496, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

Av. Pedro de Valdivia 3580, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile

José Manuel Infante 1502, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

http://ift.tt/2hYhOLY

Hanzo

Av San Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer 5970,

Vitacura, Región Metropolitana, Chile

http://www.hanzo.cl/

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watsonrodriquezie · 7 years

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8 Primal-Friendly Flours

While I don’t recommend making Primalized versions of grain-based foods a staple, the fact remains that people love them. They’re going to want them. There’s not much you can do about that. And if we want to incorporate pancakes, muffins, cookies, and other flour-based items into our diets without ruining everything we’ve worked toward, we need the healthiest, most Primal flours.

The alternative flour market has exploded in recent years. A decade ago, you had gritty almond flour and fibrous coconut flour, and that was about it. Today, there are many more flours to sift through. But what are the best ones? Which ones fit best into a Primal way of eating, and why?

Today, I’m going to lay it all out. I’ll give a brief explanation of each Primal-friendly flour, including the facts, features, and characteristics that I find relevant and notable. That way you can decide what’s best for you.

Almond Flour

You know it. You love it, or at least tolerate it. For most long-term Primal eaters, almond flour was the only option if you wanted anything approximating a cookie or a pancake.

What’s notable?

Nutrient-dense: Almond flour is rich in magnesium, vitamin E, copper, and manganese.

Polyphenol-rich: Almond skins have tons of polyphenols.

Prebiotic: Almonds make great food for our beneficial gut bacteria.

Rich in MUFA: Over half of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated, the same kind found in avocado and olive oils. It’s really good stuff.

Calorically dense: A cup of almond flour has about 650 calories. It’s more than a cup of whole almonds, which is already a lot of nuts. It’s a tightly-packed cup of pulverized almonds. If you’re eating almond flour pancakes, it adds up quickly.

Moderately high in PUFAs: Nothing wrong with the PUFAs in a handful of almonds, but it’s easy to get too many eating baked goods made from PUFA-rich almond flour.

Less oxidatively stable: Increasing the surface area of an almond by milling it into flour makes the polyunsaturated fats more vulnerable to oxidative damage. Heating the flour adds another oxidative input.

What brand?

Bob’s Redmill has a very nice super-fine almond meal.

Cassava Flour

You’ve probably heard of tapioca starch. That’s pure starch pulled from the cassava root. This isn’t that. Cassava flour is the whole dried tuber ground into a fine, mild, adaptive flour. But before you get too excited, know that cassava root—even the whole food—isn’t terribly nutrient-dense unless you count starch. It’s mainly useful as a reliable source of starch for people who rely on it for caloric bulk. So the flour, even derived from the whole root, is basically glucose.

What’s notable?

Reduces blood glucose. When researchers added cassava flour to regular wheat flour-based baked goods, the glycemic response plummeted. The more cassava flour they added, the lower it went.

What brand?

Otto’s Naturals.

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is made from dried coconut flesh with most of the fat removed. Only a little bit remains—a gram of fat per tablespoon.

What’s notable?

High in fiber, low in digestible carbs: A quarter cup of coconut flour contains 16 grams of carbs, 10 fiber, 6 digestible. It enjoys a correspondingly low glycemic index and can even make other foods lower in glycemic index when incorporated.

Contains prebiotics: A portion of the fiber in coconut flour is fermentable (PDF) by the gut bacteria, which create butyrate and other beneficial short chain fatty acids as byproducts.

Tricky to work with: Coconut flour is incredibly dry, fibrous, and absorbent. It soaks up liquid like nothing else. Cook with a quarter of the flour you’d usually use, and have extra eggs handy.

Reduces blood sugar: Adding coconut flour to a hypocaloric diet reduced blood glucose and cholesterol in overweight Brazilian women.

What brand?

Anthony’s seems to be the best value.

Coffee Flour

Coffee flour isn’t ground up coffee beans—that’s coffee. It’s ground up coffee fruit pulp, the pod that contains the beans we know and love.

I’m going to be honest here. I have a bag of it sitting in my pantry, picked up from Trader Joe’s, but I haven’t used it yet. From what I gather, coffee flour is a great flavor enhancer (think roasted fruit rather than espresso) that also provides a ton of micronutrients. You probably don’t want pancakes made entirely out of coffee flour, but a couple tablespoons added to the gluten-free flour of your choice would probably turn out really well. Another option is to add to smoothies.

What’s notable?

High in phytonutrients: Coffee fruit pulp is rich in various phytonutrients, many of which have antioxidant qualities.

High in potassium: A tablespoon has about 300 mg of potassium.

High in fiber: The product is new enough that studies haven’t yet determined the fermentability of the fiber, but I’d wager a guess that coffee flour will have prebiotic qualities.

What brand?

Trader Joe’s.

Green Banana Flour

Green banana flour is a recent phenomenon, emerging as the resistant starch craze hit its peak. Reason being: green bananas are fantastic sources of resistant starch, and so is the flour.

What’s notable?

High in resistant starch: Cooking the flour nullifies the resistant starch.

Tricky to work with: Like coconut flour, green banana flour soaks up a lot of liquid. Cook with 2/3 of the flour you’d usually use, and have extra eggs handy.

What brand?

WEDO.

Hazelnut Flour

Hazelnuts receive little fanfare already—especially this side of the Atlantic. Hazelnut flour gets even less. That’s a mistake, as hazelnuts are incredibly underrated in the nutrition department. They also taste great, although I find the flour lends itself best to desserts.

What’s notable?

Surprisingly nutritious: Hazelnuts and their flour are good sources of vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium.

Has surprising heart health benefits: Hazelnuts reduce LDL particle number, improve cardiovascular health beyond the effect they have on lipid profiles, and reduce the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation.

Makes homemade Nutella possible: Hazelnut and chocolate belong together. Throw hazelnut flour, cocoa powder, 85% dark chocolate pieces, a sweetener (honey, xylitol, ec), and some avocado oil into a food processor. Process until it starts looking spreadable, then salt to taste.

What brand?

Bob’s Redmill does a good hazelnut flour/meal.

Potato Starch

Potato starch is just that—starch—so don’t expect any micronutrients. Most use it as a complement to other gluten-free flours, finding it lends a light, fluffy quality to the finished product. I included it while omitting other pure starches for three main reasons:

If you’re making crispy fried chicken or fish, potato starch is a fantastic dredging agent.

If you’re making gravy or need to thicken a pan sauce, a tablespoon or so whisked into liquid (e.g. broth, water, milk, cream) then added to the pot will provide the perfect texture.

If you want a quick source of resistant starch, stir a couple tablespoons into a glass of sparkling water.

What’s notable (besides the three reasons I keep it around)?

Resistant starch: Gram for gram, it’s the best and most inexpensive source of resistant starch around. Add it to smoothies or mix a couple tablespoons with sparkling water and drink it down. Keep it away from heat, or else you’ll turn the resistant starch into plain glucose.

Some people have reported stomach pain and digestive issues with resistant starch consumption. Not many, but some. If that’s the case, start really small—a half teaspoon or so—and work your way up to larger doses. The benefits to your gut biome are worth the wait.

What brand?

I always go with Bob’s Redmill.

Tigernut Flour

You’ve probably not tried this. I actually find tigernut flour subpar for baked goods thanks to a grittiness that never quite goes away. It’s an intrinsic characteristic, resistant to heat, high powered blending, and every other form of food processing available to home cooks and, I assume, food manufacturers, or else the companies that make it would eliminate the grittiness.

Believe it or not, it’s still one of my favorite flours. Mixed with Greek yogurt, it lends a subtle sweetness. And because you don’t quite “chew” Greek yogurt, instead sorta swallowing it whole, the grittiness doesn’t impede enjoyment. But by far the best way to eat it is in ball form. Add tigernut flour and nut butter (peanut honestly tastes the best, if you’re a legume heretic) in a 2:1 ratio to a food processor along with salt and just enough honey to let you roll the mixture into balls. Freeze the balls and enjoy. Successful variations I’ve tried include adding 85% dark chocolate chunks/bars or even a dash of whey protein.

What’s notable?

High in resistant starch: Tigernut flour is actually enjoyable in its plain state, compared with the tolerable potato starch. It has about half the resistant starch of potato starch, but there are other good points.

High in MUFAs: Who doesn’t love MUFA? The fatty acid profile overall resembles olive oil.

Rich in nutrients: Tigernut flour contains good amounts of iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, folate, and zinc.

Evolutionary precedent: There’s good evidence that one of our early African ancestors, Paranthropus boisei, relied on tigernuts for the bulk of calories. Doesn’t get much more ancestral than that.

What brand?

I love Organic Gemini flour, although this brand claims to have eliminated the grittiness.

As I see it, those are the 8 most important Primal-friendly flours. They cover a wide range of applications, from baking to cooking to prebiotic supplementation to sauce thickening and Nutella making. You don’t have to get them all, or even any.

But it’s nice to have something laying around when it’s 7 A.M. on a Saturday and boy wouldn’t a stack of pancakes be great?

Now let’s hear from you. Got a favorite flour that didn’t make the list? Let me know! Got any questions about these or other flours? Shoot.

Thanks for reading, all. Take care.

0 notes

fishermariawo · 7 years

Text

8 Primal-Friendly Flours

Almond Flour

You know it. You love it, or at least tolerate it. For most long-term Primal eaters, almond flour was the only option if you wanted anything approximating a cookie or a pancake.

What’s notable?

Nutrient-dense: Almond flour is rich in magnesium, vitamin E, copper, and manganese.

Polyphenol-rich: Almond skins have tons of polyphenols.

Prebiotic: Almonds make great food for our beneficial gut bacteria.

Rich in MUFA: Over half of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated, the same kind found in avocado and olive oils. It’s really good stuff.

Moderately high in PUFAs: Nothing wrong with the PUFAs in a handful of almonds, but it’s easy to get too many eating baked goods made from PUFA-rich almond flour.

What brand?

Bob’s Redmill has a very nice super-fine almond meal.

Cassava Flour

What’s notable?

Reduces blood glucose. When researchers added cassava flour to regular wheat flour-based baked goods, the glycemic response plummeted. The more cassava flour they added, the lower it went.

What brand?

Otto’s Naturals.

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is made from dried coconut flesh with most of the fat removed. Only a little bit remains—a gram of fat per tablespoon.

What’s notable?

Contains prebiotics: A portion of the fiber in coconut flour is fermentable (PDF) by the gut bacteria, which create butyrate and other beneficial short chain fatty acids as byproducts.

Tricky to work with: Coconut flour is incredibly dry, fibrous, and absorbent. It soaks up liquid like nothing else. Cook with a quarter of the flour you’d usually use, and have extra eggs handy.

Reduces blood sugar: Adding coconut flour to a hypocaloric diet reduced blood glucose and cholesterol in overweight Brazilian women.

What brand?

Anthony’s seems to be the best value.

Coffee Flour

Coffee flour isn’t ground up coffee beans—that’s coffee. It’s ground up coffee fruit pulp, the pod that contains the beans we know and love.

What’s notable?

High in phytonutrients: Coffee fruit pulp is rich in various phytonutrients, many of which have antioxidant qualities.

High in potassium: A tablespoon has about 300 mg of potassium.

High in fiber: The product is new enough that studies haven’t yet determined the fermentability of the fiber, but I’d wager a guess that coffee flour will have prebiotic qualities.

What brand?

Trader Joe’s.

Green Banana Flour

Green banana flour is a recent phenomenon, emerging as the resistant starch craze hit its peak. Reason being: green bananas are fantastic sources of resistant starch, and so is the flour.

What’s notable?

High in resistant starch: Cooking the flour nullifies the resistant starch.

Tricky to work with: Like coconut flour, green banana flour soaks up a lot of liquid. Cook with 2/3 of the flour you’d usually use, and have extra eggs handy.

What brand?

WEDO.

Hazelnut Flour

What’s notable?

Surprisingly nutritious: Hazelnuts and their flour are good sources of vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium.

What brand?

Bob’s Redmill does a good hazelnut flour/meal.

Potato Starch

If you’re making crispy fried chicken or fish, potato starch is a fantastic dredging agent.

If you’re making gravy or need to thicken a pan sauce, a tablespoon or so whisked into liquid (e.g. broth, water, milk, cream) then added to the pot will provide the perfect texture.

If you want a quick source of resistant starch, stir a couple tablespoons into a glass of sparkling water.

What’s notable (besides the three reasons I keep it around)?

What brand?

I always go with Bob’s Redmill.

Tigernut Flour

What’s notable?

High in MUFAs: Who doesn’t love MUFA? The fatty acid profile overall resembles olive oil.

Rich in nutrients: Tigernut flour contains good amounts of iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, folate, and zinc.

What brand?

I love Organic Gemini flour, although this brand claims to have eliminated the grittiness.

But it’s nice to have something laying around when it’s 7 A.M. on a Saturday and boy wouldn’t a stack of pancakes be great?

Now let’s hear from you. Got a favorite flour that didn’t make the list? Let me know! Got any questions about these or other flours? Shoot.

Thanks for reading, all. Take care.

0 notes

milenasanchezmk · 7 years

Text

8 Primal-Friendly Flours

Almond Flour

You know it. You love it, or at least tolerate it. For most long-term Primal eaters, almond flour was the only option if you wanted anything approximating a cookie or a pancake.

What’s notable?

Nutrient-dense: Almond flour is rich in magnesium, vitamin E, copper, and manganese.

Polyphenol-rich: Almond skins have tons of polyphenols.

Prebiotic: Almonds make great food for our beneficial gut bacteria.

Rich in MUFA: Over half of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated, the same kind found in avocado and olive oils. It’s really good stuff.

Moderately high in PUFAs: Nothing wrong with the PUFAs in a handful of almonds, but it’s easy to get too many eating baked goods made from PUFA-rich almond flour.

What brand?

Bob’s Redmill has a very nice super-fine almond meal.

Cassava Flour

What’s notable?

Reduces blood glucose. When researchers added cassava flour to regular wheat flour-based baked goods, the glycemic response plummeted. The more cassava flour they added, the lower it went.

What brand?

Otto’s Naturals.

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is made from dried coconut flesh with most of the fat removed. Only a little bit remains—a gram of fat per tablespoon.

What’s notable?

Contains prebiotics: A portion of the fiber in coconut flour is fermentable (PDF) by the gut bacteria, which create butyrate and other beneficial short chain fatty acids as byproducts.

Tricky to work with: Coconut flour is incredibly dry, fibrous, and absorbent. It soaks up liquid like nothing else. Cook with a quarter of the flour you’d usually use, and have extra eggs handy.

Reduces blood sugar: Adding coconut flour to a hypocaloric diet reduced blood glucose and cholesterol in overweight Brazilian women.

What brand?

Anthony’s seems to be the best value.

Coffee Flour

Coffee flour isn’t ground up coffee beans—that’s coffee. It’s ground up coffee fruit pulp, the pod that contains the beans we know and love.

What’s notable?

High in phytonutrients: Coffee fruit pulp is rich in various phytonutrients, many of which have antioxidant qualities.

High in potassium: A tablespoon has about 300 mg of potassium.

High in fiber: The product is new enough that studies haven’t yet determined the fermentability of the fiber, but I’d wager a guess that coffee flour will have prebiotic qualities.

What brand?

Trader Joe’s.

Green Banana Flour

Green banana flour is a recent phenomenon, emerging as the resistant starch craze hit its peak. Reason being: green bananas are fantastic sources of resistant starch, and so is the flour.

What’s notable?

High in resistant starch: Cooking the flour nullifies the resistant starch.

Tricky to work with: Like coconut flour, green banana flour soaks up a lot of liquid. Cook with 2/3 of the flour you’d usually use, and have extra eggs handy.

What brand?

WEDO.

Hazelnut Flour

What’s notable?

Surprisingly nutritious: Hazelnuts and their flour are good sources of vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium.

What brand?

Bob’s Redmill does a good hazelnut flour/meal.

Potato Starch

If you’re making crispy fried chicken or fish, potato starch is a fantastic dredging agent.

If you’re making gravy or need to thicken a pan sauce, a tablespoon or so whisked into liquid (e.g. broth, water, milk, cream) then added to the pot will provide the perfect texture.

If you want a quick source of resistant starch, stir a couple tablespoons into a glass of sparkling water.

What’s notable (besides the three reasons I keep it around)?

What brand?

I always go with Bob’s Redmill.

Tigernut Flour

What’s notable?

High in MUFAs: Who doesn’t love MUFA? The fatty acid profile overall resembles olive oil.

Rich in nutrients: Tigernut flour contains good amounts of iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, folate, and zinc.

What brand?

I love Organic Gemini flour, although this brand claims to have eliminated the grittiness.

But it’s nice to have something laying around when it’s 7 A.M. on a Saturday and boy wouldn’t a stack of pancakes be great?

Now let’s hear from you. Got a favorite flour that didn’t make the list? Let me know! Got any questions about these or other flours? Shoot.

Thanks for reading, all. Take care.

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