Monday, July 25, 2016
5 Sweet Snacks to Eat Right Now — Snacks with a Purpose
Are you team salty snack or sweet snack? I fall squarely on the latter. Sweet snacks are always my craving between meals, after meals, and at midnight. There are some obvious favorites (looking at you, dark chocolate bar) but here are five sweet snacks you should try next time your sweet tooth strikes.
1. Apple Slices with Almond Butter and Chocolate Sprinkles
Crackers smeared with cream cheese and topped with sprinkles is one of my crunchy snacks. This sweeter version is perfect for a late-afternoon pick-me-up. Slice the apples thinly across the core to make rounds. Almond butter is a classic for pairing with apples, but any nut butter will work here too.
2. Nutella and Dried Mango
Maybe this combination sounds strange, but chocolate-dipped mango is a super-satisfying sweet-tooth snack. Instead of melting chocolate, dipping your own dried mango slices, and then waiting for the chocolate to set, take the easy way out and enjoy a little Nutella with dried mango for dipping.
3. Kettle Corn
Popcorn is the serious snacker's BFF, but you might forget that making your own kettle corn at home is fast and easy — and you probably have all the ingredients on hand already.
Get the Recipe: How To Make Kettle Corn at Home
4. Instant Strawberry Cake
Aw, mug cakes — you continue to dazzle us with your tastiness and ease. This strawberry shortcake is both. Top it with a dollop of Greek yogurt for an equally filling and flavorful sweet snack.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake in a Mug
5. Date Smoothie
Dates are super sweet on their own and great for eating out of hand when your sweet tooth strikes, but pairing them with a frozen banana and some spices will make their snack power last even longer.
Get the Recipe: Banana-Date Smoothie
What is your favorite sweet treat for snacking?
New Snack Ideas for When the Munchies Strike
New snack ideas for when the munchies strike is a series where we show you how to satisfy all your snack cravings — salty, sweet, crunchy, and spicy. We encourage you to embrace snack time and calm your cravings with these fresh ideas and out-of-the-box combos.
Match Your Snack to Your Zodiac Sign — Snacks with a Purpose
Your zodiac sign gives insight into your personality, career path, and love life. It's also extremely helpful in determining your go-to cocktail. Who's to say the stars can't also point you in the right direction in other culinary pursuits? Let's see what the stars have to say about the snacks you should be stocking up on.
ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Wasabi Peas
Impatient Aries doesn't have time to wait for cookies to bake or nacho cheese to melt. When she feels a snack craving coming on, she wants her snack now! (Actually, five minutes ago would've been even better.) That's why wasabi peas are the perfect snack for fiery Aries. They're spicy and irresistable — just like she is.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Homemade Brownies
Patient Taurus doesn't mind following a lot of steps, so when she's in the mood for a snack, she's happy to whip up a batch of homemade brownies. Since Taureans love the finer things in life, she's going to spring for the fancy chocolate and fancier salted caramel to swirl in the brownie batter. Save us a square!
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Mini Peanut Butter Cups
Geminis are mostly known for having two personalities, but they're also known for loving to do things with their hands. They're happiest when knitting, drawing, or playing Candy Crush on their cell phones. That's why mini peanut butter cups are their ideal snack. One personality will go gaga for the smooth chocolate, and the other will dig the salty peanut butter. Popping a few in her mouth whenever a craving strikes will keep her hands happy.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22): Cookie Dough
Empathetic and moody cancer loves all kinds of comfort food. Anything indulgent, creamy, and decadent gets a thumbs up. That's why her favorite snack is cookie dough, straight from the tube (or bowl). Funny how it always tastes best when she's snuggled under a blanket watching her favorite movie.
LEO (July 23 to August 22): Caramel Waffle Cone Frappucino
Confident and domineering Leo loves drama and attention. Her ultimate snack would be something over-the-top. What's more attention-grabbing than walking into a room sipping a venti caramel waffle cone Frappucino? With sticky caramel and mounds of whipped cream-dotted waffle cone shards, it'll turn heads — which Leo loves to do.
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22): String Cheese
Analytical and practical Virgo tends towards the healthier side when reaching for a snack, which is why she loves string cheese: It's portable, pre-portioned, and if she grabs the low-fat version, relatively healthy. And she finds great pleasure in methodically separating the cheese into strands and gobbling 'em up one by one.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22): Fair-Trade Dark Chocolate
Balanced Libra has a sweet tooth, which is why she loves eating fair-trade dark chocolate. Not only does it support a worthy cause, but she gets to indulge in a sweet chocolate treat. It's a win-win situation for her!
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21): Hot Wings
Mysterious and social Scorpio's favorite snack is a heaping plate of hot chicken wings. Not only are wings spicy, like her, but she also gets to share 'em with her friends, which makes her feel good both inside and out.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21): Roasted Seaweed Snack
Adventurous Sagittarius is known for being impulsive, which is why she loves noshing on a package of roasted seaweed snacks. The crispy sheets of roasted seaweed are salty and a little sweet, thanks to a few drops of sesame oil, a flavor combination which drives her wild.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19): Raw Almonds
Disciplined Capricorn is an earth sign, so her favorite snack is something grown in the ground. That's why she digs raw almonds — a handful or two will satisfy her. Maybe she'll occasionally opt for honey-roasted almonds or roasted salted almonds, but she always comes back to the raw variety. Simpler is better. To her, they're the perfect snack.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18): Cheese Plate
Wise, independent Aquarius loves being sociable, so when she's ready to snack, her number-one choice would be a robust cheese board brimming with artisanal cheeses, spreads, jams, and jellies to share. Not only does she get to taste a lot of different flavors, but she also gets to chow down while having a great time with friends. That cheese board puts her in a happy place, for sure.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20): Chips and Guacamole
Dreamy and romantic Pisces loves nothing more than swirling her tortilla chip in a mound of freshly made guacamole. She daydreams about being on the beach with her one true love as she swirls her chip around the creamy guac. Pisces, chips, and guac are a match made in heaven.
Snacking Tips from Road Warriors: Flight Attendant — Snacks with a Purpose
Snacks are an essential part of travel. They keep hunger — and impulsive, hanger-driven decisions — at bay, sustaining long days on the road (or on your feet). They also offer a tiny piece of home, whether it's the familiarity of a pack of peanut M&Ms when you're in a foreign country or the knowledge that you've got your go-to granola handy for breakfast.
With snacks and travel on our mind this month, we reached out to five road warriors, people who are away from home as often as not. They've got snacking down to a science — and they're sharing their tried-and-true tips.
Emirates Airlines cabin crew member Jana Kopová knows a thing or two about being on the go, and her strategy for in-flight eating and snacking is simple: Be prepared for anything. "It's better to be ready than to rely on what you will get in the aircraft," she says. "Emirates has added healthy options for the crew — stuff like miso soup, cans of tuna, and muesli. They've made the casseroles, the hot meals, a little more healthy, but in general, it's still plane food."
We talked to Jana to find out how she manages to eat well, even on a 16-hour flight. If you're serious about food, too (and we suspect you are), read on.
Jana's Snacking Tips
1. Mix and match.
Jana begins her travel prep by asking herself a few simple questions. Before each flight, Jana says, "I just think, 'Okay, we will fly at night, so how many meals do I need? What will I eat?'" She then packs her bag with simple foods, like pre-cut vegetables, cans of tuna, or fruit, and uses the food available on the plane to supplement.
"If I can find something better — for example, business class often has something to spare — I'll eat it and I'll keep my food for later," she says. She also likes to combine the food she brought with her with what's available on the aircraft. "For example, I take a salmon fillet from the food on the plane and put it on the salad I brought from home," Jana explains.
2. Make your own porridge.
Jana also brings a porridge mixture that she can "cook" with hot water once she's in the air. "Basically it's a mix of flakes: rice, millet, buckwheat, seeds, with some protein [powder] and some seeds like chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower — whatever I have," Jana says. "I add banana on the plane; we always have some bananas and apples."
3. BYO water bottle.
"Sometimes I do not understand why [passengers] do not take water with them," says Jana. While you may need to ditch your bottled water before you go through security, she recommends purchasing a big bottle to bring on the plane or, better yet, investing in a reusable bottle that you can fill up from fountains in the airport or aboard the aircraft.
Jana likes to spruce her water up with lemon slices and to make tea from sachets she brings from home. It's an easy way to keep yourself hydrated (and make your fellow passengers jealous).
4. Take it easy on the booze.
That can be a hard one, Jana says, explaining that "some people just keep drinking." And she sympathizes: "I actually understand why. Because sometimes it's so boring."
What snacks do you bring on flights? Share in the comments!
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Our Number-One Pick from IKEA's 2017 Catalog Preview — IKEA Shopping Guide
IKEA's new catalog for 2017 is almost here — start the countdown! Luckily we got a sneak peek to tide us over as we eagerly await its arrival on August 8. While there were many new product lines and one-off items to geek out about, we're most excited about this versatile pick.
Our #1 Pick: SUNNERSTA Cart, $29.99
Designed by Henrik Preutz, the $30 SUNNERSTA Cart seems poised to be this year's RÅSKOG cart. Sleek and streamlined, the cart is easy to tuck away and can hold a wide range of kitchen pantry items and appliances. It's also designed to provide additional prep space for those with itty-bitty kitchens. And for $30, it's a steal.
The cart is part of the larger SUNNERSTA line, designed for a transient lifestyle or small spaces. Shown above is the Mini-Kitchen, which includes a sink, prep space, "backsplash" storage, and space for a small refrigerator.
See the Top 10 Products from IKEA's 2017 Catalog
What do you think? Will the SUNNERSTA be the new RÅSKOG?
An Investigative Report: What Makes Movie Theater Popcorn So Good? — Summer Blockbusters
Is there anything better than movies and popcorn? They go together like Luke and Lorelai. When you think of one, the other automatically pops into your head. And movie theater popcorn, in particular, is a special breed. As soon as you walk into the theater, it hits you: the buttery, salty smell of popcorn.
It beats the microwaved version every time. When you make your own at home, or buy bags that claim they're the "movie theater" version, they're just never quite as good. Even when the stuff in the theaters isn't perfect — too dry or too buttery — it just works.
So, why is movie theater popcorn so dang good? It may just be part of the movie magic; however old we get, there's still something mystical about the movie theater. Almost everyone can remember seeing a movie they loved, and they probably had a bag of popcorn on their lap while they saw it.
But is there something more? Is the secret in the sauce? Is there a special popper? A flavored salt? We decided to investigate.
The Theater of Popcorn
The movie theater experience is definitely a factor. "Popcorn and the big screen experience go hand in hand," explains Terri-Lynn Woodhouse, who has worked in movie theaters for 15 years. "A lot of it is nostalgic, remembering first dates and enjoying the taste and smells of the theatre as kids," she says, but there's something else, too. "The theater of popping the popcorn is a big draw. You can watch, hear, and smell it while in line."
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
Of course, you can't forget the butter — or rather, butter flavoring. More often than not, "butter" is really butter-flavored oil, which helps keep the popcorn from getting soggy. Kristi Weimerskirch, who worked at the Marcus Theater in Madison, Wisconsin, for two years in high school, says she and her coworkers were always told to refer to it as butter flavoring instead of butter.
But just because it's not real, doesn't mean it's not delicious. "I still loved it, though! I munched on it all the time," Weimerskirch says. "But it was definitely not butter on there."
Haute Popcorn
These days, movie theaters are going beyond the butter (or butter flavoring). Woodhouse says her Toronto movie theater offers powdered seasonings like ketchup, white cheddar, sour cream & onion, and BBQ.
And then there are places like iPic Theaters in Westwood, CA, outside Los Angeles. Sherry Yard, the James Beard award-winning chef and senior vice president of Culinary Brand Development, rattles off flavors like pickled beet with rosemary and sea salt and buttermilk dill with smoked salt. And her preferred pairing isn't a Big Gulp, but a glass of bubbly.
No matter what that X factor is, people can't get enough of the stuff — employees included. "I couldn't imagine watching a movie without it," Woodhouse says. "And that says a lot considering all the theater cleaning and spilt popcorn I've dealt with over the years!"
Pop(corn) History: There's a Reason Popcorn Is Our #1 Movie Snack
How do you take your movie theater popcorn? With butter or without?
Flavor Corn on the Cob with Furikake — Oh So Corny!
If you've never tried furikake, you've been missing out. The Japanese seasoning is crunchy, salty, sweet, and savory all at the same time, thanks to a mix of seaweed, sesame seeds, sugar, dried fish, and salt. Your corn on the cob won't know what hit it.
Why This One Topping Is Enough
Furikake can be found at Asian grocery stores. It's such a unique topping for corn — it's rich in umami, but also salty, sweet, and crunchy. Be sure to sprinkle it over each and every kernel for maximum enjoyment.
How to Cook Your Corn
Before you can utilize the furikake, you of course have to have some perfectly cooked corn on hand. Here are three ways to make it happen.
1. Boil it.
The most classic way to cook corn — boil for three to five minutes in a big pot of salted water.
2. Microwave it.
This mostly hands-off method calls for leaving the corn in their husks and microwaving them on high power for four to six minutes.
3. Grill it.
If you already have the grill going, toss your corn cobs on for about 15 minutes, turning frequently for smoky, charred results.
One-Ingredient Upgrades
This series shows you how to use a single store-bought ingredient — one you often wouldn't expect — to liven up your food. To celebrate the sweet summer corn that's taking over the market, we encourage you to go beyond butter and use one of these ingredients to give your corn on the cob a jolt of flavor.
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Author Ramona Ausubel's Midnight Writing Snack — What Writers Eat at Midnight
When you're burning the midnight oil and your stomach starts to grumble, what should you reach for to fuel you through the night? We decided to go directly to the source. We mean writers, of course. After all, who knows better the pain and pleasure of the midnight munchies than the literary set?
This month, we asked 20 authors, past and present, to share what they snack on in the wee hours.
Ramona Ausubel's new novel, Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty, is the story of a family sent into a tailspin when the seemingly bottomless well of money they took for granted runs dry. Described as a modern-day fairy tale, the book recently made Vulture's list of the Best 100 Beach Reads ever – putting Ausubel right up there with Edith Wharton and Philip Roth.
Of course, the award-winning writer already had plenty to brag about: She is the winner of the PEN Center USA Fiction Award and the VCU Cabell First Novel Award for her No One Is Here Except All of Us.
Here are the late-night treats that feed her genius.
Ramona Ausubel's Favorite Midnight Snack: Popcorn and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Like almost every writer we spoke with, Ausubel is partial to popcorn, but she likes to chases the cheesy, salty goodness with a hint of something sweet.
I have two small children, so until a few months ago I was the midnight snack. But if I ever find myself up late and I'm the hungry one, my dream foods are popcorn with lots of butter and nutritional yeast (northern New Mexico hippie upbringing!) followed by mint chocolate chip ice cream. And then a little more popcorn for salt, and then maybe one more tiny bite of ice cream — just to be sure it's still good.
Is ice cream your midnight snack, too? Tell us your favorite flavor.
Find Ramona's Book:
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10 Cooking Tomes to Read When You Can’t Sleep — Summer Evenings
It's 1 a.m. You've been tossing and turning for the last two hours, unable to fall asleep. Maybe it's the fact that it's sweltering outside and your box fan just isn't cutting it, or maybe you finished reading The Girls and now your mind is racing.
Enter: cooking tomes. You know, those massive books you proudly display on your bookshelf; the ones that sit up high, out of reach, because you never actually read them. Turns out, these weighty wonders come in handy when you're battling a bout of insomnia. Dig into these books and you'll either learn something new to up your cooking cred, or be lulled right to sleep — either way, it's a win-win.
Need some inspiration? I polled my fellow Kitchn editors to find out their favorites.
10 Cooking Tomes to Read When You Can't Sleep
- Larousse Gastronomique by Librairie Larousse
- The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
- The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser
- The Food Lab by J. Kenji López-Alt
- On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
- The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
- Modernist Cuisine at Home by Nathan Myhrvold and Maxime Bilet
- The Deluxe Food Lover's Companion by Ron Herbst and Sharon Herbst
- La Technique by Jacques Pépin
- The Silver Spoon by The Silver Spoon Kitchen
Did we miss any? Share your favorites in the comments!
IKEA 2017 Catalog Preview: 10 Products We're Excited About — IKEA Shopping Guide
Confession: IKEA's annual catalog makes us a little weak at the knees. What are the must-haves for 2017? How will IKEA rock our world this year? We're dying to know. And while the full catalog doesn't come out for another two weeks, we got a sneak peek and we're in a sharing mood. Here are the 10 items we're eyeing.
1. GLADOM Tray Tables, $29.99: These versatile tables with removable tray tops are perfect for the living room or dining room, but they'll fit in basically anywhere.
2. VARV Clamp Spotlight, $34.99: Let there be light! These clamp-on lights are intended for the bedroom, but why not use them to illuminate dark kitchen work spaces?
3. LIXHULT Cabinet, $35 each: Put two of these cabinets side by side and you have a modern and affordable sideboard for your dining room.
4. SUNNERSTA Cart, $29.99: Will this kitchen cart be as beloved as the RÅSKOG utility cart? Only time will tell.
5. LOBBAK Rug, $79.99: An indoor/outdoor rug is ideal for your kitchen — and herringbone is always chic.
6-8. GRUNDVATTNET Sink Series: This series is made for tiny kitchens.
- Wash Tub, $8.99: Declutter your sink — or anywhere — with this sleek white box.
- Chopping Board, $12.99: This chopping board is designed to fit over your sink.
- Colander, $4.99: This colander lets you prep without taking over the entire sink.
9. ELVALRI Storage System, $700 as shown: If your kitchen has zero storage space, customize your blank wall with this modular system, in lightweight aluminum and natural wood.
10. BARKABODA Countertop, $229: Herringbone strikes again with this handsome wood countertop.
10 Things You Didn't Know You Needed in Your Dream Kitchen — Oh So Glamorous
Do you have Pinterest boards dedicated to beautiful kitchens? You know, the ones that have the perfect paint color, a big fridge, and the perfect Dutch oven? Those things are nice and all, but I think you might be missing some important features that belong in every dream kitchen. It's time to think bigger.
Here are the 10 things you didn't know you needed in your dream kitchen. From a kitchen island that looks like a tiny ocean (ah!) to a pizza oven that happens to look like a disco ball.
1. An underground wine cellar.
You might think that a simple wine fridge would be enough to impress your friends, but what you really need is something that goes underground.
→ 10 Enviable Wine Cellars We Wish Were Ours
2. This rotating sink with a cutting board and colander.
When you need to get dinner on the table fast, this sink will help you get the job done.
→ This Rotating Sink Has a Cutting Board, Colander, and It Spins. Wait, What?
3. A kitchen with a skylight overlooking the ocean.
Just imagine all the Instagram photos you could take of your food with this natural light.
→ A Big, Glorious Skylight in the Kitchen
4. A chandelier that looks like a sailboat.
Any ol' kitchen could have a chandelier, but yours should be the one that looks like a sailboat. Major brownie points for this one.
→ Is That a Sparkling Kitchen Chandelier in the Shape of a Spanish Galleon? Why, Yes!
5. A pizza oven that looks like a disco ball.
Because making your own pizza should always be a party.
→ 4 Words I Never Thought I'd Say Together: Disco Ball Pizza Oven!
6. A black and gold stove.
A bold and serious cook requires a stove that reflects this fact.
→ 5 Things We Can Learn from This Dreamy Luxe Kitchen
7. A kitchen island that is also a tiny ocean.
Most kitchen islands are praised for their extra storage space, but this one goes a (couple) steps beyond and says, let's turn your kitchen into a mini ocean! Lobsters not included.
→ This Amazing Kitchen Island Is Actually a Tiny Ocean
8. A gigantic vertical garden.
Those mint plants you have growing out your window are nice and all, but you could probably do better.
→ Indoors or Out: Tips for Creating a Vertical Garden from Apartment Therapy
9. A sink made out of copper.
If you can't figure out how to spend all that extra money lying around, this is a good place to start.
→ A Stunning Kitchen Trifecta: Marble, Copper, and Dark Cabinets
10. Three outdoor grills and a pizza oven.
You know, so you can invite 50 of your closest friends over for a last-minute affair.
→ Live Outside This Summer: 9 Inspiring Outdoor Kitchens from Apartment Therapy
8 Household Items You Should Probably Replace Soon — Apartment Therapy
You've got a lot going on at home so it's no wonder a few things slip through the cracks now and then. That's where we come in. You probably have all these things in your home right now and chances are at least some of them need replacing. Don't wait until you need this stuff to realize it's expired/used up/grimy or dried out. Get proactive and conquer this list today.
1. Sponge — The thing you're using to clean needs to be clean! You can make it last as long as possible by washing after every use and allowing it to dry completely, but don't hesitate to replace it often (as in twice a month) or immediately if it develops any sort of smell.
2. Spices — Dig out all those dusty jars in your cupboard. If they smell bland then they'll taste bland and it's time to toss 'em.
3. Makeup — Yep, it's a bummer when it's time to ditch your expensive cosmetics before you've used them all up, but the last thing you want is to spread bacteria-laden lotions on your gorgeous face! Rule of thumb here: replace mascara after three months, foundation (and other liquids) at one year and powders after 2 years.
4. Sports Shoes — This is tricky because even if shoes look pristine on the outside (thanks to indoor gyms), the support they provide on the inside may have deteriorated without you realizing it. If your shoes don't feel as supportive as they used to (or you've put over 500 miles on them) then it's probably time to spring for a new pair. Remember, you're working out in order to make your body healthier, and well-functioning equipment is essential to keep you in top shape.
5. Toothbrush — Even through you use it everyday, it's easy to forget to replace your toothbrush (chances are you're using it when you're groggy in the morning or sleepy at night). Since you're wide awake right now, take this as a sign to pick a new one up on your way home tonight.
6. Water Filter — Water tasting a little tinny? Filters often degrade so gradually that we just don't notice. So do a careful taste-test of your water right now or simply switch out the filter and make the commitment to keep track of the time-to-change dates from now on.
7.Vitamins/Painkillers — If, like me, you're somewhat gun-shy when it comes to pill-popping, then that nearly full bottle of Advil may be long past its prime. Or perhaps, you're lax when it comes to your vitamin regime? All pills have an expiration date and, once passed, won't perform properly (and could very well be dangerous) so check your labels before you pop.
8. Fire Extinguisher — Even if you've never used it, over time a fire extinguisher can become de-pressurized, leaving it useless. The last thing you want is to discover that your extinguisher's a dud when you actually need it, so replace or have it serviced every five to ten years.
We're feeling better (and more prepared) already.
Re-edited from a post originally published 7.2.14-NT
Rosé Gummy Bears Are a Thing (and You Can Make Them at Home) — Delicious Links
As you may know by now, rosé gummy bears exist — and there's an insanely long waiting list for them. You know where I'm going with this, right? With only four ingredients (five if you count the drop of food coloring), a gummy bear mold, and about two hours of your time, you can make your own rosé gummy bears at home.
Making these DIY rosé gummy bears is as simple as combining rosé with sugar and gelatin, and then pouring the mixture into your mold. After letting the molds set for about two hours, just pop them out and give yourself a pat on the back for making this highly sought-after treat from the comfort of your own kitchen.
→ Get the Recipe: DIY Rosé Wine Gummy Bears from Sprinkle Bakes
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8 Stylish Reusable Cups for On-the-Go Sipping — In Your Car
Ahhh, summer — the season when your trusty, well-loved travel mug normally used to convey scalding-hot drip coffee in the winter is converted into a picnic-ready vessel for iced lattes and to-go cocktails. Depending on what you're working with, the results aren't always practical — or pretty. What you need is a true multitasker that can transport both hot drinks in the winter and cold bevs in the summer with ease and aesthetic appeal.
Consider these eight options, in a range of materials — including silicone, porcelain, stainless steel, and borosilicate glass — and styles, from a new twist on the classic enamel camp mug to an ultra-portable adult sippy cup that can be discreetly folded up when you've finished guzzling your pocket Michelada.
1. JOCO 12 oz Reusable Glass Cup, $24.95 at The Grommet: From Australia, the JOCO is made from high-quality borosilicate glass and features a thermal silicone sleeve as well as a matching silicone lid (with a special schnoz-friendly domed design). Available in a range of colors and three different barista-approved sizes for easy-breezy refilling.
2. Mason Jar 16 oz Travel Mug, $19.95 at Cuppow: Designed and manufactured in Massachusetts, Cuppow's range of canning jar drinking lids and lunchbox adapters are available in an array of colors and sizes. All you need to do is supply your own Mason jar. Or you could buy the whole kit-and-kaboodle with this glass travel mug that includes a wide-mouth jar, polypropylene drinking lid, and an insulating felt koozie made from recycled plastic bottles.
3. Double Wall Glass Commuter Mug, $19.95 at CB2: For those who prefer their to-go cups to sport the elongated contours of a thermos (but without the clunky heft), this slick 16-ounce vessel should do the trick. Although designed for both hot and cold drinks, we think the mug would look best filled with home-brewed iced tea with a small shot of somethin' somethin' to help you get through a sweltering summer's day.
4. Collapsible Pocket Cup, $15 at Stojo: This handy-dandy 12-ounce travel cup that collapses, accordion-style, into a dainty disc may look like an ungodly mess waiting to happen. However, the Kickstarter-funded cup's innovative leak-proof construction prevents any stray liquid from wreaking havoc while in-transit. Although you may want to give the BPA-free cup a good wash (it's dishwasher- and microwave-safe) before use to remedy the "silicone stink."
5. "I Am Not a Paper Cup" Thermal Porcelain Mug, $14.95 at Reuseit: Sure, the message of environmental do-goodery broadcast by a porcelain mug that resembles a throwaway Styrofoam coffee cup isn't exactly subtle. But you'll still get plenty of good use out of this clever 12-ounce vessel with double-walled construction that ensures your bev of choice stays piping hot or frosty cold.
6. Camp Cup, $19.95 at MiiR: Seattle's socially conscious merchant of bottles, bikes, and bags, MiiR funds a trackable giving project with each purchase through its Product to Project program. A powder-coated take on the classic enamel camp mug, MiiR's latest release features double-wall insulation and a BPA-free press-on lid — not to mention the opportunity to help fund clean water projects in developing areas.
7. Brew Cork Edition 12 oz Reusable Cup, $26.95 at KeepCup: Aussie purveyor of snazzy reusable drinking vessels KeepCup claims to be "one of the organisations that kick-started the demise of the disposable." While we can't vouch for this claim, we do know it's hard to choose just one of the many brightly hued beverage-holding beauties produced by the company. They're all appealing. How about this cork-banded glass coffee cup with an impossible-to-miss saffron lid?
8. Bodum Travel Mug, $12 at Target: While some may balk at the plastic construction of this 16-ounce travel mug, it remains a solid budget choice that's good-looking to boot. After all, how can you go wrong with the Danish hot-beverage wizards at Bodum? Topped with a spill-proof silicone lid that's available in four different colors, the mug looks like a shoo-in for frosty summertime to-go drinks.
What's your favorite reusable cup for cold beverages this summer?
Sunday, July 24, 2016
12 Snacks to Enjoy When It's Too Hot Out to Do Anything — Snacks with a Purpose
There's just something about midday heat on a sticky summer afternoon that makes you want to snack. But not just any ol' snack is going to cut it — when it's too hot to even think, you need a snack that's going to cool you down fast. Here are 12 that fit the bill.
1. Frozen grapes
Stick a bunch of red or green grapes in the freezer for a couple of hours and each one turns into a crunchy, cold, and incredibly refreshing treat. If you can get your hands on cotton candy grapes, you'll be in for a real treat.
Get the Scoop on this Hot-Weather Treat: Frozen Grapes
2. Avocado Toast
Creamy avocado is meant for hot summer days, so avocado toast is an obvious afternoon choice.
Get Fancy: 11 Easy Ways to Fancy Up Your Avocado Toast
3. Popsicles
It doesn't matter the flavor or whether it's homemade or store-bought — any and all Popsicles will do the trick.
Get a Recipe: 10 Popsicles Recipes to Cool Off with This Summer
4. Watermelon
Watermelon is the classic summer snack, and for good reason. Just cut it into thick slices, take big bites, and let the sticky juice run down your chin. To make it even more refreshing, stick the slices in the freezer to get them nice and cold.
5. Deli Turkey + String Cheese
This is Associate Food Editor Megan Splawn's go-to healthy snack when the temperature climbs. Wrap a slice or two of deli turkey around string cheese for a cold, high-protein bite.
6. Mini Caprese Skewers
Not only is caprese the ultimate summer salad, but it's also the ultimate summer snack. Thread cherry tomatoes, bite-sized mozzarella balls, and basil on skewers for a colorful snack that's healthy and satisfying.
Get a Recipe: Tomato & Mozzarella Caprese Skewers
7. Granita
Similar to sorbet, this Italian shaved ice is more like eating the best snow cone of your life. Plus, you don't need anything more than some fresh fruit, sugar, water, and a shallow baking dish to make it.
Get a Recipe: How To Make Granita
8. Prosciutto and Melon
When you can't decide if you're craving something salty or sweet, this is the snack to reach for. Wrap a thin slice of prosciutto around a slice of cantaloupe, eat, and repeat.
9. Any Kind of Smoothie
Like Popsicles, it doesn't matter what kind of smoothie you decide to sip on — just make that smoothie icy and sweet and it will break the heat.
Get a Recipe: 12 Easy Smoothies for Hot Days
10. Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Banana Bites
Dip banana slices in chocolate and freeze them to make sweet treats you can grab when the heat hits you. Roll the bites in colored sprinkles to make them extra fun.
Get a Recipe: How To Make Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Banana Bites
11. Cucumber with Black Pepper and Lime
Sprinkle cucumber sticks or slices with a few grinds of black pepper and a big squeeze of lime juice and you've instantly upgraded an otherwise boring vegetable.
12. One-Ingredient Ice Cream
Frozen bananas strike again. Using just a blender or food processor, they're blended into a creamy "ice cream" that involves absolutely no actual cream or milk.
Get a Recipe: How To Make Creamy Ice Cream with Just One Ingredient
What's the Difference Between Zucchini and Yellow Squash? — Summer Evenings
The term "summer squash" is thrown around quite a lot this time of year. It encompasses both zucchini and yellow squash, so it's understandable why so many assume that the two are exactly the same except for the shade of their skin. That's actually not true. Here's what you need to know about how they differ.
The Difference Between Zucchini and Yellow Squash
Besides the color, the main difference between the two vegetables is the shape. Zucchini is straight, while yellow squash has a fat bottom and tapers towards the neck. Yellow squash can also have more seeds in its flesh. Flavor-wise, both are mild-tasting with a hint of vegetable sweetness.
Zucchini
Also known as courgette, zucchini classically has a deep green skin and soft white flesh. Other varieties of zucchini exist, however, that make the matter a little more confusing — there's a golden zucchini variety that has a yellow skin and is a bit sweeter than green zucchini.
Yellow Squash
The easiest way to distinguish yellow squash, even beyond its color, is its shape. Yellow squash has a fat bottom and tapers towards the neck; unlike zucchini, which is straight throughout. Some yellow squash can even curve at the neck. It has the same creamy white flesh as zucchini and is often larger with more seeds. Smaller, and therefore younger, yellow squash tend to have less seeds, so it's best to choose those when possible.
Both zucchini and yellow squash can be used interchangeably in recipes and in combination with each other. Try swapping in yellow squash in your favorite zucchini bread recipe or spiralizing both for a colorful bowl of vegetable noodles.
5 Ways to Use Zucchini and Summer Squash
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Oh So Corny! 5 Glorious Corn Recipes — Oh So Corny!
Bacon-wrapped sweet corn with basil. Creamy corn mac and cheese. Smoky shrimp and corn fritters. Come on, you guys — this is what you've been waiting for all summer long. The sweet corn is here, and it's time to glam it up in all its corny glory. Are you ready? Really, really ready?
Then come on in because we have the five most important corn recipes you need to make this summer.
The Kitchn | Inspiring cooks, nourishing homes http://ift.tt/2a6sTGWSeed Saving and Iowa's Corn Train Gospel — Oh So Corny
In Iowa, you can hear the corn grow.
The other night my friend Howard brought over some grass stalks to show me the sound. Corn kernels, like other grains, are the edible seeds of certain types of grass plants. He wanted to demonstrate the sound he heard growing up on an Iowa farm, so he pulled the stems of each stalk through its leaf sheath; one weedy stalk made the gentle popping sound he'd heard on hot humid nights.
"Sounds just like a bowl of Rice Krispies," said another friend, who farms in the Finger Lakes region of New York. According to him, all rural people know that noise — not just those from the Corn State. Although a crop consultant dismissed the idea as hogwash, this is an example of how legends and logic are part of the work of coaxing food from the land. And no one can argue about what this sound broadcasts: the great potential for connections between people and plants.
Corn, the Great Provider
We got to where we are by observing nature and working with what we saw. For thousands of years, people partnered intimately with plants, making choices about what to pick and eat, which plants to help mate, and what seeds to save. Corn began about 9000 years ago in the hands of indigenous Americans, who selected and bred plants that didn't look at all like modern corn to become the staple crop of many cultures. In these groups, people saw corn as the great provider, and thanked the Corn Mother for sustenance.
Today, corn remains at the root of our food supply, feeding us directly and indirectly, through livestock and as an ingredient in other foods. The crop is raw material for many industrial products, including fuel. While we may have a vague awareness the long shadow corn casts on our lives, we have come a long way from the close contact that transformed corn's ancestor plants into corn.
In the last 100 years, commercialization has removed farmers from the breeding and seed selection process. Perhaps the last time a large group of Americans had intimacy with corn seed was in the early 1900s, when the Corn Gospel Trains ran in Iowa.
All Aboard the Corn Train Gospel
The special trains got their nickname because Perry G. Holden, professor at Iowa Agricultural College, had a missionary zeal for his project. His corn church traveled throughout the state, and Holden used his pulpit to teach people how to select and test corn seed. Holden organized the trains because of a poor corn crop in 1903. The following spring, 1200 farmers sent seed samples to the state agricultural college because they were concerned about facing another bad year. The trains covered 1300 miles in eight days, teaching farmers and even a high-school botany club about seed selection and the basics of plant breeding. People left with instructions on how to make a box to germinate corn kernels and evaluate the sprouts and seeds in an organized system.
The project increased production by almost a hundred million bushels across the state. The effort was so successful, it inspired similar trains to run in several other Corn Belt states. In Nebraska, the USDA also distributed packets of oats and Russian wheat.
"If the Nebraskans are as much stimulated as the Iowa farmers were by the first corn gospel train, it is believed that western Nebraska can be made as productive as the macaroni wheat districts in Russia," a contemporary report suggested.
Perry G. Holden was connecting people with facts and skills. Even high-schoolers were trusted, and asked to become participants in the work of improving corn seed quality throughout the state.
What This Means for Today
We are so removed from food production and yet this model shows how much faith we had in ordinary people to solve their own problems. I remember the first time I saw a Swiss chard seed, gnarly as a meteorite and just as extraterrestrial. I was 25. I'd grown up in the country, but I cannot imagine learning how to handle corn as those farmers and high-schoolers had from Holden.
Of course, that was a time when farmers had more involvement with seed than they do now. Back then, seed saving was the norm. This meant choosing a portion of the crop to save and plant the following season. Holden built on that practice, teaching farmers what to observe in the field as they chose ears of corn for seed, and how to methodically test those ears to make the best crop possible. He helped farmers understand which ears should be discarded to keep the crop strong.
Since the dawn of agriculture, farmers did the work of watching plants, and choosing which ones to eat and which seeds to grow. This moment of the corn trains was probably the last time American farmers were deeply involved in plant breeding and seed work. Since then, seed companies and university and private research have assumed that job.
For corn, this meant the development of hybrid seeds. (For a great overview on this and other changes in corn farming, read the chapter called "Heredity and Horsepower" in Craig Canine's agricultural thriller Dream Reaper.) After WWII, synthetic nitrogen fertilizers doubled the whammy of hybrid seeds and spiked yields, making the adoption of hybrid seeds pretty universal in the U.S. Farmers grew dependent on seed companies, because the process of breeding these seeds creates kernels that won't grow plants that resemble their parents.
In the last 40 or 50 years, consolidations in the seed industry have further narrowed the choices and control farmers have over what they plant.
For me, one of the greatest problems with GMOs is that farmers lose authority over their seeds. Having to buy seeds year after year, instead of saving them on the farm, reduces the choices farmers can make, which reduces the types of foods we can buy and enjoy.
Yes, there are advantages to seed companies, which can test for and treat seed-borne and soil-borne problems. But the current seed-buying environment deeply restricts the collaboration between people and plants that got us here, to this muddle of industrialized agriculture and a haze of questions. What am I eating? Why? And what should I eat? (Another summer reading hint: Simran Sethi outlines the limits we are facing as eaters by a reduction in biodiversity in her book Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love).
In the long shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture, the earliest farmers shopped for seeds from nature — not catalogs. I'm glad to know that there are efforts to restore the intimate relationships farmers once had with seeds. Activist Vandana Shiva has been advocating for seed rights and fighting against GMOs for decades. The Mexican group Sin Maiz, No Hay Paiz/Without Corn There Is No Country is fighting for seeds and working against companies that control corn seed because not only are we losing plants and biodiversity as corporations concentrate on a few crops, but we are also losing the cultures tied to these foods and plants.
In Minnesota, part of the Anishaabeg tribes' White Earth Land Recovery Project focuses on restoring maize and wild rice to a central place in tribal life and community livelihoods. Building strong relationships between growers and seeds is critical to this work. On small farms in Europe, collaborations are engaging farmers in the plant breeding process, and enabling them to have more seed choices in a seed purchasing environment that is highly controlled by the European Union.
In America, farmers are testing seeds and plant crosses in their own fields, with the help of farming organizations like Native Seeds and Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society, which has a farmer breeding club. This is called participatory breeding, meaning farmers are participating in the research process, bringing full circle the traditions that got lost during century where commerce defined the shape of the game.
There is room for commerce and close connections between people and plants. I'm not enough of a dreamer to think that we can rewind time and go back to any point in history that might seem better than here. But I do believe that romance will play a part in whatever steps we pursue. Think of how you think about summer — just the word nudging pretty thoughts of beach and breeze and time stretching like bubble gum. Such affection for ideas and hope for possible outcomes, whether a vacation or a new ear of corn coaxed by a Hopi or Iowan from the ground, are the ingredients we need for a good life — one where the farmer and the research have equally important roles to play.
A Very Small Guide to Plant Breeding, Hybrids and GMOs
Mark Sorrells' plant breeding team at Cornell University helped me write these definitions.
Traditional plant breeding in a lab or in a field involves introducing the male parts of one plant to the female parts of another. This is kind of like dating. The researcher combines pollen and ovaries under a plastic or paper sleeve, and lets the reproduction process occur.
Hybrids have parents that are unrelated or distantly related to one another. This tends to make corn hybrids more vigorous than either of their parents. If seeds are saved and replanted from the hybrid, however, the magic ends. Seed collected from hybrids sprout unpredictable and often less vigorous plants.
Genetic modification is different from hybridization, which can occur in nature. Genetic modification involves taking traits from plants or animals that cannot cross without human intervention, combining them in a lab environment.