FitSugar

Learn to Love: Fermented Foods

FitSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Just the term "fermented foods" sounds, well a little . . . odd. Yogurt, an every day fave, is a fermented food. Add to that list the international flavors of sauerkraut, Korean kimchi, and miso. These foods all contain probiotics, lactobacilli created during the fermentation process, which have been shown to reduce breast cancer risk, protect against yeast infections, and boost immunity. They even help with the absorption of the mineral iron. Who knew that a modest bowl of miso was a probiotic powerhouse?

Source

13 Foods For Freaky Friday

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:33:45 PDT

In honor of Freaky Friday (today's Friday the 13th!), I thought I'd pull together a list of 13 freaky foods. Even if you don't have triskaidekaphobia (the fear of the number 13), you may be afraid of some of the things on this list. I know there are a bunch of other freaky things out there (how about almost anything Andrew Zimmern eats on his show?), so if you think something's missing, we want to hear it.

#13: Bubble Tea
I personally love this stuff; however, I've known quite a few folks who are freaked out by the tapioca inside of the tea. Come to think of it, I know a lot of people freaked out by tapioca in general . . .
#12: Squid ink pasta
I don't have a problem with this lovely pasta dyed with squid ink, but some find eating black pasta to be just a bit too freaky.
Keep reading to see more freaky foods perfect for Friday the 13th.

Food Preserving Facts: Do You Have Them in the Can?

Susannah Chen — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:04:41 PDT

For every minute that I cling more desperately to the idea of Summer produce, I can feel it further slipping away. My soon-to-be saving grace? A frenzy of food preservation as the days get shorter and the nights grow colder. Who knows; perhaps I'll host a canning and pickling party or make a fruit jam of my own!

But before I share ideas and recipes with you, I want to find out just how versed you are on food preservation. One of the best-known methods of treating food is heat processing, or forming airtight seals around food in jars - but there's also fermenting, jellying, pickling, salting, and curing. Do you have the basics in the can? Let's find out when you take this quiz!

Take the Quiz

Fire Up Your Wok With Fast and Easy Kimchi Fried Rice

Sara Yoo — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:14:12 PDT

Kimchi is one of those foods that either makes people drool or recoil in horror. A staple of the Korean diet, the spicy, fermented cabbage is as pungent and vibrant as it is strong in flavor. A quiet, unassuming food it is not.

To make this Asian basic, fresh Winter napa cabbage is salted until it wilts, then coated with a fiery concoction of dried hot pepper paste and powder, garlic, and briny shrimp paste or oysters, sealed in earthenware jars, and left to ferment for a month or two. The result is a pickle beyond compare, reflecting sour, spicy, refreshing, stinky, and bright flavors all at once.

Source: Flickr User Nagyman

While kimchi typically is eaten in conjunction with rice, a protein, and other banchan (side dishes), sometimes a taste this bold must stand on its own. One of the most popular - and fastest - meals based on this zesty side is kimchi bokkeumbap, or kimchi fried rice. Using the residual juice from the jar to season the rice really brings out the kimchi flavor, and a drizzle of sesame oil gives it a nutty, distinctly Korean air. You can use just about any protein, including my favorite, Spam! Or leave out the meat for a vegetarian version that's just as tasty. Ready to give it a try? Just read on for the recipe.

Food For the Seoul: A Korean Cuisine Primer

Sara Yoo — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 06:40:04 PDT

Source: Flickr User aemosion

The Korean Peninsula's position between China and Japan might lead you to believe that the cuisine is heavily influenced by both countries, but over the centuries, Korean food has developed into a genre quite distinct from its neighbors. Perhaps best known for smoky barbecue and spicy pickled cabbage kimchi, the cuisine actually is heavy on seafood and vegetables with plenty of nonspicy options. Of course, we'll never turn down piping hot charcoal barbecue or bubbling, peppery stews, but we're happy to sample any of the region's deliciously diverse dishes and soulful seasonings. For some popular dishes and ingredients keep reading

Kick-Start Your Bread Making With Sourdough Starter

Sara Yoo — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:17:00 PDT

What if you could simply conjure ingredients out of thin air? It sounds like something out of a Star Trek episode, but it's absolutely possible in one instance: sourdough. This tangy, fluffy bread gets its start as a simple fermented flour and water mixture that pulls its yeast fungi straight from the air! While you can certainly bake delicious bread using the dry active yeast that comes in sealed packets, fermenting your own sourdough starter at home will give your loaf a distinct flavor from, say, a baker in Maryland or North Dakota, thanks to the yeast organisms indigenous to your area.

Yeast and its naturally forming bacterial friend lactobacillus also help to keep out the bad stuff that causes food to rot. As long as you regularly "feed" your starter mixture, you can leave it out on the counter without fear of poisoning bread fans. And while it makes a fine loaf, don't be afraid to try it out in pancakes, pizza crust, biscuits, cakes, and other baked goods. That sour flavor that develops from the starter's lactic acid makes everything taste delicious!

Though cultivating your own culture sounds like a mad scientist's experiment, this petri dish will only take 10 minutes out of your day while yielding a bounty of baking options. So read on for this simply sour recipe

Get Smart About Soy

Health — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 04:48:14 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

There are so many ways to get this good-for-you protein into your daily diet. Here's how to do it - and why you absolutely should.

By Sally Kuzemchak, RD

If you bypass tofu at salad bars, skip the meatless dishes at Chinese restaurants, and avoid edamame when you're out for sushi, well, it's time to give soy-based foods a second look. "Whole soy foods are a great substitute for meat," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Their healthy protein content makes them a good option even if you're not one of the growing number of people going "flexitarian" or opting to eat less meat.

Here's your guide to making this legume a regular and great-tasting part of your diet.

Soy 101
All soy products are made from soybeans, mostly grown here in the United States. You can buy whole soybeans dried or canned, or in the produce section or freezer aisle as edamame, the common name for soybeans picked before they're fully mature. (Edamame can be purchased either in pods or shelled.)

Health.com: The 10 best foods for your heart

Beyond whole beans, soy takes on a number of different guises. Roasted soybeans are sold as soy nuts or ground into soy nut butter. Soybeans can be soaked in water, cooked, and filtered to make soy milk and soy yogurt. Adding a coagulant to soy milk curdles it, producing tofu, which ranges in texture from "silken" (very soft) to "extra firm," depending on how much liquid is removed.

Soybeans can also be fermented into a paste called miso (the base for miso soup) or a cake or patty called tempeh, which is often used in place of meat in sandwiches or grilled and eaten on its own. Finally, soy can be found in many packaged foods - such as frozen meatless burgers, cereals, and energy bars - often in the form of "soy protein isolate," meaning it's mostly the protein from soybeans you're getting.

Keep reading for more on soy.

Turning Japanese: a Japanese Cuisine Primer

Sara Yoo — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:28:46 PST

We know it best for sushi, ramen, and teriyaki chicken, but Japanese cuisine actually encompasses a vast range of dishes and flavors. Japan may be a relatively small island nation, but its topography is peppered with snow-capped mountains, broad agricultural fields, and plenty of seashore. Pasture land is at a premium, so the diet tends to be low in animal fats and relies heavily on locally sourced vegetables, grains, sea plants, and fish, with recipes adapted to the country's diverse regional preferences. But before you write it off as complicated and intimidating, know that you can complete your Japanese pantry with just a few staples, and most dishes are designed to be prepared in under an hour - perfect for a weeknight meal! Ready to learn more about turning your kitchen Japanese? Get started when you keep reading.

Fuel Up: Highest Sources of Vegan Protein

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:25:11 PST

Whether you're dabbling with veganism or just looking for some plant-based proteins to add to your diet, roaming the supermarket aisles for the right protein source can feel overwhelming when you have no idea which products to buy. We've defined four plant-based proteins you should know about, how much protein they contain, and what product brands we seal with a stamp of approval.

Pseudograins

What it is: Pseudograins are actually seeds, even though they cook and have a fluffy, nutty texture like a grain. They are gluten-free and full of protein. Common examples include millet, quinoa, and amaranth.
Nutritional info: One cup of cooked pseudograins has 10 grams of protein on average.
Try this: Try Eden Foods Organic Millet. Rinse the raw millet thoroughly, then dry roast in a saucepan. When toasted and fragrant, pour boiling water over the millet and cook for 30 minutes. This process helps open the millet seeds up, so they have a fluffier texture and richer flavor.

Click here to read more.

The Wide World of Wings: Spicy-Sweet Korean

Sara Yoo — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:34:20 PST

We last took you to Mexico for a bright and tangy take on one of America's favorite game-day foods, but our next culinary adventure sends us across the Pacific to South Korea for some sweet and spicy finger-licking. If you've been lucky enough to dine at the KyoChon or BonChon chicken restaurants, then you know that Koreans love fried chicken. One of the most popular varieties is yangnyeom dak, a crisp, twice-fried wing or thigh tossed in a fiery sauce that reminds me of the classic buffalo wing with an Asian twist.

Just as buffalo wings marry a zesty tang with mouth-numbing heat, Korean wings combine the acidity of rice vinegar with the peppery punch of fermented red-pepper paste and red-pepper powder (found at many Asian grocery stores). Mix in sweet honey and fragrant sesame oil, and you have a crowd-pleasing and conversation-starting app that will make your game-day get-together a hit.

For this unique take on an American classic, just read on.