Kitchen Gadget Girl Cooks

One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to continue to eat better. Another was to only do product reviews for products I have used and really liked. Fortunately, today, those two resolutions can be together in one post!

Stober Farms sent me a container of their Golden Flax Seed, a cold-milled flax which preserves the benefits of the Omega-3s and lengthens the shelf life. Which is not a problem, since I am sure you, like I, will find many ways to use this product.

Stober Farms Flax Seed is manufactured in North Dakota, on a 5th-generation family farm. Since the beginning of January, I have enjoyed the Golden Flax for breakfast, sprinkled on my yogurt, along with granola and fresh fruit. I don’t even notice the addition, but I know the difference flax seed is making is important to my overall well being.

Flax can be substituted for eggs and butter/oil in recipes and is especially tasty in baked goods. You can also add it to oatmeal, salad, pasta, juice, smoothies or ice cream. It blends in so well, you won’t notice any difference in your final product.

Flax Seed has three main benefits that make it a worthwhile addition to your diet:

1. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, which some research has shown to benefit heart health and positive aging
2. Fiber, both soluble and unsoluble fiber, which has been found to help lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels
3. Lignans, which may have a role in preventing hormonally related cancers of breast, endometrium and prostrate

The most important benefit is that for a minor change in your daily eating habits, you can make a major overall change in your dietary health. Plus, flax is great for your cat or dog, supporting joint health and shiny coats and even providing allergy relief!

Note, this review is based on my opinion and experience, with details from FlaxUSA. If you have questions or concerns about adding flax to your diet, please consult with your physician.

Not sure how it works at your house, but pancakes and waffles are a big deal around here. I think my kids would probably have them every day of the week, they love them so!

A few years ago, I was introduced to the Danish treat of Aebleskiver, (also written as Ebleskiver) a round puffed-pancake. These pancakes are light and fluffy, similar to a popover, but made in a special pan (wahoo! Another kitchen tool!) on the stove. The pan allows the Aebleskiver to come out round, and traditional Aebleskiver have little nuggets of goodness inside the pancake. Apple is common (Aebleskiver means apple slices in Danish), but my family also enjoys brown berries (chocolate chips). Savory Aebleskiver can include ham and cheese, or any thing else your heart desires.

At Foodbuzz earlier this month, I met Chad Gillard, one of the founders of Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver, from Minnesota. We got to talking and Chad shared with me the reasons Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver pans are so great:

1. The cast iron pan is made in Minnesota
2. Their special mix is hand-mixed using organic Minnesota grown flour and organic buttermilk from Wisconsin
3. The nine-whole square pan allows the home chef to make enough for two (or three) hungry kids!

Chad also shared the Aunt Else’s YouTube video, which makes the process of cooking Aebleskiver so much clearer:

Following these instructions, my kids and I whipped up a batch this afternoon for snack. After a few false starts, and some less than puffy rounds, we got the hang of it and turned out some masterpieces. Heed the instructions about low-medium heat, that is important. And remember, powdered sugar is a perfect disguise for less than perfect pancakes!

If you are interested in an Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver pan of your own, Chad has extended a special offer to readers of Kitchen Gadget Girl! Mention “Kitchen Gadget Girl” in the “Add special instructions to the seller” during the checkout process, and receive 10% off your purchase. And if you follow Aunt Else’s on Twitter, Facebook or Foodbuzz you can also receive 10% off your order. Mention your follow in the same area during checkout. Plus, free shipping on orders over $50!

And if you, like Alton Brown, are worried about the pan being a uni-tasker, check out these pictures for Japanese Takoyaki and a recipe, as well as this recipe for Sand Dollar Cakes with Pork or Shrimp (Vietnamese)! It is possible you could use your Aebleskiver pan to make these tasty treats as well!

And yes, Chad did send me an Aebleskiver pan for review. What does this mean for you? Well, if you live close enough, you are welcome any weekend we are making these delightful Danish pancakes.

Ableskiver Pan

A few months ago, I came across NoTakeOut, a website devoted to helping us get back into the kitchen for family dinners.

Everyday, they send an auto-email with the day’s menu plan, which includes a shopping list, preparation and cooking. A couple of my favorite things about this (free!) service, include:

- Fresh, upbeat tone
- Inclusion of a glass of wine for the chef
- Easy to read directions and work flow plan (they tell you how to coordinate the different elements of the meal so that everything is ready to be served at the same time)
- The use of seasonal and local ingredients

On today’s menu is Penne with Pancetta and Garlic & Sauteed Kale.

I recommend giving NoTakeOut a try, if you are looking for recipe inspiration. And, I am in no way compensated for this review, I just really like the concept and hope it helps one of you with dinner tonight.

Photo courtesy of NoTakeOut.

A few weeks ago, while helping Karen set up her Worm Composter, she told me about Coconut Water, a newish product now available in grocery stores around town. And on the plane last week to Vancouver, I read an article in Hemisphere’s Magazine about Coconut Water. This week, while grocery shopping at Whole Foods, I decided to conduct a little taste test. Using my family as guinea pigs, we tasted the three main brands of coconut water, as well as a flavored version from one brand.

Coconut water is touted as an all-natural alternative to sports recovery drinks. It is low in sugar, carbohydrates and is 99% fat-free (mind you, we are talking about the water, not the milk!). Drinking it straight from the coconut with a straw is very popular in many South American and Asian countries. Coconut water boasts 18% more potassium than your average sports drink, but sodium levels are lower, which can be a plus and a minus. For more information on the health benefits, I would suggest this article in U.S. New and World Report.

I wanted to try it, since I am curious, and Whole Foods had all three major brands available – One Natural Experience (O.N.E.) ($1.79 retail), Zico ($1.99 retail) and Vita Coco ($1.59 retail). A couple were even on sale. I bought 11 ounce Tetra Pak cartons of all three and brought them back to my laboratory kitchen.

Here are the tasting notes from our event:

Zico: lightest in flavor of the three. No pronounced coconut flavor

O.N.E.: cloudy liquid, good coconut flavor.

Vita Coco: clearest liquid of the bunch, interesting (or funky) aftertaste

We also tried Vita Coco with Tangerine, which had a nice overall aroma of tangerines, a little sugar aftertaste and a nice citrus flavor. No coconut flavor was discernible in this variety.

If we were choosing just a coconut water, we all agreed that O.N.E. would be the choice. The flavor was the most balanced, it did not have a funky after taste and served cold, would be quite refreshing. However, we all agreed that choosing a flavored coconut water would be our overall preference, which probably means a little more exploration into the flavors from each of the brands.

Vita Coco has several flavors of Coconut Water, including Tangerine, Pomegranate, Peach Mango and Pineapple. O.N.E. has other drinks besides Coconut Water, including Amazon Acai, Coffee Fruit and Cashew Fruit. And Zico has Passion Fruit and Mango Coconut Waters. Zico even has a fun cocktail made with Mango Coconut Water!

Have you tried Coconut Water? What do you think?

And if you are curious, all three can be followed on Twitter – @ZICOCocoWater, @ONECoconut and @VitaCocoVehicle….