Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Scratch-and-Sniff Ice Pop Postage Stamps Are Pretty Sweet

Coconut Mint Chip Ice Cream

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I have a soft spot in my heart for dairy-free ice cream—and not because I can’t have dairy. My family and I eat our fair share of cheese, sour cream, and yes, real ice cream, too.

But I actually prefer ice cream made with coconut milk over ice cream made with eggs and dairy any day of the week. I love the flavor and natural sweetness of coconut milk, and think it really shines when made into ice cream.

If you’ve never made dairy-free ice cream before, you’re in for a treat: it doesn’t require much in the way of fancy ingredients.

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How Healthy Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting may seem like it’s all the rage, especially with the rise of the 5:2 diet, which urges people to eat normally for five days a week, and then restrict calories to 500-600 for the following two days. But new research suggests these trendy eating plans may also have damaging side effects.

A new study out of the University of São Paulo in Brazil found that risk for long-term health issues like diabetes may be increased as a result of frequent fasting. Researchers analyzed rats who were only fed every other day. While the rodents lost weight, the amount of fat around their tummies increased. The insulin-secreting cells of their pancreases also showed damage and there was also an increase of free radicals. All of these warning signs are often early warning signs of diabetes. This conflicts with previous studies which claims fasting can provide a host of health benefits. So maybe the jury is still out?

Ana Bonassa, whose team led the research, had this to say, “This is the first study to show that, despite weight loss, intermittent fasting diets may actually damage the pancreas and affect insulin function in normal healthy individuals, which could lead to diabetes and serious health issues.” The scientists also advise that those considering fasting diets should exercise caution before opting to more extreme eating habits.

While the fasting that took place in the study was more extreme than some diets recommend (and was also conducted on rats), it’s still notable for its findings. If anything, it suggests further research needs to be done to fully examine the impact of low caloric intake on pancreas function and insulin production, especially in those with existing metabolic issues.

In the meantime, don’t deprive yourself. Just stick to eating in moderation and getting plenty of exercise? It may not sound sexy, but in terms of health and weight loss, it’s hard to argue with.



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How to Make Wine Pops, the Coolest Summer Treat Around

Sipping a stiff red may be more associated with the snowy, fireside days of winter, but frankly, we’re already tired of the whites and rosés that are cramping our Sunday brunch style. Sure, wine is wine and we’ll never actually discriminate against most bottles, but it’d be nice to have more summertime options than, perhaps, the standard glass of basic bitch Pinot Grigio.

Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you the wine pop, a.k.a. your new favorite (and innovative!) way to get drunk while combatting July humidity.

Freezing wine to create a sugary treat may seem like an intimidating feat, but it’s actually quite easy. In fact, you can probably sip your way through the cooking and freezing process, so long as you’re mindful of things like a stove’s open flame.

To start, you’re going to need to pick your poison. This is where we finally get to crack open that bottle of red we’ve been storing for fall, but you can, by all means, use the white or rosé you’ve been guzzling since May. Next, you’re going to need to select your summery flavor profile. We suggest a seasonal berry or fruit that will really highlight the complexities of the vino. (Or just something that will taste good going down, tbh). Red wine also happens to pair extremely well with chocolate, so here’s your excuse to melt that good stuff down and create the Fudgesicle of your dreams.

Though recipes vary, most will require you to mix your wine (cooked down on the stove if it’s red), fruit or other ingredients, sugar, and usually another liquid (either a basic simple syrup, juice, or citrus) in a food processor until it reaches your desired consistency. Keep it chunky if you enjoy noshing on bits of fruit. Keep it smooth if you want your tongue to do the talking. The beauty of the wine pop is that it is completely customizable, from taste and consistency to sweetness and alcohol level. From there, you simply pour the mixture into a custom ice tray or clever popsicle molds and freeze for a minimum of eight hours. That’s. It.

Don’t believe that you can do this yourself? We’ve rounded up five straightforward recipes that prove otherwise. The sooner you blend, the sooner you lick. And the sooner you lick, the sooner you cool down. We promise it’s worth the effort.

Strawberry Mojito Wine Popsicles

Renee Nicole’s Kitchen

Don’t be fooled: These don’t have rum. That doesn’t make them any less delicious, though. Fresh mint elevates everything, including your mood. Get the recipe.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Red Wine Popsicles

Spoonful of Flavor

Honestly, we’d rather bite into one of these than an actual chocolate-covered strawberry. The addition of wine essentially makes them a multi-meal. Get the recipe.

Peach Wine Pops

Jennifer Meyering

Peach and white wine are legitimate BFFs. Nobody can and should come between them, especially with this sweet treat. Get the recipe.

Raspberry Frosé Popsicles

Three Olives Branch

Frosé is the summer trend that will never die. Bring it more life by tossing in raspberries and freezing it by the stickful. Get the recipe.

Blackberry Wine Pops

Since you’re hoarding those seasonal blackberries by the bushel, here’s another way to get rid of them. Cheers!



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German Buttercream (Whipped Vanilla Custard Frosting)

German Buttercream (Whipped Vanilla Custard Frosting)Texas sheet cake. Get Recipe!


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What Is the Difference Between Crab and Krab?

What is fake crab made from? What's the difference between real crab and krab?

If you’re anything like me, not much beats cracking into a bucket of sweet crabs at one of Florida’s famed outposts, like Ft. Lauderdale’s Rustic Inn or famous Joe’s Stone Crab. Not to be outdone are the fleeting soft-shelled version found further north in Maryland or Peekytoes pulled from the cold waters of Maine and Massachusetts.

It turns out there are, indeed, quite a few people like me and crab continues to be one of the most in-demand and celebrated seafoods both stateside and abroad. In places like Japan and Indonesia, it’s both a delicacy and staple and some foodies travel to Sri Lanka just for the mud crab curry.

Because of this voracious demand and a supply that teeters at the whim of climate change, extreme weather patterns (see: climate change), and even politics, crab prices—already high by seafood standards—can reach astronomical levels. The revered Alaskan King Crab sells for as much as $50 a pound and don’t forget how much of that weight is shell. It’s all enough to make one a little, well, crabby.

steamed snow crab legs

Fresh steamed snow crab legs, Koenig aus Japan/Shutterstock

Enter Krab (or imitation crab meat). Maybe you’ve seen it in the frozen foods section of your local grocer or noticed it subbed in, perhaps slyly, in a California Roll where you assumed regular crab would be. But what is it, exactly, besides an economic solution to a culinary quandary? And how does it differ from regular crab in taste, texture, and nutrition and, most importantly, should you eat it?

Imitation crab, “Krab” or “crab stick,” as it’s often called is, of course, decidedly not crab at all, as the name suggests. In most cases it’s something called “Surimi:” a puree of whitefish, generally pollack or similar, which is cooked, ground into a paste along with glutinous fillers, corn, sugar, starches, and seasonings, and molded into various shapes to replicate the real stuff. If tuna is indeed “the chicken” of the sea, well then Krab might very well be the “hot dog.”

surimi, fake crab meat, krab

Crab sticks or surimi, Bayurov Alexander/Shutterstock

Imitation crab is naturally far more inexpensive than fresh or even canned crab (an 8-oz. bag runs anywhere from $3-10) and though the general flavor is similar, any chef, gourmand, or other person with functioning taste buds will tell you the texture is far more dense and rubbery, where real crab is flakey to the touch. Because of the noticeable difference, crab stick is often served strategically in dishes with ingredients to mask its shortcomings, like the aforementioned California Roll or seafood salads slicked with mayonnaise.

A few popular brands on the market include Trans Ocean and Louis Kemp, the latter of which makes something of a plea via its website to consider that at the very least it’s not “fake” or “artificial” as some might suggest. This is true; its base ingredient is technically seafood, but it’s important to note that because because many brands use wheat-based glutens to achieve a desired texture, most imitation crab products are not gluten-free like real crabmeat and contain higher carbohydrate and sugar counts with less protein.

Quite a few also contain MSG, a notorious sodium substitute used often in budget-friendly Chinese cooking. Included on a very short list of bragging rights, imitation crab spoils far less quickly and most versions are safe for those with a shellfish allergy.

So the question remains, should you cook with or eat imitation crab meat? Most chefs I spoke with unsurprisingly said no, certainly not if you can help it, and there’s absolutely nothing that compares to the real thing. But in a pinch, and for a dish where the the ‘crab’ can hide out a little, it just may suffice.

Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all.

California Roll Salad

Speaking of imitation this California Roll Salad mimics the flavors of the Americanized version of a sushi roll and calls for real-deal crab meat instead. Get the recipe.

Crab Cakes

easy crab cakes with aioli and lemon

Chowhound

For these Easy Crab Cakes you’re ok using canned crab, but if you can get your hands on the real stuff, go for it! Get our Easy Crab Cakes recipe.

Sri Lankan Crab Curry

Sri Lankan crab curry with rice

Sainsbury’s

Crab curry is arguably my favorite food on the planet. This recipe pulls from Sri Lanka’s much-celebrated version. Get the recipe.

Steamed Dungeness Crab

steamed Dungeness crabs on newspaper

Chowhound

If you find yourself blessed with a bounty of fresh crab on a hot summer afternoon, don’t be afraid to keep it simple as with our Steamed Dungeness Crab recipe.

Hot Crab Dip

hot crab dip

Chowhound

Not-exactly-diet-friendly Hot Crab Dip is a crowd pleaser featuring one of seafood’s very best friends: Old Bay Seasoning. Get our Hot Crab Dip recipe.



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