[1] We have become a culture of ultra-processed people (photo © W. W. Norton & Company).  

How much do you think about processed food? We want to share some information from Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn’t Food, by Chris van Tulleken.

The review, written by Jacob E. Gersen, the Sidney Austin professor of law at Harvard Law School and director of the Food Law Lab.

What is ultra-processed food?

According to a relatively recent classification scheme called NOVA, created by researchers in Brazil (see image below):

Ultra-processed food (UPF) products are specifically engineered to behave as addictive substances, driving excess consumption.

UPF is our food culture and for many people, it is the only available and affordable food [source].

Because ultra-processed food’s defining characteristic is a rapacious profit motive, relays Gersen, the book’s warnings about the bodily harm it causes, including obesity, often veer into attacks on corporate greed and late industrial capitalism.

> Read the full book review here.

> Buy the book here.
 
 

[2] NOVA Food Classification (image © Frontiers In Nutrition).

   The post The Different Categories Of Processed Food first appeared on The Nibble Webzine Of Food Adventures.]]> https://blog.thenibble.com/2023/07/25/oleamea-usda-certified-organic-extra-virgin-olive-oil-from-turkey/ Tue, 25 Jul 2023 19:38:35 +0000 https://blog.thenibble.com/?p=142210 [1] The two styles of Oleamea organic extra virgin olive oil made from Turkish Memecik olives (all photos © Oleamea). [2] While this salad looks summery, the ingredients are available even in the cold winter months. Top greens with citrus slices, avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, and sliced mini cucumbers. Add sliced mozzarella or fresh goat…
Continue reading "Oleamea USDA-Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Turkey" →

As a food publication, we receive lots of samples. Energy bars, protein bars, and snack bars are a particular group that we’ve tasted and tasted, but find it hard to write about without spending lots of time on comparative nutrition. Health isn’t the focus of the Nibble; great-tasting food is. Hence, our Top Pick Of The Week, is great-tasting Simple Bars.

They’re less than a year old (launching August 1, 2022) and are well worth your attention.

Simple Bars are better-for-you snack bars with minimalist, healthy ingredients, starting with nuts and seeds for protein and fiber.

Founder Amanda Ament created the line because she “was amazed by the fact that I could not find a single sugar-free snack bar. Not one.

“I realized I could not possibly be the only one searching, so I decided to make my bars available to others.”

She worked with a food scientist to perfect the recipe and founded The Simple Company. Check out the photos of her journey to making delicious, sugar-free snack bars.

The bars contain:

 
 
FOUR DELICIOUS FLAVORS

Flavors include:

 
Each ingredient in each flavor has its own special natural properties that work together to create a unique, flavorful experience.⁣

Each 35g bar has 160 calories, 5g to 6g protein, and 7g to 8g dietary fiber.

We find them refreshing as a snack or as dessert, with a cup of coffee.
 
 
GET YOUR SIMPLE BARS

Head to SimpleBars.com.

All flavors are delicious, so we recommend the Variety Pack.

You may wish to get some for friends and family who are steering clear of Easter confections. Simple Bars are pretty much guilt-free, and the wrapper colors (photos #2 and #4) are just right for a pastel holiday.

[1] Simple Bars in four flavors: Almond & Dragonfruit, Chocolate Sea Salt, Almond Marcha & Chia, Walnut & Golden Spicess (photo © The Nibble).

[2] Go nuts with this protein-packed, all-natural snack bar (photos #2, #3, and #4 © Simple Bars).

[3] Beyond different nuts and seeds, each flavor has something special. Here, almond and chia are enhanced with matcha tea powder.  
THE HISTORY OF ENERGY BARS

Energy bars and protein bars have become increasingly popular in recent years as a convenient and portable snack or meal replacement option for people on the go.

First, the difference between the two:

 
The history of energy bars and protein bars dates back decades.

 
Energy bars and protein bars began to trend in the 1990s. Balance Bar, MET-Rx, and ProBar Meal Bars debuted, marketed towards athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts.

But the natural foods movement and the increase in gym memberships engendered a wide variety of flavors and formulations and became popular snacks for busy people who wanted a convenient snack or meal replacement option for people who are busy or active and want something more nutritious than a Snickers bar.

They were soon joined by snack bars: not necessarily energy- or protein-focused, but better-for-you snacks. Brands proliferated, including Bobo’s Oat Bars, Lara Bars, Kind Bars, and Luna Bars, among numerous others.

Today there are bars to accommodate any food plan: gluten-free, keto, nut-free, vegan, etc. And thanks to Simple Bars, you can find a sugar-free snack bar, too!
 
 
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*The Chocolate & Sea Salt flavor has dark chocolate, and other flavors have allulose, a naturally occurring sugar that naturally occurs in fruits like figs and raisins. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar and has virtually no calories. The bars contain just enough to provide a hint of sweetness. Here’s more about it.
 
 

[4] Simply delicious.

Recently we tasted a pouch of FAVs, fruit purees designed for children, packed with vitamins and fun designs on squeeze pouches. Our impression was: These are delicious, and great snacks for adults seeking low calories (just 45 calories per pack), great taste, and oh yes, nutrition.

The fruit pouches are packed with vitamins A, B6, C, D, E, zinc, and beta-glucan, a soluble fiber. The combination helps to support the immune system.

The fruits are picked at the peak of freshness, and the purées are sweet with no sugar added (isn’t that just peachy!).

We enjoy them so much, that FAVs are our Top Pick Of The Week.

FAVs are available in four flavors:

 
The calories are so low that you can have two pouches for just 90 calories.

The line is:

 
 
HOW TO ENJOY FAVs FRUIT POUCHES

We first purchased cartons of each of the flavors as grab-and-go snacks. We love the fruit fix, straight from the pouch. Then, we played around with them:

 
You’ll discover your own favorite uses.
 
 
READY FOR A LUSCIOUS FRUIT SNACK?

Here’s a store locator.

You can also purchase FAVs on Amazon.

[1] Sweet, nutritious, 45-calorie fruit pouches. Here, Strawberry Strong (all photos © Tree Top).

[2] Fresh peaches have a limited season, but we get a peach flavor to fix from Feelin’ Peachy..

[3] Go bananas!  
ABOUT TREE TOP

The Tree Top cooperative was formed in 1960, in the heart of Washington’s apple country. Way before “sustainability” entered the public consciousness, growers came together to find a way to save ugly and excess fruit—perfectly good food—from going to the landfill.

Today, Tree Top is still saving ugly and excess fruit: more than 800 million pounds of fruit each year! Here’s more about Tree Top.

[1] Vegetarian taquitos filled with black beans, brown rice, collards, corn, and pumpkin purée (photos #1 and #2 © Success Rice | Family Features).

[2] Rice is ready in just 10 minutes.

[3] Black beans add protein to this vegetarian recipe (photo © Bush’s Beans).

[4] Pumpkin purée creates a nutritious sauce for the following (photo © Libby’s | Nestlé).  

Long before Taco Tuesday, there was Meatless Monday. While the latter may seem to be a 21st-century idea, it actually first appeared during World War I (when it was called Meatless Tuesday). Here’s the history of Meatless Monday.

Almost every health, nutrition, and sustainability expert advises: Eat a primarily plant-based diet. It’s better for you and the planet.

We at THE NIBBLE would like to observe that it’s not just about meat. Cheese and other dairy products, including animal milk and milk-based products, like yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, and ice cream, contribute the same greenhouse gases that meat does.

Yes, you could eat fish; in fact, substituting more seafood for meat is another important resolution.

But if you really want to help Planet Earth, we propose changing Meatless Monday to Vegan Monday.

Regardless of your motivation, opting for meatless or vegan meals regularly provides plenty of benefits that extend from the health of you and your loved ones to your wallet and the environment.

Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, considering making some lifestyle changes or just want to give an on-trend meal prep strategy a try, going meatless can help reduce your intake of red and processed meats, decrease greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and save money on substitute ingredients like grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes that are often cheaper than meat.
 
 
RECIPE: BAKED VEGETARIAN TAQUITOS 

This recipe saves time with Success Boil-In-Bag Brown Rice (which is whole grain). Ready in just 10 minutes without measuring or the mess, boil-in-bag grains make mealtimes quick and easy.

Success Rice is available in basmati, brown, jasmine, and white rice, plus quinoa and two white rice blends: one with peas, carrots, and red bell peppers; one with black beans, corn, and bell peppers.

Find more meatless meal inspiration at SuccessRice.com.

Prep time is 15 minutes, and cook time is 20 minutes.

Check out more Meatless Monday recipes below.
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

You can substitute vegan sour cream and cheese for any of the dairy products.

 
Preparation

1. PREPARE the rice according to package directions; add the collard greens and corn to the water during the last 5 minutes.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Drain the rice and vegetables; transfer to a saucepan. Stir in the black beans, pumpkin purée, and taco seasoning.

3. SPOON 1/3 cup of the rice mixture into the center of one tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of Monterey Jack cheese.

4. ROLL up tightly. Place the seam side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, filling, and cheese.

5. BRUSH the taquitos with olive oil; sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and the cheese is melted.

6. GARNISH the taquitos with fresh cilantro. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole for dipping.

Some cuisines have a preponderance of vegetarian and vegan dishes, owing to a high incidence of lactose intolerance in the general population. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai recipes for starters, offer tofu or another soy-based protein.

Here are some of our favorite NIBBLE vegetarian and vegan dishes.

________________
 
*Taco Seasoning Recipe: Combine 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt. Store in an airtight container.
 
 

[1] A hearty bowl of kimchi soup with sides of bean-thread noodles and more kimchi (photos #1 and #2 © The Vegan Atlas).

[2] Kimchi soup ingredients.

[3] Gochugaru, Korean red chile that adds a fruity, sweet, and smokey flavor to dishes (photo © Gochujar).

[4] Gochugang paste, very spicy and deeply flavored (photo © Gochujar).

[5] Bean thread noodles are also called cellophane or glass noodles (photo © Webstaurant Store).

[6] The photos that follow show kimchi in various presentations (photo © Umami Information Center).

[7] As a side dish with any meal (photo © Nakano Rice Vinegar).

[8] Two presentations (photos #8 and #9 via Wikipedia | CC-BY-SA-2.0).

[9] Two more presentations.  

National Kimchi Day is November 22nd, and we’d like to share a delicious kimchi soup recipe from The Vegan Atlas.

If you’re not familiar with kimchi (KIM-chee), it’s a staple Korean condiment* made from fermented vegetables (as are pickles and sauerkraut).

Think of kimchi as a spicier, chunkier, and more complex form of sauerkraut. It can be vegan, or have some fish ingredients, like fermented anchovies (did you know that there are fermented anchovies in Worcestershire sauce?).

“Even with all the spices and bold flavors,” says Nava Atlas, author of The Vegan Atlas, “kimchi soup somehow qualifies as comfort food! It’s a classic in Korean cuisine, and this recipe is ready to eat quickly.” Prep time is 15 minutes, and cook time is 15 minutes.

As with so many recipes, no two are alike. The cook has a wide range to tailor the recipe.

But the star is always kimchi, the fermented condiment based most often on cabbage (it can include other vegetables).

If you’re interested in delicious vegan recipes, head to TheVeganAtlas.com and sign up!
 
 
RECIPE: KIMCHI SOUP

The ingredient list might look a bit long, but there’s surprisingly little prep. The ingredients cook up quickly.

Brimming with Korean seasonings and briny kimchi, the broth becomes flavorful in no time. Optional ingredients include rice, rice noodles, or sweet potato, which all act as foils to the other vigorous and spicy flavors.

While you may hesitate to buy gochugaru, you can use the rest of it as you would another red chile spice. Here’s more about it. You can substitute Aleppo pepper or Kashmiri (Indian) chile powder.

It’s the same with gochujang, “the next sriracha.” Here’s more about it.
 
Ingredients

 
Optional Additions

 
Preparation

1. CUT the tofu into 6 slabs crosswise and blot well between layers of a clean tea towel or paper towel (or, if you have a tofu press, use it ahead of time). Cut the slabs into dice.

2. HEAT the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

3. ADD the cabbage, mushrooms, ginger, gochugaru, water, bouillon cubes, soy sauce, and tomatoes. Bring to a slow boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently until the cabbage and mushrooms are wilted, about 5 minutes.

4. ADD the reserved tofu, bok choy, gochujang paste, kimchi, and scallions. The broth will likely be a bit crowded, so add 1 to 2 cups of water or more as needed. Continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or just until everything is piping hot. Don’t overcook!

5. REMOVE from the heat. Season with salt and stir in the cilantro. Serve at once, garnishing each serving with some extra scallion and cilantro.

For the optional ingredients:

 
 
MORE KIMCHI RECIPES

 
 
THE HISTORY OF KIMCHI 

Kimchi has been made for three thousand years in Korea. It was, and is, made by fermenting vegetables. It began as a way to ferment and store vegetables during the cold winter when many Koreans died of starvation.

It quickly became a staple food for year-round consumption, a ubiquitous side dish on every table every day [source].

The dish is an integral part of every meal—so much so that when South Korea launched its first astronaut to space in 2008, it sent kimchi with her [source].

Today, kimchi is pungent and fiery, seasoned with red chile flakes or whole chiles. But historical versions were not spicy.

Early records of kimchi do not mention garlic or chile peppers. In fact, hot chiles, now a standard ingredient in kimchi, are a New World crop. They were unknown in Korea until the early 17th century when they were introduced to East Asia by Portuguese traders.

The first mention of chiles in Korea is found in an encyclopedia published in 1614 [source] and kimchi with chili peppers was described in a book on farm management.

However, it was not until the 19th century that the use of chile peppers in kimchi was widespread. The recipes from the early 19th century closely resemble today’s hot and spicy kimchi [source].

A 1766 book describes kimchi varieties made with different ingredients, including chonggak-kimchi (made with chonggak radish), oi-sobagi (made with cucumber), seokbak-ji (made with jogi-jeot, salted seafood), and dongchimi (Korean radish, napa cabbage, scallions, pickled green chile, ginger, Korean pear and watery brine).

Napa cabbage, the key ingredient in most popular modern kimchi, was introduced to Korea from China only at the end of the 19th century [source].

The basic modern recipe came together: a powerful punch of napa cabbage, scallion (green onion), fish sauce, red pepper flakes, rice flour, salt, ginger, radish, carrot, and garlic, fermented kimchi in onggi (a clay pot) is loved by many around the world [source].
 
 
Modern Kimchi 

Considered the national dish of Korea, kimchi is eaten as a side dish as well as incorporated into recipes.

Given regional preferences and ingredients, there are more than 200 types of kimchi in Korea [source].

“Kimchi season” spans November and December, the time when kimjang (kimchi curing) takes place in preparation for winter.

During this time, family members and neighbors gather in each other’s kitchens to cook together, trade recipes, and share stories. Kimjang is meant to create moments of joy and encourage living in harmony with nature.

 
The tradition of making and sharing kimchi is listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by Unesco that “reaffirms Korean identity” [source].”

Kimchi is stored in large clay pots or jars. Storing them in the family refrigerator meant there was little space for anything else.

Hence, many Korean households even have a separate kimchi refrigerator [source].

Beyond Korea, kimchi is a terrific fusion food, pairing well with everything from eggs to sandwiches to meat to tacos.

If you like pungent, spicy foods, take a taste. Many supermarkets carry kimchi in the refrigerated foods section. Mother-In-Law’s Kimchi is a favorite of ours.

> More kimchi history.

> How kimchi is made.  
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*Along with hot sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, salsa, and other familiar condiments on the American table, pickled foods are also categorized as condiments. Common pickled foods used as condiments the world over include chutney (South Asia), cucumbers (dill, butter, and gherkin pickles, for starters in North America and cornichons in France), ginger (Japan), marmite pickled onions (UK), olives (Mediterranean), and sauerkraut (Germany). Almost all vegetables have been pickled and used as condiments in some form: whole, sliced or diced into a relish.