Polydextrose: The Truth Behind the Smiles of Fred Flintstone and Toucan Sam

Recently on television and just roaming through the supermarket, you may have noticed sugary cereals by Post that have been boasting that they have a good source of fiber. You can just imagine how excited and grateful the thousands of mothers were across the country when they first heard the news. My child can have his or her favorite cereal and still get a good source of fiber per serving?! While your child is enjoying his or her cereal and you're smiling from ear to ear like a mirror image of Fred Flintstone and Toucan Sam on the cardboard box. Now I'm going to use the appropriate phrase here "You can't have your cake and eat it too". The reason why these cereals all of the sudden have fiber is because...well...it isn't fiber at all. The ingredient that is added is something else called polydextrose, and it supposedly acts similar to the process of fiber that the FDA call actually call this ingredient fiber, when it truly is not. This may seem confusing but I'll help to break it down.

The way that the cereal manufacturers make polydextrose is quite simple (well it should be if they are making a mass production and it's all about quantity and not quality now a days right?). Polydextrose is actually synthesized from glucose and sorbitol which is a low-calorie carbohydrate. Polydextrose is one of several new aged fiber additives (others include inulin and maltodextrin) showing up in dairy and baked-goods products that previously had little to no fiber in them at all. There are two different kinds of fiber known as functional and dietary. Functional fiber is where polydextrose, inulin and maltodextrin fit in and they all appear to act like fiber within the body and they are extracted from chicory root. Dietary fiber is basically where fiber comes from naturally, like fruits, vegetables, and grains. Since polydextrose is not an all natural source of fiber but rather a man made source, it does not show any evidence of enhancing cardiovascular health such as preventing heart attacks, high cholesterol, or lowering the risk of heart disease. Polydextrose acts like dietary fiber in one way by speeding up the body's gastrointestinal tract. The confusing part of this whole matter is the FDA is labeling the use of polydextrose, inulin, and maltodextrin as being dietary fiber. So the box of several Fiber One products, for example, will state on it's nutritional fact label that it contains up to 51% of your daily fiber intake and state that the fiber is dietary when it's actually functional. There is no evidence that consuming functional fiber provides any health benefits to our bodies like dietary fiber.

Polydextrose, inulin, and maltodextrin, and other other functional fibers are basically deceiving people into believing that the junk food that they're eating contains a "good source" of fiber (mainly dietary) and they all of the sudden think that their junk food has magically turned into health food. Well in my opinion junk food is junk food even if it claims to be health food. A word of advice to read the ingredient list on the back or side of the product. Those Post cereals I mentioned earlier still contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup along with added dyes, colors, and partially hyrdrogenated oils (trans fat in disguise) in the first few ingredients. If these ingredients are at the top of the ingredient list then that states that the product is mainly constructed of. Food manufacturers can lie all over their products, boasting that they have faulty fiber, contain 100% whole grains, and contain zero grams of trans fat (when they obviously do because they have partially hydrogenated oils), but the one thing they cannot lie about is the list of ingredients. If you look at the ingredient list first and notice if the list is short or a laundry list, if there are ingredients that you can recognize and pronounce. Food manufacturers basically want to sell a product and sell in a product in mass quantities. In order for the food industry to do this they have to do some research and discover what the most and relevant trends and concerns that people have. Fiber is the example here but more recently Vitamin D is creeping up into and onto boxes of cereal and other products because people are now worried about not getting enough Vitamin D. The trend is shifting because Scott Monette, a spokesman for Ralcorp, which owns Post cereal brands said that his company is removing polydextrose from their products and they are instead adding higher doses of Vitamin D to their products because it is "more timely and relevant ingredient". These people don't care about your health, all they care about is selling a product. Keep smiling Fred Flintstone and Toucan Sam, because I know behind that smile is corporate greed, and I'm not smiling back.

Buttermilk Dipped Fried Ravioli Appetizers with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Crunchy, light pillows of ricotta cheese filling dipped in a delicious Marinara Sauce.  How does that sound to you?  When my Co-Worker, Kelly, described this delicious appetizer her eyes were rolling in the back of her head. "It's the buttermilk that gives that nice tang", she said.  Kelly is my kind of woman.  She's a foodie, just like me.  Sometimes, the two of us describe what we're craving, or what we made and it's a language that nobody else we work with can fully understand.  We foodies are a strange breed, aren't we?  Am I the only one whose pulse rate goes up, when I describe flavors and the other person understands? This is  the language of food love. Kelly speaks it.  I get it.  So, I had to make these. I bought a package of fresh cheese ravioli.  I made my own marinara sauce, which doesn't take that long.  Sometimes I stock Trader Joe's Tuscan Marinara Sauce for a quick meal.  I'll still love you if you don't make your own-- but try it sometime! It's not that hard!  What else? I have basil growing in the backyard.  Buttermilk is a staple in my fridge.  I was psyched.  Plus, Craig and I were having a vegetarian as a dinner guest.   I decided to GOOGLE "Fried Ravioli" and there was Giada's recipe.   Giada uses buttermilk, but I had to make a couple of changes.   I'm like that, at times. I swim against the current.  So, here we go:

Instead of using Italian breadcrumbs, I decided to try using Panko Crumbs.  Kelly has never used them.  Welcome to the world of golden crunch, folks.  I love panko crumbs, and I stock up on them whenever they are at Trader Joe's.  They're actually easy to find in the international section of your grocery store.

I seasoned the Panko crumbs with my own blend of Italian seasoning.  It's so much cheaper to make my own, since I already have dried herbs on hand.  If you don't have panko crumbs, use regular breadcrumbs. Again, I make my own breadcrumbs with a food processor. It's a great way to use stale bread.

This is 1% Buttermilk. I figure I can cut a fat gram or two, since I'm will be deep frying in oil! Ha!  Speaking of oil, Giada uses olive oil.  Well, that's a bit pricey for me.  I use peanut oil, which I buy in bulk.  You can use vegetable oil, too.  Start heating the oil until it reaches 325 degrees.  Use a thermometer.  Keep an eye on it, and if you have kids-- keep them at a safe distance.

Soak the ravioli in the buttermilk, for less than a minute. I figured four per person...

Dip. 

Repeat.

I refrigerated these until my guest was ready to arrive. Then, I got the oil heated and preheated the oven to WARM.  Prepare a plate with some paper towels...

I love this tool for deep frying, or even fishing out cooked pasta. Have some Parmesan cheese waiting...

Very carefully, slip the ravioli into the oil...

Cook them in batches so that they don't crowd. Turn them over when they are golden on one side-- about 3-4 minutes.

Almost there...

Carefully remove and set on a paper towel. Keep them warm in the oven.

These suckers blew up like a blowfish! No worries...

They smell incredibly good....

Now grate some fresh Parmesan all over!

Taste test.  I'm diving in. Crunch.

VERDICT:  Crunchy.  Surprisingly, very lite and not greasy or heavy.  Cheesy. The marinara sauce brings it home.   Our guest really liked them.  So did I. Kelly, you're a very smart woman.  Muwaaaaah!

While I make my own Marinara sauce and seasoning mix, I don't make my own Ravioli. That is still on my recipe bucket list.   One more thing-- I was surprised at how little oil this recipe really used.  I filter my oil and our it back into a bottle.  It can be reused a few more times.  I'm posting a printable recipe at the bottom of this post, plus how I make my own Italian seasoning and Marinara sauce.  I have no Italian DNA in me, that I know of.  It doesn't matter. I love Italian food!

Enjoy!,

Sausage & Kale Lentil Soup and Parmesan Skillet Rolls--My first Soup & Homemade Rolls for Fall

It's a very strange weather pattern we're experiencing in Monterey, California.  Yesterday, it was overcast and muggy.  Today, the skies were gloomy and I had a craving for soup.  I was also craving fresh bread to go with the soup.  I love lentil soup, and I especially love it when it's paired with sausage.  So, I grabbed my soup "Holy Trinity" of one onion, carrots and celery and speed chopped them with my food processor.  I have plenty of homemade chicken stock in the freezer and then I just started grabbing what I could find in my pantry. What I didn't  grab was my camera.  I figured that there are plenty of lentil soup recipes on blogs and so I just started creating a soup.  As a result, this time, there aren't my usual step-by-step photos on how to make this soup.  I decided to make our favorite Buttered Rosemary Rolls because they are easy to make and don't take a lot of time.  At the last minute, I decided to use Parmesan Cheese, instead. 

These smelled so good, that I decided to grab my camera after all, so I could share it with you.

I'm so glad that I adapted the Buttered Rosemary Rolls with Parmesan Cheese. They were wonderful!  My son was happy, because he doesn't care for Rosemary.  By garnishing the lentil soup with a little Parmesan, my family had a hearty and comforting meal that was perfect for Fall weather.

Heaven help me, these are good!

From what I hear, we are supposed to have a heat wave next week.  Sigh.  That means my Weber will be back in action.  I surprised myself, at how delicious my concoctions turned out!  So here ya go...the printable recipes cards are below.  That is, if you'd like to make either (or both) of these recipes.  If you would like a step-by-step on making the rolls, click here.

I am submitting this post to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sunday weekly roundup of recipes of bloggers who make soups, sandwiches or salads.  It looks like my soup kettle is back in business again!

Enjoy!

Burger Sliders (or Mini Man Burgers) with Special sauce and homemade pickles

Last week, Whole Foods had grass-fed ground beef on sale for $3.99 a pound. How could I possibly resist that price for such quality beef? I spotted a bag of potato rolls and I had an idea that Beef Sliders would be fun to make.  I've never made sliders, myself, but I see them all over Blogosphere.  How hard is it to shape mini patties, for Pete's Sake?!  Still, I like to Google and see if anything interesting pops up. Sure enough, Alton Brown's "Mini Man Burgers" recipe popped up.  As I read his directions, I said a silent thank you to Mr. Good Eats.   Here you go, Alton-- here is your version, with my own garnishes:

I grabbed a jelly roll pan and some parchment paper.  I cut a piece of plastic wrap, and a rolling pin.
Roll one direction...

...and another direction. The idea is to roll the ground meat very thin.  Now, it's time to season the meat.  Alton uses onion powder and garlic powder, salt & pepper.  That's fine.  But, I'm enchanted with the Susie-Q Santa Maria seasoning that I've blogged about a couple of times, this month.   I use it on veggies and as my "go to" quick seasoning. No MSG, too.

Sorry, the shot is a little out of focus. But, I wanted to show you the label of the product. If you can find this at your local supermarket, this will become a pantry staple.  Otherwise, go with Alton's seasonings. Or, have fun experimenting. You could season this with a South of the Border Flair-- taco seasoning.  Use Greek seasoning. The sky is the limit.

Now fold each side in, using the parchment paper is helpful. Whatever method you use, don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly when you are finished. The raw meat police is watching.  I realized, later, that cheese could be easily layered as well.  Imagine those possibilities, would you? Feta... Parmesan... Smoked Gouda. But, this time I skipped the cheese.  Grab a pizza cutter, or your favorite cutting tool. I love my metal bench scraper.

One pound of beef makes 8 burgers.  You could easily substitute ground chicken, turkey or even lamb.

Grill each mini burger for 2-3 minutes, per side.

These kind of resemble White Castle Burgers. Only, I think these taste better.  I made a mayonnaise by adding red chili sauce and some sweet pickle relish. For a garnish, I cut a garden tomato and I had the perfect excuse to test drive my homemade Bread & Butter Pickles.

For a side dish, Garlic Oven-Fries  are perfect.

I'll be making these for Super Bowl. But, first, there are a few Friday Happy Hour's until January.  Simple. Easy. Delicious! 

From my kitchen to yours,

Bread and Butter Pickles, Made Easy

"Learn how to make pickles" has been on my recipe Bucket List for a long time.  It's somewhere between "Learn how to make sourdough bread" and "Learn if there is such a thing as non-fat Puff Pastry".  Me thinks I'll never find the answer to the last thing on my list, but one can only hope.   While shopping at my local farm stand, I asked "Sarah" if I still had more time for their organic fresh-picked strawberries.  I have learned how to make my own jam, and I want to be sure my cupboards are stocked with Olallieberry Jam, Strawberry Jam, Apricot-Pineapple jam and-- my personal favorite-- Raspberry Jam.   Sarah didn't hear me say "strawberries" so she blurted out that if I wanted pickling cucumbers that I'd better get them now!

So the moment had arrived.  It was time to kick the bucket... the list, that is! So, I grabbed some cucumbers, hoping that I had enough.  When I arrived home, I went to my most trusted source of  recipe sources...Food Blogs!  There are a lot of ways to make Bread & Butter Pickles, but I wanted something easy.  Smitten Kitten provided the perfect recipe for me! So, here are the six ingredients I needed, most of which I had on hand. Well, one onion could count for seven, but I count that as a vegetable.

These are a pound of picking cucumbers...

I have a cute little crinkle cutter,  so I decided to put it to good use. These are about 1/4" thickness.  You could use a mandoline, or a sharp knife. I used a mandoline to slice the onion very thin...

Well, now my math is off!  You need salt, so that makes eight ingredients!  I used kosher salt. I've heard of picking salt, but I didn't want to invest in too many ingredients, in case my first attempt at pickle making was a flop.

Give this all a nice "mix" and...

...cover with ice and relax for two hours. 

Now, drain the the cucumbers and, then, put them in a pot. Grab a smaller pot and turn the stove to medium-high heat...

...and add the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, tumeric, and celery seed. Bring to a boil, and pour over the cucumbers.  Bring the pickles and juice back, just to a boil, and remove from heat. 

NOTE: When I first tasted the pickles, I thought that I misunderstood, and should have rinsed the salt. They were salty!  I later realized there was no need to panic. These didn't taste like what I had hoped until a few hours later.

 I decided to boil some water, and do the water bath method for canning.  I could hear the lids "ping" as the cooling of the jars sealed the pickles.  I left one jar, unopened, because I made "Sliders" and I thought the pickles would be a perfect test drive with these:

VERDICT: So, how were the pickles?  Craig loved them.  I have to admit that I'm not a fan of dill pickles. If pickles are mistakenly put on my burgers, I confess that I will quickly remove the offending condiment.  But these pickles are very different.  My son, who has inherited my dislike of dill pickles refused to try one. I gave him those "Mama Guilty-Puppy Eyes".  He ate one. Then another.  These are sweet, but not overly sweet. Many recipes I saw use a lot more sugar. Increase or decrease, according to your taste. Just keep two things in mind-- the saltiness mellowed by the next day. The sweetness increased by the next day.  There's a nice bonus to eating these pickles-- I love it when I bite into a coriander seed. Mmmmm!

This weekend, I hope that Sarah still has some cucumbers for me. I'm making more.  If you're on my Christmas list, please pretend you didn't see this post.  It might be in your gift basket.

The printable recipe is at the bottom of this post.  So, what's on your Recipe Bucket List?

Enjoy!