We love to try new foods. Some are great. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think.
Historically, many of our grains sprouted accidentally, but modern growing and harvesting controls have largely eradicated sprouted grains from our diets. Proponents claim that grains that have just begun sprouting – those that are straddling the line between a seed and a new plant — offer all the goodness of whole grains, while being more easily digested.
Angelic Bakehouse bakes and distributes sprouted grain breads. They have just introduced the brand into the northeast region of the US. Once grains are sprouted, companies can process the grain by a wet or dry approach. Angelic Bakehouse uses a wet method, mixing seven sprouted grains into a mash that can be added directly into dough. This process helps to provide the original taste, texture, and natural sweetness of the sprouted grains. Breads made by this method should be kept refrigerated or frozen to preserve freshness. The company recommends this and suggests warming before eating to bring out the full flavor of the bread. It makes excellent toast.In the sprouting process some of the carbohydrate in the grain is used up so the product is lower in calories. Sprouted grains have a lower glycemic index which means blood sugar will not raise as much as with traditional breads. Sprouting also decreases the amount of gluten in grains. These products are not suitable for those with celiac disease but people with gluten sensitivity may be able to eat them with no negative effects.
We tasted Angelic Bakehouse’s Sprouted 7-Grain Bread. One slice has 60 calories, no fat, 3 grams of protein, 11 grams of carb (with 1 gram of sugar and 2 grams of fiber), and 130 milligrams of sodium. The bread is Non-GMO Project Verified and kosher certified (OK).
MELT Organic Buttery Spread is a butter substitute that can be used as a spread or to bake and sauté foods. Its texture is firmer, more like butter, than creamy tub margarines. It melts easily and has a pleasant neutral flavor on bread.MELT Organic is made from a combination of oils. Organic virgin coconut oil is the primary oil. This is a plant-based saturated fat that is rich in medium-chain fatty acids that do not elevate LDL cholesterol. Organic palm fruit oil is higher in healthy fats than palm kernel oil which is higher in saturated fat. The palm fruit oil used in MELT is certified Eco-Social and Fair Trade. Organic canola oil is a non-genetically modified variety of canola sourced from the Netherlands. Organic flaxseed oil is one of the best plant sources of omega-3, heart healthy fat. And, organic sunflower oil is 86% monounsaturated fat.
On tablespoon of MELT Organic has 80 calories, 9 grams of fat (3.5 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat and 4 grams of monounsaturated fat), no trans fat, cholesterol, carb or protein, and 85 milligrams of sodium. It is kosher certified (OU).
