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Archive for Other – Page 2

Thinny Thursday: What does GLUTEN FREE Mean?

By Dessert Darling · February 16th, 2012

Gluten Free products are sprouting up everywhere and it’s no wonder why since there has been a 400% increase in Celiac’s Disease. Holy crap, say WHAT?! Ok, let’s back up.

What is GLUTEN?

Gluten is a substance in grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough. It basically acts like.. a GLUE. So when you mix flour, water, and salt to make play-dough? Well that sticky-gummy like substance is what gluten also does in your insides when you consume it.

What is Celiac’s Disease?

Celiac’s is a digestive disease that wreaks havoc on the lining of the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients. People with Celiac’s Disease cannot tolerate Gluten (source).

Why the Increase in Gluten Allergies?

Turns out that yet again, GMOs are to blame (what are GMOs? See video here). In the case of wheat, it was genetically modified with the promise of feeding millions of starving people world wide. The result? There are now “30% more obese than undernourished in the world.”  (source)

Genetically Modified Wheat 

The wheat in our food today is drastically different from the wheat our grandparents or even parents had growing up. According to Dr. Mark Hyman’s fascinating article here, some facts about the wheat of today:

  1. It contains a Super Starch – amylopectin A that is super fattening.
  2. It contains a form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory.
  3. It contains forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more.


Crickies! What’s a DD to do?!

I know, you’re totally scratching your head right now, wondering WTF you can do and eat that’s still delicious and doesn’t tear up your intestines and make you sick and fat, right?! Or something like that. Fear not- you CAN take action.

  1. Eat Organic
  2. Eat Gluten Free- I shall be on the look out for fantastic GF dessert options! Stay tuned
  3. Eat Raw desserts (always Gluten Free)
  4. Sign this petition to ask the FDA to label foods with GMOs
Eat yummy, stay healthy!  Together, we’ll learn how. ;)

The BEST Cookies to Gift for the Holidays, a TOP 5 List

By Dessert Darling · December 12th, 2011

According to last year’s poll (see here), Cookies just beat out Chocolates as your favorite treat of the holiday season. I don’t blame you and neither does Santa. Clearly there’s a reason we don’t leave him milk and pie! In no particular order, these are my TOP 5 favorite cookies to share with your loved ones this holiday season.

1) COOKIES BY DESIGN: 

These cookie bouquets display large, colorfully frosted sugar cookies that would make anyone’s day. Additionally, you can get an assortment of traditional cookies to surround your impressive bouquet. I can’t get enough of these delightful displays!

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2) BAKING BETTY’S: 

Baking Betty’s are my current cookie obsession. These are the cookies that I chose to gift at our wedding this fall and I think every single guest raved about them. The heavenly chocolate chip goodies are baked with mini marshmallows for a delicious, airy, and whimsical touch. They come in both large and mini-me sizes and are the perfect treat to gift this season (hint hint!).

 

3) COOKIES BY JOEY:

If you like sweet, buttery, chunky goodness, then these deep pocket Cookies by Joey will Rock your world. Their hearty size and flavors make for an intense and sumptuous experience.

 

4) SNOOKIES COOKIES: 

Don’t have time to bake for Santa? Shhhh, order Snookies Cookies and he’ll never know the difference! These traditional goodies taste like Mom made them.  Nom nom nom!

 

5) DELUSCIOUS COOKIES:

Want to include an old-fashion bottle of cold milk to your order? How about be blown. away. by the most decadent Chocolate cookie ever? Delusicious makes tasty, large and flat cookies as well as the amazing “Chocolate Decadence” that will visit you in your dreams.

Dd-specialtydozen-xmas

 

Stay tuned for my Top Favorite Chocolate gift list this Holiday Season!

 

XOXO

Cheryl’s/ Mrs. Beasleys and Platine’s Buttercream Frosted Cookies

By Dessert Darling · December 9th, 2011

I have to admit, I’m a total sucker for anything smattered in buttercream icing. Make ‘em soft and chewy sugar cookies with that creamy sweet frosting and I’m a slave for you. Such is the case with these holiday cookies by Cheryl’s (formally known as Mrs. Beasleys). But Ugh! They contain some of those scary ingredients that I’m simply appalled by now (see here)! Hear ye, Hear ye Bakers! Anyone who sends me frosted cookies that are as tasty as these by Cheryl’s but made with organic and artificial-free ingredients.. you have 2012′s Golden Cherry award waiting for you!

Which leads me to refresh you on this year’s Golden Cherry award winner for frosted sugar cookies: Platine Bakery in Culver City. They do use natural ingredients- so I guess there are indeed options (though I’m always open to more).

I’ll also take take this moment to share a new site with you called Treatsa. Treatsa delivers freshly baked cookies to you from your region. They generously gave me a free coupon code to try it out and the very next day I had these Platine Cookies at my door step (pictured above)! Horray! ‘Tis the season for delectable cookies all around.~

For more info on the darling and delicious but potentially life threatening cookies by Cheryl’s (ha, really not that bad, it’s just the artificial colors that I lament) click here.

XOXO

Kathy Casey’s Dish D’Lish Fruit Cake with Maker’s Mark

By Dessert Darling · December 6th, 2011

Fruit Cake has long since been the laughing stock of Christmas jokes. Perhaps for this reason, we hardly see it during the holidays now. I recently got an e-mail advertising “Over 21″ Fruit Cakes made with Maker’s Mark. This sounded intriguing so I ordered the Dish D’Lish Fruitcake online.

It just arrived today and I have to say… it’s still fruitcake.  While the cake is clearly made with fine butter and hints of that lovely Maker’s Mark, its totally invaded by mountains of nuts and gelatinous, zingy fruit blobs. Like no ice cream can really be bad ice cream, no fruit cake can really be good fruit cake. I am a purist who rarely likes fruit near my desserts as it is.

Perhaps I wouldn’t begrudge the treat so much if it were labled “Holiday Trailnut Bread,” but calling it cake?! That’s just an assault on the English language.

 

For mor information on Dish D’Lish’s fruitcake by Kathy Casey, click here.

XOXO

Thinny Thursday- America’s Poisoned Food & its Devastating Effects

By Dessert Darling · December 1st, 2011

Hi all, I try not to be preachy in my La la land of Desserts, but this Ted Talks video was so captivating, jaw-dropping, and mind-boggling, that it completely changed the way that I view food in America. While I eat desserts every day, I still promote eating real food with all natural ingredients. For example, a cupcake with real butter, sugar, and flour is a thousand times better than a packaged dessert with an unending list of preservatives, chemicals, and artificial colors. If you wonder about Allergies, Obesity, Diabetes, Autism, and Cancer rates, then watch this video.

 

 

What can you do to protect yourself and family? Click here to sign a petition to have the FDA label foods that have GMOs in them so that you are not shopping in the dark anymore. In the meantime, buy organic when you can or shop at stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods that try to carry as few items with GMOs as possible!

Turkish Delight! My Sweet Adventures in Istanbul

By Dessert Darling · November 2nd, 2011

I just returned from the awesome city of Istanbul, Turkey, where I sampled many unique and delicious treats. First off, if you’ve never been to Turkey or have even considered visiting, you must. Istanbul, in particular, is an incredible, ancient city on the water and has the loveliest people.


Above I’m displaying a Turkish Crepe that this lady made for me by rolling out a ball of dough and heating on the black surface to her right. I had Strawberries and Honey in my crepe while my friend had one with Chocolate syrup. It was a very warm, thin, and light dessert that allowed us to eat more goodies throughout the day! I have a video of this experience coming soon, so stay tuned!

Wow-wee! Look at his beautiful array of Turkish Delight below!

For those of you unfamiliar, Turkish Delight is a nutty, gelatinous treat that is dusted in powdered sugar, or coconut bits, and comes in distinctly exotic flavors like rose water, pistachio, and bitter orange. While the consistency of Turkish Delight may vary, the best pieces have the same resistance as a generic gummy bear (versus a Haribo bear, which is a bit tougher).

Above, I am holding another distinctly Turkish dessert called Asure, or “Noah’s Pudding.” This wheat pudding is about as tasty as it sounds (not really at all). With ingredients that include wheat kernels and chick peas, the story has it that when Noah and his animals were running out of food on the arc, they combined their remaining ingredients to created this dish.

But look at those amazing hunks of Torrone in the window!  These very sweet and nut-packed nougat bars are also a staple in Italy (and one of my Dad’s favorite treats).

Finally, a glimpse into the bustling Spice Market of Istanbul above. Overall, I loved the Turkish Delight, but in general, I was not floored by the food in Turkey. I think I ate more puff pastry type carbs and Chicken in one week there than I have in one year here. But food aside, this incredible country is still a must-visit!

XOXO

 

Kanom Krok, One of my Favorite Treats in Thailand!

By Dessert Darling · October 13th, 2011

One of our favorite treats in Thailand was Kanom Krok, a coconut milk and sugar mixture that’s poured into dimpled pans, topped with a yummy seasoning, and cooked into delicious little hot cakes that are crispy on the outside, and goopy on the inside. Ohlord do I miss these!!!  Our favorite ones were topped with a banana slice or coconut bits, but they also had savory options like spring onion and sesame seeds.  I just came across this video recipe on the web if anyone is interested in making them! 

XOXO

Going Camping in Yosemite, Yee-haw!

By Dessert Darling · August 26th, 2011

Hi guys! So I’m off to Yosemite to go camping with my bridesmaids. Yea- total rager Bachelorette party, ;-) what can I say?  Seriously, I’ve had more belly laughs exchanging e-mails with my girlfriends about this trip than ever. None of us have a CLUE what we are doing or are about to get ourselves into. Awe well! It shall be an adventure!! In the meantime, I found these super yummy looking Peanut Butter Cookie, Banana S’mores that we’ll have to recreate… assuming that we get a fire going. Ha! We are Troop Beverly Hills~

Image and other camping recipe ideas from Sunset.com.~

Please wish us luck!

XOXO

Can Coconut Juice Combat Wrinkles?!

By Dessert Darling · May 12th, 2011

Ok guys, this Thinny Thursday, we’re talking wrinkles. SOooo, I got really sick last month with Bronchitis and woke up one day with Super wrinkles. Say what?! Did I age 5 years overnight?!? I kinda freaked out (can you tell?) and through my investigative research, I discovered that antibiotics can dehydrated you. Well I took not one, but two courses of the Z-pack to fight my cough- Oh THANK GOD, so it was only temporary?? And not due to my love-affair with Sugar?! (please please say No!)

Needless to say, I was on a mission to HYDRATE! In comes Coconut Water. These days Coconut Water is touted as a panacea that’s capable of everything from raising your metabolism to fighting viruses like the flu. Hmmm, sounds a little too good to be true- but this much I’ve learned, it hydrates you and in way that your body can really absorb.

So, here I am drinking Coconut Water like it’s Nectar from the Gods and taking fish oil pills to boot. I think it’s helping!

My favorite brand is by far Amy and Brian’s Coconut Juice with pulp. Mmm, it’s my liquid dessert!

Has anyone else had an experience like this???

XOXO

Royal Wedding Royal Wedding Royal Wedding! Cake & Party Treats!

By Dessert Darling · April 28th, 2011

Did you hear?!? There’s going to be a ROYAL WEDDING!

"Please pass the Sword. I have a Cake to cut, Darling"

Let’s talk Royal cake.  According to the Huff Post there will be 2 wedding cakes: a traditional Fruit Cake with white cream frosting, and Prince Williamn’s childhood fave, a Chocolate Biscuit Cake.

Ok, Stop right now- fruit cake?! I get that it’s Traditional.. but um, isn’t that what people re-gift during the holidays? POLL TIME (big time)

The Chocolate Biscuit Cake sounds much more up my alley. Even if it still has raisins, nuts, and biscuits, it looks to be drowned in deliciousness. Click here to see a video on how to make the easy recipe yourself! Perfect for your own Royal Wedding Party. ;)

Image from RecipesforHim

And how cute are these cookies!?

Image from DNAinfo.com

Ok, maybe a little silly- but all in good fun.  I’m also tickled by these cupcakes from Jude’s Bakery in the UK.

Will you be having a Royal Wedding Party in the wee early hours? I will be getting beauty sleep for our friends’ wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel this weekend. And in these parts, that’s royalty, Baby!

XOXO

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