Barney Butter (Crunchy Almond) *Review*

The Food Guru here with another review of one of my favorite products of all time.  Surprise surprise, it's ANOTHER nut butter!  I'll tell you what, I'm completely addicted to this stuff, whether it be peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, pistachio butter, or all of the above mixed into one.  Heck, when I get the chance I usually whip up my own batch of homemade nut butter, a mixture of almonds, peanuts, and cashews.  Nuts butters are EXTREMELY good for you, especially in their natural form, and on my weight gaining journey I've been consuming a LOT of them.

Today's product is called Barney Butter, and specifically it's the crunchy almond butter variety.  I will say one thing first and foremost.  THIS STUFF IS FREAKING TASTY!  Seriously, be careful about sticking your finger in and having a little morsel, because more than likely you won't be able to stop.  I have to FORCE myself to put the lid back on sometimes, belittling myself with mental phrases like "OK Seth, come on now, what happened to all your self control?  You've had enough.  Stop eating it.  STOP."  And yet, for some reason it's like this stuff STILL jumps out the jar and into my mouth.  It is good, oh so good.

Health Factor:  As I've already mentioned, natural nut butters in general are VERY good for you.  That's because they contain a lot of healthy, unsaturated fats that help to maintain good cholesterol levels, slow digestion, and can actually be used as a good fuel source by your body on ketogenic diets.  Almonds themselves contain a lot of Omega-6 fatty acids, which when balanced properly with Omega-3 fatty acids (found in tuna, salmon, shrimp and all sorts of other fish and shellfish), can ensure your body stays in top form and is resistant to excessive inflammation.

Almonds themselves are also packed with antioxidants, which help to neutralize free radicals in your body and prevent disease.  They're also loaded with vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium.

Finally, almonds may actually help you to lose weight, despite being a high calorie, high fat food.  There have been all sorts of studies done on the consumption of raw nuts, including many tests on human subjects regarding diet and weight gain.  People who eat nuts at least twice a week were drastically less likely to gain unwanted fat when keeping their diet in check.  So what are you waiting for?  Have some almond butter, and don't you dare feel guilty.

Nutritional information:  

Here's the label from the back of the jar, which is probably easier to read than me just spewing off all the nutritional facts in the article. More efficient too, I'd say:

As you can see, this almond butter has similar caloric content to peanut butter, however much less saturated fat.  The ingredient list is short and sweet, and free of things like HFCS and hydrogenated oil.  It also has a relatively low sodium count, and low sugar as well.


But my friends, where I have to go off on this butter is the taste.  It is truly remarkable, and is without a doubt the best nut butter I've ever eaten to date.  You put a spoonful in your mouth, and it's like you took a little trip to heaven.  If the spoonful is big enough, you may close your eyes in ecstasy.  It's sweet, salty, and crunchy, and has such a beautifully strong taste that your whole mouth is enveloped in it.  Besides the perfectly sized chunks of almond, the butter is super creamy, and makes it awesomely hard to chew it.  It's like the perfect blend, and I'm not exaggerating.

Guys, this stuff is gold in a jar, NOT KIDDING.

So what are you waiting for?  Pick up some Barney Butter ASAP.  It's healthy, natural, and RIDICULOUSLY delicious.  It's a great break from peanut butter too, if you've gotten stuck in that rut.  It can fit into pretty much any diet too, whether it be weight loss, maintenance, keto, paleo, or mass gain.  Get some NOW, because these guys got it right.

......Barney Butter rules.  Good luck!


References:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909

Food Worship #8: The Lobster

Ever since I was a very young child, Maine has probably been one of my most favorite places on earth.  It's filled with memories of family get-togethers, swimming, boating, and most importantly of course:  GOOD FOOD.  Specifically....LOBSTER!!!  Lobster is one of those foods that either you absolutely love it, or can't stand the sight of the thing.  I for one can't help drooling even now thinking about picking up my cracker and going to town on one of those red sea insects.  And to those who know what I'm talking about, let me give you  several more reasons why a trip to Red Lobster, Weathervane, or the great state of Maine itself should be planned for the near future.

You see, lobster is interesting in that it tastes soooo good that you would initially believe it to be somewhat bad for you.  I mean, that's the case with a good steak right?  The fatty, thick, juicy cuts of sirloin tend to have a lot of saturated fat and not so bioavailable protein (but it's not like it's that bad for you either...I'm just saying that we all know steak has a few hidden dangers).  Good news is.....no...wait...the REALLY good news is that lobster is one of the healthiest protein sources of all land and sea animals.  That's right, it's packed with lean protein, has almost zero fat, and almost no carbohydrates!  Here's the nutrition data for lobster:

Nutrition Facts
Calories 142	(594 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat	0.9g	1%
Sat. Fat	0.2g	< 1%
Cholesterol	104mg	35%
Sodium	551mg	23%
Total Carbs.	1.9g	< 1%
Dietary Fiber	0g	0%
Sugars	0g
Protein	29.7g
Calcium	88.5mg
Potassium	510.4mg

Not bad right?  In fact, almost all lobsters range from between 110 calories and 150 calories, and from between 27 g and 30 g of protein!  That's a LOT of protein!  If you're looking to add real muscle mass, I would suggest trying those double deals restaurants usually have on two lobsters for one dinner.  You're only eating around 300 calories, and are getting about 60g of protein.  That's absolutely astounding.  Not even your post-workout protein shake can match those kind of numbers.  

But, as with everything, people tend to find a way to make a healthy meal into a not so healthy one, so let me just say this:  WHEN YOU DIP YOUR LOBSTER IN BUTTER, THESE NUTRITION FACTS NO LONGER APPLY AND YOU'VE OFFICIALLY MADE A GREAT MEAL INTO AN AVERAGE ONE.  

Lobsters are also rich with certain vitamins and minerals, specifically vitamin B12 (45% of rec. daily intake), phosphorous (15%), zinc (15%), selenium (50%), and copper (80%!).  vitamin B12 helps to maintain healthy nerves and blood cells, copper helps to reduce the chance of contracting diseases like Osteoporosis and colon cancer, phosphorous keeps your mouth and kidneys healthy, and zinc and selenium both help to strengthen your immune system against disease and free radicals.  

The only thing that lobsters don't excel at in the nutrition department is cholesterol.  3oz of lobster has about 20% of your recommended daily cholesterol, so keep that in mind.  I'm guessing though that lobster is expensive enough that you're not going to indulge daily anyway, so it becomes pretty much a non-concern for someone with a healthy diet low in cholesterol.  The butter sauce adds a LOT more of that cholesterol though, so please, just avoid it, or use it very sparingly.  

Bottom Line:  Lobster is an extremely lean source of very bioavailable protein, and should never be avoided at a restaurant or party.  It may taste like a cheat meal, but in fact it's the farthest thing from it.  Crack into one of these big guys today and start getting your share of healthy protein.  

Keep cracking, enjoy that delicious flavor, but don't break the bank.  Good Luck!

Kim's Best Pumpkin Bread

Today's the start of Thanksgiving Break!  I plan to write a whole bunch of T-giving related articles, but today I'm pretty darn busy with packing up in order to drive from Potsdam to Vermont right after classes end, and as a result I don't have time to post an in depth article.

That doesn't mean I'm going to let you guys suffer though, in fact I'll reveal to you a little gem of a recipe that I absolutely LOVE.  It goes by the name of "Kim's Best Pumpkin Bread" and is the moistest, tastiest, and overall best flavored bread I've had in a long time.  It's pretty darn healthy for what it is, and can be made even healthier through the replacement of oil with applesauce and a portion of the sugar with a zero calorie sweetener like Truvia.  At some point I plan to post a modified version of this very recipe where the changes have been made, so you know exactly what to put in.  Have fun with this one though, I bet you'll love it!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup fat-free milk 
• 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 large egg whites 
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup raisins 
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans 
• Cooking spray 

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk.
• Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in raisins and pecans.
• Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on rack.
• Note: To freeze individual slices, place in heavy-duty zip-top plastic bags. Remove excess air from bags; seal and freeze up to 4 months. To thaw, let stand at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 53.6g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  119 Calories from Fat  27

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  3.0g 5%

Saturated Fat  0.5g 3%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  18mg 6%

Sodium  88mg 4%

Total Carbohydrates  20.7g 7%

Dietary Fiber  1.3g 5%

Sugars  9.2g

Protein  2.8g

Vitamin A 56% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 3% • Iron 6%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet Nutritional details are an estimate and should only be used as a guide for approximation.

Legend

 Fat
 Protein
 Carbs
 Alcohol
 Other

Calorie Breakdown (?)

Daily Values (?)

Read more:http://caloriecount.about.com/kims-best-pumpkin-bread-recipe-r73638#ixzz1eL66vCua

THIS BREAD IS DELICIOUS!  I've been eating a slice with breakfast every now and then, just because it's a great simple carb source that will wake you up quickly.  Also, foods high in sugar should be consumed earlier in the day so that the body actually has time to make use of them instead of storing all that sugar as unwanted fat.  

Again, I hope you guys enjoy, and stay tuned for the modified recipe!

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This one's a must try.  Butternut squash is one of the overall best vegetables out there, at least in my opinion.  If you love potatoes, but don't want something quite as dense, give butternut squash an honest chance. It tastes GREAT with spices, and is absolutely loaded with delicious flavor and nutrients.  It's also very low calorie, and much lower in overall calorie density than potatoes or sweet potatoes.

You can mash them, grill them, BBQ them, and my personal favorite, make soup out of them!  Here's a recipe for probably the greatest soup I've ever had.  My mom used to make it all the time, and I still miss it day in and day out.  It's only 90 calories a cup, and has none of that horribly high sodium content you'll find in other canned soups.

Here you go:

Butternut squash soup-Serves 8

Ingredients-

-2.5lbs butternut squash, skin and seeds removed, roughly cut into 1/2 inch cubes
-1 tablespoon of canola oil
-2 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and roughly cut
-1 stalk celery, roughly cut
-1.5 quarts of chicken stock
-1 bay leaf
-1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
-2 teaspoons chopped chives
-salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions-

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2.  Place the cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and place inside down on baking sheet in preheated oven     for 1 hour.

3. Heat the oil in a large 4 quart saucepan.  Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Stir in roasted squash, celery, chicken stock, bay leaf and thyme.  Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes.

4.  Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.  Blend the soup with a regular household blender until smooth.  Season with salt and white pepper.

Simple, healthy, low calorie, and absolutely delicious.  SERVE AND ENJOY!!!