Trade-Up Tuesday: Bob’s Red Mill Giveaway
Welcome to Trade Up Tuesday! Every Tuesday, I blog about a trade-up I’ve made since learning about NuVal and I give away something for free. This week, I was looking through my kitchen pantry and perusing what I store in there these days. I was thinking that I wanted to host a giveaway that consisted of products that are completely new to me since I learned about NuVal. I’m talking about products that I had never purchased (or even heard of) before.
- Quinoa: OK, full disclosure here. When I first came to work for NuVal in the fall of 2008, I thought that you pronounced it like it is spelled: “quin-oh-ah”. Wrong! It’s “keen-wah.” The NuVal dietitians taught me all these incredible things about quinoa. This seed is one of the few plant foods that contain all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is technically a seed not a grain! As a complete protein it is equivalent to the quality of animal protein – providing the amino acid building blocks needed to support your immune system, wound healing, tissue repair, hair growth, and building hormones. In addition to protein, Quinoa is also a good source of B vitamins and other minerals. The seed is gluten free, making it a great food for those who have celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Most quinoa is grown in South America and the Inca Indians have been eating the seed, which they call “Mother Grain”, for over 5,000 years. This Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa scores an 82 on the NuVal scale.
- Flaxseed: I had heard of flaxseed, but what I didn’t know is that you need to eat it ground in order to reap the benefits. Yup. That’s another nutrition wonder that the dietitians here at NuVal taught me. Yes, flax is very nutritious. Two tablespoons of ground flax has about 3 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of health-benefiting unsaturated fats – most of which are omega-3’s. Your body can only get these fantastic fats from the ground form of flax. So when you see the seeds floating around on your bread or in your cereal – know you’re getting a great fiber kick, but the body simply can’t break them down to extract the omega-3 fatty acids. Also, try to avoid purchasing already-ground seeds as the fats are highly sensitive to oxygen and will go rancid quickly. The dietitians I work with suggest grinding them with a blender or coffee grinder as you go. This Bob’s Red Mill Natural Raw Whole Flaxseed scores a 91.
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: If you haven’t checked out my Catherine Katz recipe collection yet, you must do so. They are right up there under the recipe tab. Catherine has her own section and all of her recipes are winners. Her recipes for baked goods often call for “soft wheat flour” or “pastry flour”. This was something I could not find at my run-of-the-mill grocery store (not a NuVal-retailer, mind you). But once I found a retailer with a huge line of Bob’s Red Mill products, I found it! And now it is what I bake with all the time. I’ve replaced white flour with this whole wheat pastry flour in classic recipes, like toll house chocolate chip cookies and banana bread. And I’ve used it in new recipes, such as The Cleaner Plate Club’s Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies, Runner’s World’s Sweet Potato Muffins, and Harry Potter’s Pumpkin Bread. This Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour scores a 91 on the NuVal scale.
- Steel Cut Oats: I had made a lot of oatmeal before the Fall of 2008. And I made the real kind (in a pan, not instant). But I had no idea what Steel Cut Oatmeal was. Not a clue. Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces by steel rather than being rolled. They take longer to cook and they have a different texture. I actually have made them overnight in the slow cooker. There is nothing like waking to the smell of steel cut oats wafting through your house on a cold winter’s morning. For a moment, you feel like you’ve woken up in a cozy English cottage. These Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats get a NuVal score of 58.
Today’s Giveaway
One lucky reader is going to have a great chance to stock their pantry with some fabulous high-scoring foods. All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me something that’s been new to your palate over the last year or two (or three). How did you learn about it? How do you cook it? How do you enjoy it? I’d love to hear. I’ll choose one winner at random at 8 am Eastern time on Wednesday January 25th, so don’t delay. Good Luck everyone!
Posted by: Melissa 55 comments
Posted in: Trade-Up Tuesday
Tags: Bob's Red Mill, Trade-Up Tuesday
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 7:12 am
Quinoa is a newcomer to our house, too. We cook it in our rice cooker and then use it to make a quinoa, mango, & black bean salad.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 7:39 am
I LOVE Quinoa – it’s taken the place of couscous and rice and I serve it as I would the other two. I use bulk oatmeal that I cook for at least 5 minutes but I will have to try the steel cut oats. I like the consistency so much better than packaged (even better than Quacker Oats that you have to cook longer than instant).
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 7:54 am
Quinoa is great, it’s versatile and you can actaully have it sweet or savory–my wife makes a great quinoa dessert similar to rice pudding
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 8:07 am
I am a big baker but have never tried the pastry flour, I’d like to give it a shot!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 8:35 am
The newest addition to my palate over the last year has been greek yogurt, especially mixed with fruit (or freeze-dried fruit). I ran to the grocery store to get lunch for work one day and stumbled upon an individual container of Chobani and thought I’d give it a try over the Yoplait light stuff- it was a total ‘eh, I’ll try it’ that worked out wonderfully! I don’t think I can ever go back to non-Greek yogurt again!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 8:47 am
New to me in the last couple years: Chobani Greek yogurt, wheat flour instead of white flour, and quinoa! I started reading blogs and made the changes. Would love to win this giveaway!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:08 am
I think we were introduced to a lot of the same foods! I started in incorporating chia seeds, flax meal, steel cut oats (my favorite!!), and quinoa into my regular diet. And all of the above (okay not the quinoa) can be mixed into a single healthy meal! Or I add the chia seeds and flax meal to a spinach and fruit smoothie. So easy to hide these foods. I’ve also started incorporating protein powder into my meals since I started running and realizing my diet was lacking in the protein department.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:12 am
Flax & chia are fairly new to us. I put them in all kinds of things, but especially smoothies & baked goods.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:18 am
I’ve introduced many more fresh vegetables to our diet including zucchini, squash, peas and broccoli. My kids like it too!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:20 am
Brussel sprouts! I love them! I actually usually do the steam in a bag kind, but roasted is also great!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:23 am
I just started using flax seed meal within the last year in my oatmeal. I love the texture and combination with steel cut oats. I also started using flax seeds in my homemade granola and it adds a nice texture there too! I learned about flax seeds and flax seed meals by reading blogs and article posts like this one
I LOVE BOB’S PRODUCTS!!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:23 am
I have added psyllium husk to my diet. It cleanses your intestinal track and makes me feel so lean. I love to add it to berry smoothies. When you add it to a small glass of almond milk, it tastes like cereal milk! I learned about it from toneitup.com
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:38 am
Over the last year or so, I have been adding honey crunch wheatgerm to a lot of our food…the kids don’t seem to even notice it. Also, have been roasting a lot of our vegetables…I know that the high temp. probably eliminates some vitamins but my kids actually fight over the last of the broccoli. I never thought I’d see that!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:40 am
Chia seeds, I add them to my oatmeal and yogurt.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Brussels Sprouts! I learned to roast them at a cooking demonstration and now I can’t get enough.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:43 am
I love chia seeds and flaxseed and put them in smoothies oatmeat and yogurt everyday.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:48 am
Greek yogurt!! I am on Slimming World and FF plain greek yogurt is a free for us. It took me many months to convince myself to try it but once I did I became a huge lover. I use it on so much stuff. Just last night we had a big discussion about quinoa. I keep hearing good things about it and hope to try it soon.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:49 am
We love steamed quinoa and serve it as rice
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:51 am
I have added quinoa and greek yogurt (but not together!), since started to read healthy living blogs (in addition to this one, carrotsncake.com, healthytippingpoint.com, fannetasticfood.com). My husband was very skeptical of quinoa, but when I mix it into chili, he’s a fan!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:53 am
I just discovered, after hating it all my life, that I now love coconut! And I also recently tried and loved lobster. (I haven’t tried them together yet.)
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Brown rice pasta! I think I got into it because my sister-in-law is allergic to week. Then I kept buying it because I love the texture and I like to avoid getting a majority of my grains from wheat. I use it like you would regular pasta- in casseroles, with marinara, mixed with cheese sauce made with nutritional yeast…
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 10:02 am
As part of my New Year’s resolution – I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone. So I bought a pepino – which is technically a nightshade, but has the consistency of a pear, and tastes like a mild melon. I ate it with greek yogurt! I also just bought a jicama, and I’ll try that out soon.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 10:21 am
Shelled Hemp and Chia seeds are my favorite on yogurt, I love eating healthy and quinoa has become a staple in my kitchen.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 10:32 am
Avocados are new to me. I always thought I HATED them, but I never actually tried them. About two years ago I had my first taste, and now they’re one of my favorite foods! I like them on sandwiches and wraps, as well as in guacamole.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 10:34 am
I started eating quinoa this summer and love it! One of my favorite dishes I make with it is much like a tabbouleh: (quinoa, chick peas, cucumbers, red onion, tomato, parsley, lemon juice, splash of olive oil, and feta cheese) served cold! Just last night I made a stir-fry with shrimp, veggies, and quinoa in place of brown rice. I am planning on making the switch to whole wheat pastry flour for my baking as well.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 10:37 am
I’ve switched from regular, sweetened, florescent-colored yogurt to plain Greek yogurt that I mix with unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia, and cinnamon, chipotle, or orange oil.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 10:59 am
Brussels sprouts are semi-new to our kitchen. Once I tried roasting them in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper, they quickly became my new favorite vegetable!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:05 am
If you happen to live near a Wegmans Supermarket they just introduced their own “frozen” microwave version of steel cut oats in 3 flavors that I saw. On sale last week, not sure about this week they were $1.99 I think and microwave in 4 minutes. I was pretty excited because it’s a great way to get them if you’re in a hurry. Yes, I’m sure the “flavors” have lowered their NuVal scores some (I’m pushing so hard for them to utilize NuVal) simply because it’s like a flavored oatmeal.. always the sugar content and such that gives the flavor will lower the score but it’s a great breakfast to add some protein to & be full for hours!
Over the past year I switched to nothing but whole grain (actually Wegmans Super Pasta) pasta and would never go back to white sticky pastas again! We love our Super Pasta from Wegmans and it contains Omegas along with a bunch of other great things!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:12 am
I have been adding coconut oil to my diet whenever I can – using it to cook eggs, putting it on toast or throwing a spoonful in the whatever I’m warming up for lunch. Not only that, I started using it as a moisturizer and swear its doing wonders on the inside AND outside! It was one of those things I kept hearing bits and pieces about on blogs, etc and decided to give it a try. Glad I did!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:22 am
lentils and greek yogurt… love them both now!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:55 am
Kale, it is not so much a new food for me since I have had it in the past, but I have found a way to eat more of it by making chips of it. Kale Chips are addicting!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:58 am
I have been eating steel cut oats from Bob’s Red Mill, which by the way is only a few hours from here and has an amazing store! I eat them for breakfast with some Organic Vermont maple syrup and it keeps me full for soooo long!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Wheatberries are completely new on my radar. I learned about them from reading healthy living blogs (ex. Carrots n’ Cake) I cooked some up (boil method) and add them to everything! Morning oatmeal. Salads. Wraps. Fried Rice. Very good!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Couscous! Hard to believe I hadn’t it yet, but it’s true. but I tried it, and it was good.
I haven’t tried quinoa yet, but I’d like to.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
I just started using whole wheat pasta in my italian recipes over the past couple years and love the taste! It took a while to get used to, but the nutritional benefits are awesome!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Just this weekend I made spaghetti squash for the first time. I love it! I made some pesto shrimp with tomatoes and peppers and put it over the squash, it was delicious!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
I love BRM thick rolled oats – I make it with water, then add almond butter, frozen dark cherries and cinnamon. I eat it a few hours later at room temp. THE BEST!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Wow what a superstar medley of BRM products! I have to say all of these have been new to me over the past couple of years..but my most recent healthy addition has been using nutritional yeast as a cheezy flavor substitute & great B-vitamin boost!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Chia seeds and hemp powder! They go right into the morning smoothie. Chia seeds also add a great little crunch sprinkled on my kids’ morning oatmeal.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
The past few months I’ve started to add flaxseed to my diet. I grind it up and freeze it then add some to my morning oatmeal or cereal, and add some to muffin and pancake batter.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Quinoa is actually one of the new things I’ve starting eating the past two years. I was hesitant at first, but have really grown to love the taste and texture. It’s really versatile as a side dish or cold grain salad, and most of all, my husband likes it too!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 2:23 pm
i’ve been incorporating a lot of new grains into my life over the past few years. like i’ve been having quinoa, kamut, farro,spelt, and wheatberries. i love them all! my mom first told me about quinoa and from there, i started to do research of my own of different grains out there.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
We planted pink banana squash in our garden last summer and had a bumper crop so we are still eating it. I usually bake it because it is quite a large squash. It tastes like butternut squash but it has a nice cucumber aroma when you cut into the raw squash.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Quinoa and Flaxseed are both new to my diet over the last year. I put flaxseed in my protein drinks. I cook quinoa in my rice cooker. I love Kale chips too!!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Quinoa has been pretty new to our household too and I love it. I think the biggest thing for me has been finding greek yogurt and eating it every day vs. yoplait or another brand that is not as nutritious. I enjoy plain non-fat greek yogurt with fresh strawberries or other fruit, like I had for lunch today!
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
I have alway’s been a yogurt eater, but about a year ago I found no fat greek yogurt…The Best……I have eaten quinoa and ground flaxseed for a very long time. In fact, I add ground flax seed to my oatmeat every morning….
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 6:10 pm
I started including ground flax in my protein drinks.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
I was introduced to chia seeds through the blog-world, and LOVED them in yogurt, oats, mixed with almond milk and fruit to make a sort of “overnight oats” texture. Good stuff! But I haven’t splurged for a bag in some time.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
I made my first spaghetti squash in 2012. I baked it and then added some broccoli and spaghetti sauce and a little parmesean cheese. I loved it!! I’ve learned so many new foods and recipes through your blog and others.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:26 pm
I’ve tried (and loved) smoothies with spinach in them! You really can’t taste the spinach and they add tons of nutrients and keep you full for a long time.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Steel-cut Oats is a new one in our household. And I’m afraid it will likely stay there..none of us like it as the nutty texture was nothing like my creamy bowl of goodness-regular old-fashioned oats that is.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:07 pm
Almond butter is new to our household recently (had previously been PB only). We’ve got Trader Joes brand w/ flaxseeds which is very good. I think I must have seen it on a blog at some point – believe Justin’s maple was our first try and favorite so far.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:48 pm
This past year, I started to prepare Quinoa for my family after reading an article in the newspaper about its high protein content. I like to serve it with almonds and craisins.
on Jan 24th, 2012 at 11:58 pm
Have been doing flaxseeds in my breakfast smoothie for a long time, just recently read about chia seeds also being great for you so I have added it to my health plan now.
on Jan 25th, 2012 at 2:16 am
The newest is greek yogurt and hummus. Why didn’t we try hummus before? My whole family loves it!