Nature's Pride Tastemaker

I have some thank you's to catch up on. To whom you ask? I've been behind on my thank you's to FOODBUZZ. SO, since things happen in 3's....I thought I better get crackin'.....

Foodbuzz always has Tastemaker giveaways. Sometimes I don't open my email fast enough and the foods available are already spoken for. So I've learned my lesson, don't let ANY Foodbuzz email wait to open.... They are a real giving foodie community.

My First Tastemaker participation was from Nature's Pride. I've gotten their bread many times in my own store. Very hearty and yummy. I often find myself holding up several of their loaves wanting the one with the most fiber.

I'd seen a few other Tastemaker posts. One was toast with cinnamon and sugar. Another was a sandwich. Are you kidding me? That's all they could come up with. Seeing those posts I was a bit intimidated. If I thought those posts were a bit....um....uncreative. I certainly didn't want anyone to think the same of ME.

So I came up with a interesting idea based on my use of it lately. Panko. Yes, it's easy to make like those other posts but I think it has more creative uses.


Homemade Multi-Grain Panko

1 loaf Nature's Pride Multi Grain Bread


Directions:

1. Tear up into pieces in your food processor. Seeing all the sesame and flax seeds on top made me happy!
2. Pulse into coarse crumbs.
3. Place on cookie sheets. I found this had to be spread on two cookie sheets otherwise I think the crumb layer would be too thick in order to dry out.
4. Place in 300 degree oven.
5. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
6. Use pasta server (the claw like server in your utensil drawer you don't use!) to move crumbs around.
7. You want to dry out crumbs not toast them so after moving crumbs around place back into oven for another 6-8 minutes.
8. Move around crumbs again and turn off oven and place crumbs back inside with oven door ajar to finish drying.

I've been trying to reduce the amounts of fat, sugar in our diet but also to bump up the fiber. Since I've been using more bread crumbs lately why not make them have more fiber too?

Here are my suggestions for the Multi-Grain Panko (hopefully you will find a new one):

1. Covering your chicken nuggets or chicken strips to bake in oven. The wheat in this panko will render a much nicer browned coating. Be sure to season your crumbs well.
2. Meatloaf will have a healthier binder instead of white bread slices. I know some of you make already use oatmeal which is a whole grain but now you can save it for breakfast.
3. Speaking of breakfast, this multi-grain panko has a sweet nuttiness that would be awesome sprinkled on top of your oatmeal in the morning or on top of your fruit and yogurt.
4. Run out of graham crackers for your pie? This panko would be perfect! Slightly sweet and nutty, you may never use graham crackers again.
5. Topping for your mac and cheese....add some butter, garlic and your favorite herb....perfection!
6. Add to your cookie recipe to add fiber and some nutty goodness. This way you don't have to add real nuts and increase your fat content to your cookies. I have s'more cookie recipe I am going to try soon using my panko instead of graham crackers.


Please be sure to add your comments here for any other suggestions you may have that I can add to the list!

My last thank you to Foodbuzz is for my Foodie Blogroll totebag. It took awhile to get here since I won it over the holidays. Made of canvas, very handsome and sturdy. It's now in my collection of grocery bags (much bigger than them as well!) so I am not using all those plastic ones the store provides. What a difference bringing home so much less plastic!

Stay tuned for my next Tastemaker post when I review what I made from Eggland's Best Eggs.

If you aren't a member of Foodbuzz give it a whirl being a featured publisher and you too can have more opportunities to PLAY WITH FOOD!

Enjoy!