Gluten Free Donut Review

Full disclosure here, I received a package of gluten free cinnamon apple donuts to review from Kinnikinnick. Yes, I received some donuts to review but my wife did most of the quality control testing. I did manage to get half of a donut before they disappeared. My wife has been a fan of Kinnikinnick donuts for a while now. These new cinnamon apple donuts are every bit as good as their other ones. The cinnamon apple donuts are basically a cake style donuts with a sweet glaze on top. Like most gluten free donuts they are a little more dense than a traditional non gf donut. However, the flavor is great and they are delicious by themselves or with a good cup of coffee. You should check these out while you can. The cinnamon apple donuts are only available through the end of February. Enjoy!!!

Prana / Boomi Bar- Product Review

Several weeks ago I received a free sample Prana Bar and a Boomi Bar from Divine Food Products to review. I opened the package, pulled out the two sample bars, looked them over, and set them down. I nearly forgot about them. I think subconsciously I was apprehensive about trying them. Sure, I like to try new things and I like to spread the word about quality products to the GF community. I have tried several "power bars" in the past, both gf and non gf. What always bothers me is that I feel that they try to pack too much into one thing. Too many vitamins, too much protein, too much whatever. Or they try to be all things to all people. Usually this comes at the price of sacrificing flavor or texture. When I saw the packaging for the Prana Bar, I had some similar feelings. The Prana Bar is: Soy Free, has No Sugar Added, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegan. In my mind this all added up to a little tasteless rectangle of chewy cardboard. Before I even got around to trying these bars, I had already decided that I would not like them and this would be a difficult review. For crying out loud, I still don't even know what Acai is or why I would want to eat it.
Well, I did finally get around to trying the Boomi Bar. I took my first bite. I must say, all my apprehension and skeptisim faded away instantly. The Apricot Cashew Boomi Bar turned out to be really good. The apricot flavor was wonderful and the cashews and crisped rice added a nice crunch. The Boomi Bar contains one full serving of fruit and only has about 190 calories. I could easily see myself picking up a few of these to have on hand for a quick snack or to pack with me when I take my daughter to the Zoo for the day. After trying the Boomi Bar, I was much more open to trying the Prana Bar. Again, I was surprised. The flavors were well balanced and the texture was great. I love coconut and I was happy that a nice straight forward coconut flavor came through without being offset by the other ingredients. Despite my initial, unfounded apprehensions, I really enjoyed both of these energy bars. I have no problem recommending that you seek these out for yourself. You might be just as surprised as I was. Enjoy!!!

Product Review- Eat Smart Food Scale

Normally I'm not a huge kitchen gadget person. I appreciate practical tools that I will use frequently. If I have a rarely used tool, chances are I will forget that I even have it for the once a year time I need it. Prior to receiving an Eat Smart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale to review, I wasn't sure that I would use a scale that much. In reality, I've been using my new scale on a regular basis. Not long ago I ranted a bit about not knowing how many potatoes equalled 2 pounds for a recipe I was making. Now I can easily measure precisely how much I need.

So many recipes I find these days call for exact amounts of ingredients in grams or ounces. The Eat Smart Precision Pro scale makes precise measurements a breeze. There are only two buttons on the scale. The one on the left turns the scale on and off. The left button is also used to "Tare" or "zero" the scale. The button on the right selects the unit of measure. The Eat Smart scale has 4 choices of measurement; grams, kilograms, ounces, or pounds. To begin, turn the scale on and place a bowl or pan on the scale. Push the "Tare" button to zero the scale. Next, select you unit of measurement and begin adding ingredients to the pan or bowl.

The Eat Smart Precision Pro scale is so versatile. I've used it for measuring chocolate in ounces rather than just guessing how much I need. My wife and I buy large packages of hamburger and can use the scale to weigh out specific amounts to vacuum seal and freeze. The Precision Pro scale also comes with a calorie counting guide with 15 pages of common foods and how many calories are in a gram of that particular food so you can calculate your caloric intake. For example, raw pineapple has .50 calories per gram. Just weigh your pineapple chunks in grams and multiply the weight in grams by .50 to see how many calories you are eating. It's really pretty cool.

Here are some highlights about the scale:

The scale itself is very sleek and compact and weighs about half a pound.

The scale has a max weighing capacity of 11 pounds.

The scale comes with batteries and a 2 year warranty against defects.

Something I really like is how fast the scale works. There is no lag time when switching between units of measure or when weighing food.

The scale is reasonably priced; around $25 at Amazon.com .

I've used this scale quite a bit over the last month and I can honestly say that I haven't found any drawbacks to it. This is no useless gadget. I definitely think you should pick one up today if you do not already own a scale. Enjoy!!!

Shun Knife- Product Review

A few months ago I was given a chef’s knife from KAI USA to review. KAI USA is the company behind several knife brands including Kershaw Knives and Shun Cutlery. In my fire department, nearly everyone I know carries a Kershaw brand pocket knife. They are well known for their durability and sharpness. I was curious to see how this same durability and sharpness translated into a kitchen knife. I received a Shun Elite 8 inch chef’s knife back in June. It would have been easy to cut a tomato or an apple in half and then sit and write a review extolling the virtues of this new sharp knife. The truth is, I would expect the cheapest, flimsiest, knife to be sharp straight out of the package. I have to say, after using this knife for awhile now, the Shun Elite knife is in a class by itself. I own a mismatch of several knives including Wustof and Cutco brands. They are great knives, however, over last couple of months the Shun Chef’s knife has been my "go to" blade of choice. Is it sharp? Of course; but it’s more than that. The weight and balance of the knife make it very comfortable and easy to work with. I feel like I have total control when I have this knife in my hand.

Do you see this little notch between the blade and the handle? With your hand there, it gives the knife stability and control like no other knife I've ever used.
Shun takes a unique approach to knife making by layering high carbon steel resulting in a "super steel" which allows it to be sharpened at a sharper angle than most knives. The construction of the blade ensures not only sharpness, but durability, and blade strength as well. Shun knives tend to be priced a bit higher than your average knife. However, I can tell you from the moment I first used this knife, I knew it was no average kitchen knife. With proper care, a Shun knife can not only last a lifetime but it can surely be passed on to the next generation of aspiring kitchen chefs.