Category Archives: New Products

Dip Into Yogurt Dips and A Food Gal Giveaway

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Red Lentil Curry Dip made with Greek yogurt.

Red Lentil Curry Dip made with Greek yogurt.

 

I have a love-hate relationship with dip.

I love the stuff.

But not what it does to my hips, if you know what I mean.

So, when I had a chance to try La Terra Fina dips lately, I was intrigued. Rather than sour cream, they’re made with Greek yogurt.

That means, a serving of two tablespoons weighs in at a respectable 30 to 70 calories, depending upon the variety.

The eight dips are all gluten-free, too.

The Balsamic Beet & White Bean Dip is fuchsia colored with chunks of red beets in it. It’s slightly sweet, but also tangy from balsamic vinegar.

The Caramelized Onion Dip had a sweet onion-y taste, though I think it needed a little more salt or tang to really make its flavors pop.

The Red Lentil Curry Dip, my favorite of the bunch, reminded me of curried deviled eggs. With its earthy, yet mild curry flavor, it would be fantastic as a sandwich spread, too.

The dips are available at Whole Foods and Smart & Final for $4.99 per 10-ounce tub.

New Greek yogurt dips.

New Greek yogurt dips.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win samples of the La Terra Fina Greek Yogurt Dips. Entries, limited to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST July 20. Winner will be announced July 22.

How to win?

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In Praise of Petit Fours

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Petits fours that taste as good as they look.

Petits fours that taste as good as they look.

 

Like so many little girls before me, I grew up with a play kitchen set.

Like you’re surprised, right?

I guess enjoying good food and cooking it — even if only in my pretend world back then — has always been integral in my life.

So, it was with great pleasure that I spent many an afternoon cooking up a storm on my pint-sized stove after pulling out ingredients from my matching mini fridge, then cleaning up in my would-be sink that actually had running water. Well, if you remembered to fill the hidden reservoir.

I remember my parents even bought me “food” for my beloved kitchen. There was a plastic fried egg with strips of plastic bacon attached to it. A plastic golden-browned chicken with its drumsticks looking so plump and enticing. And a big pink ham that looked like you could practically carve it.

But what I would have given to have had these instead: Divine Delights petits fours.

Pretty pastel-hued and resembling the most precious little gifts, they’d make any little girl’s play kitchen a whole lot sweeter.

Of course, the best part is even if you missed out on enjoying these cute little confections as a tot, you can easily enjoy them now as an adult.

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Sharp As A Knife and A Food Gal Giveaway

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ProHold 13-piece knife set. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Cutlery)

ProHold 13-piece knife set. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Cutlery)

One of the best investments any home-cook can make is a great knife.

Sure, knives can cost a small fortune. But take care of them, and they will last you a lifetime.

The first time you use a knife that is sharp and fits your hand well will be a revelation. Slicing and chopping will feel miraculously effortless. I know when I plunked down some cold hard cash for my first really good knife, I practically screamed when I cut an onion for the first time. The blade went through it like nobody’s business.

Over the years, I’ve tried a couple Chicago Cutlery knives, in addition to other brands. This moderate-priced line delivers a lot for a modest amount of money. The stainless steel blades also come with a lifetime warranty.

So, if you don’t yet have a well-made set of knives in your kitchen, it’s high-time you went shopping for some. They truly will change the way you cook.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win a Chicago Cutlery 13-piece block set, a value of $69.99. The set includes an 8-inch chef’s knife, 8-inch bread knife, 5-inch utility knife, 5-inch partoku, a parer, a peeler, shears, a sharpening steel and 4 steak knives.

Entries, restricted to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST July 6. Winner will be announced July 8.

How to win?

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Summer’s Made for Iced Tea — And A Food Gal Giveaway

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Mighty Leaf Tea's Ginger Peach iced tea.

Mighty Leaf Tea’s Ginger Peach iced tea.

I am not a soda gal.

Too sweet and too many unnecessary calories for me.

When I want to quench my thirst in summer, I reach for a glass of iced tea instead.

I don’t add any extra honey, sugar or artificial sweeteners, either. I like the tannic nature it has all on its own. If I really want to get fancy, I’ll muddle some fresh fruit, mint leaves or even cucumber slices in it.

That’s exactly what I did when Mighty Leaf Tea sent me some samples to try recently. Its over-sized tea bags make it easy to brew a big pitcher of iced tea in minutes. I steeped a bag of Ginger Peach Iced Tea for 5 minutes, then added some ice cubes to chill it down. Since I’d just come back from the farmer’s market, I sliced up some nectarines and added them to the iced tea for a pretty — and pretty delicious — gulp on a warm day.

The iced tea bags come in four varieties.

The iced tea bags come in four varieties.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win samples of Mighty Leaf Tea’s four iced teas:  Sunburst Green, Ginger Peach, Calypso Mango and Organic Black. What’s more, the winner also will receive the Takeya plastic iced tea pitcher and Takeya glass water bottle, both pictured above.

Entries, limited to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST June 29. Winner will be announced July 1.

How to win?

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Moroccan Made Easy (A Bonus Post For the Week)

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Boneless leg of lamb gets the Moroccan treatment.

Boneless leg of lamb gets the Moroccan treatment.

Creating the exotic flavors of Morocco in your own kitchen just got a whole lot easier, thanks to Chef Mourad Lahlou of San Francisco’s Aziza restaurant

His new line of gourmet spices, mixes and sauces for Williams-Sonoma transports you to this faraway land with its heady fragrances and flavors. Recently, I had a chance to try out a sample of his “Mourad’s Moroccan Roasting & Grilling Rub.”

Open the lid to reveal the golden curry-hued powder pungent of turmeric, cumin and ginger. Just smelling it makes you hungry.

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