Hey there, it’s Friday’s High Five!
Yesterday I posted about the Predicting Food Trends from #ExpoWest 2015. Today I’m highlighting some of the cool products from Expo West that may not fall into the trendy category but that are definitely worth talking about.
Daily Serving is a line of functional snacks in appropriate portion sizes developed by Registered Dietitians. I was drawn in by Daily Serving’s adorable branding of their combination of a drink and a snack (see above) but hearing the staffers at the booth promote that the product was developed with a team of Registered Dietitians because they are the experts in nutrition was literally music to my ears.
Drinks and snack are paired together based on nutrients intended for a specific function. Because I’m a high strung person, I needed to check out Daily Serving’s Calm (with Cold Pressed Tart Cherry Pineapple Juice and Pepitas). The juice was delicious and the serving size offered enough to enjoy the taste and receive the nutritional benefits without being a calorie bomb. With snack pack names like Play, Recover, Fuel, Focus and Satisfy (to name a few), Daily Serving is definitely out to meet varied food desires while answering many lifestyle needs.
To learn more about Daily Serving (which is only available right now in the Chicago area), you can connect with them via their website, Facebook or Twitter.
Image: BlueHillYogurt.com
If sweet yogurt isn’t your thing, Blue Hill Yogurt has your answer – savory yogurt. Truth. Blue Hill Yogurt offers no sweet yogurts, only savory in flavors like Carrot, Sweet Potato, Beet, Butternut Squash, Tomato and Parsnip.
If you ever wanted to try savory yogurt, you want to try it from Blue Hill Farm, the inspiration for the award winning Blue Hill restaurant in NYC and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in upstate NY. The Blue Hill philosophy is based in promoting ecologically produced food and respecting local and food and wine. The Barber family are also the founders of the Stone Hill Barns Center for Food & Agriculture. Needless to say, if there’s anyone who can produce high quality, delicious tasting savory yogurt, it would be this family.
To learn more about Blue Hill Yogurt, connect via their website (with a fabulous recipe section and links to the restaurants and foundation), Twitter,or Instagram.
Next Organic Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bites are my new jam. I know what you’re thinking – Dark Chocolate, good; quinoa, a versatile nutritional powerhouse but together – WHAT??!?! I kid you not, this might have been my favorite thing that I tasted at ExpoWest (the dark chocolate chia seeds from another booth being a close second). These suckers are not small and by the time I left the table, I might have eaten the equivalent of half a bag.
Next Organic is known for its dark chocolate organic fruits and nuts but this non-GMO, gluten-free (but soy containing) product is one not to be missed!
To learn more about Next Organics and their offerings, connect via their website, Facebook or Twitter.
Brazilian Cheese Bread
Oh Alyse Mason-Brill of FitApproach, I blame you for introducing Brazilian Cheese Bread into my life! I love bread and cheese and I wonder how I didn’t know about this delicacy that was offered by more than one exhibitor at ExpoWest.
After doing some research, I learned that the Brazilian Cheese Bread trend is based off of Brazilian Pao de Queijo, a kind of light but crispy cheese bread ball. However, these balls are made from sour cassava flour or tapioca flour instead of all-purpose flour – which is great news for those with Celiac or gluten-intolerance!
Alyse and I spoke to the couple from P*de*Q for awhile at ExpoWest. However, I did find this recipe Pao de Queijo from The Kitchn (which I may need to make or ask Susie to make for an upcoming In Susie’s Kitchen post).
I fell in love with the women-owned NYC based tea crafted for cocktails, Owl’s Brew at last year’s Expo West. If you follow me on Instagram (or have had me as a guest in your home), my devotion to Owl’s Brew Pink & Black (a blend of darjeeling, hibiscus, lemon peel and agave) is undeniable.
I was thrilled to learn that The Classic, Coco-Lada and the Pink & Black Owl’s Brew products are finally gaining wider distribution in stores (although available online through their website). But watch out this summer for a new product called White and Vine, it’s tart and refreshing when mixed with tequila or gin and has hints of watermelon, pomegranate, and lemon peel.
To learn more about Owl’s Brew connect via their website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (which is totally gorgeous, if you like stylish alcohol).
SugaVida
SugaVida is the United States introduction to the “country sugar” of the East known as Jaggery. Jaggery, a milky brown powder naturally extracted from plants known to possess a high amount of sugar like sugar cane, Palmyra, coconut and date palm).
Jaggery has been used as a sweetener with health benefits for many years in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The positive attributes given to this sweetener is likely due to its high nutrient content (including magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron and copper and both B and C vitamins).
SugaVida makes some health claims that I can substantiate including being the “only plant-based, bio- available source of vitamin B12 in the world”, reducing cholesterol and having anti-diabetic properties. As far as I’ve been taught, vitamin B12 comes primarily from animal sources, fortified foods and some fermented foods. I haven’t seen proof of jaggery being a source so I’m not backing up that claim.
I do know that because SugaVida is from palmyra plant sap which has a lower fructose content than that of coconut palm or palm sugar so if you have a triglyceride issue and are making an effort to reduce your added fructose intake (read: don’t stop eating fruit!), you might want to investigate Palmyra Jaggery.
I have enjoyed the taste of SugaVida since receiving a complimentary sample. The slightly nutty but light brown sugary taste is delicious in my coffee and oatmeal but I haven’t yet tried it in cooking. I need to do more research before I can feel comfortable recommending SugaVida for any of their health benefit claims.
If you want to learn more about SugaVida, see their UK website (the US website wasn’t working at publication time), Twitter or try it via this Amazon Affiliate link, SugaVida – Natural Sugar Substitute (Amazon.com)
There are always many cool products to check out at Expo West and there’s no way I could profile all of them so perhaps there will be another “cool products” post in the future.
Which product sounds most interesting to you? Have you ever heard of jaggery?
Daily Serving sounds amazing! I hope it will be available in SoCal soon!
This is awesome. I’m so jealous you went! I’m hoping to get to ExpoEast one of these years. LOVE LOVE LOVE Blue Hill yogurts and will have to check out some of these other products!
Anne: You and me both!
Kim: Highly recommend getting to Expo East (or come out to LA and come with me to Expo West). It’s a blast! Blue Hill is quality extraordinaire!
I did not see any of those – that show is so dang big!!!!
Seriously. It is a show that can take days but my patience level can’t endure that.