"Wash your produce well!!" written by Tinypliny on estrip.org

06/10/11 07:51 - ID#54468

Wash your produce well!!

A mass scale epidemiological investigation into the German e.coli outbreak spread over the past few weeks FINALLY identified organically grown bean sprouts as the source of the offending e.coli strain. People who ate these sprouts were nine times as likely to develop bloody diarrhoea when compared with people who didn't. From:

After wild allegations against the whole Spanish salad produce industry, the unmasking of the organically grown sprouts as the culprits comes as a bit of a eye-opener about the health risks of organic farming. Are we really sure that the human and animal refuse used as fertilizers in organic farms do not leave behind cysts and eggs of sundry virulent bacteria and parasites? Do we always make sure that we wash our produce well before eating it raw?

In the past, I have been guilty of trusting apparently fresh-looking greens and produce too much and eating them after a cursory wash. However it pays by the spadefuls to remember that cysts/eggs are hardy and can survive mild non-abrasive washing. It is up to us to make sure that our food sources are not contaminated.. and even if they are, that we do the utmost that we can to prevent superficial parasitic and bacterial cysts and eggs from entering our system.

Permalink: Wash_your_produce_well_.html
Words: 221
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/10/11 07:53

Category: eating in

06/09/11 07:45 - ID#54461

Raw Applesauce as butter substitute

Do you think raw applesauce as in
1. Chop apples
2. Blend it like hell.

Will work as well as regular applesauce as a substitute for butter? I have successfully used store-bought applesauce almost completely as a butter substitute but I don't feel like buying those small sealed applesauce plastic cups. And I don't want to take all the time to make "authentic' boiled-in-a-saucepan applesauce.

What do you think? Has anyone tried just using raw applemash as a butter substitute?

EDIT:
The Original Recipe of the Speculoos for 6 biscuits contains:
8 oz Unbleached All-purpose Flour
5 oz Sugar Dark Brown
5 oz Butter
4 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp Baking Soda
2/5 tsp Cinnamon Ground
2/5 tsp Nutmeg, Ground
2/5 tsp Cloves, Ground
2/5 tsp Ginger, Ground
2/5 tsp Ground Black Pepper

with these crazy Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 speculoos
Amount per Serving
Calories..................324
Calories from Fat.....168.8
% Daily Value for a 2000 calorie diet
Total Fat..................18.76g (28%)
Saturated Fat...........11.93g (59%)
Cholesterol...............51.46mg (17%)
Sodium..................180.47mg (7%)
Total Carbohydrate...36.22g (12%)
Dietary Fiber..............0.18g (0%)
Sugars....................20.51g

Protein......................2.37g (4%)

Estimated Percent of Calories from:
Fat====52%
Carbs==44%
Protein==2%

That would be like eating 118% saturated fat in ONE biscuit.

Alternative ingredients to the Belgian Speculoos
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

tinypliny writes at 07:39:54 06/11/11 - Comment #62926: KEWL! I am totally going to try out and post the results!

theecarey writes at 06:25:07 06/11/11 - Comment #62925: As an oil or butter substitute, applesauce or any fruit puree (pumpkin works really well) is best for muffins, cakes and breads such as banana, zucchini, pumpkin, etc. I have never noticed it alter the taste or texture when making those items.
For biscuits, if looking for a flaky texture, then cold butter is key, but it should otherwise work, albeit they may be more dense than expected.

heidi writes at 01:23:38 06/10/11 - Comment #62909: Authentic applesauce is a delight. I like it chunky with lots of cinnamon. My mom sometimes makes it with those little cinnamon heart candies.

heidi writes at 01:22:33 06/10/11 - Comment #62908: Oh, no, that would not work. You would lose all the yummy and the dough would be a weird texture/consistency.

paul writes at 09:48:08 06/10/11 - Comment #62905: I agree its good in something sweet and moist muffins but definitely not on things like mac and cheese.

libertad writes at 08:04:04 06/10/11 - Comment #62904: I have used applesauce in baking as a substitute for butter for a wholewheat banana bread recipe and I thought it was good. I don't think I would try it in that biscuit recipe though.

You could get applesauce in a jar if you don't like plastic cups.

jbeatty writes at 05:59:44 06/10/11 - Comment #62903: I don't know about an applesauce substitute for butter in that recipe. Your dough might be a sloppy consistency. I would bite the bullet and add the delicious calorie content. I think the butter component in baked goods is the second most important flavor after sugar!

tinypliny writes at 11:05:33 06/09/11 - Comment #62897: Ah, sorry. Tons of missing information here. As usual, I am trying to make my favourite type of biscuits - speculoos!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :::link:::

uncutsaniflush writes at 10:38:14 06/09/11 - Comment #62895: I've tasted apples and I've tasted butter. I'm not sure that one can be substituted for the other without people noticing the substitution.

Perhaps I should ask exactly what stuffs you want to substitute apple mash for butter in.

I don't think that using apple mash in mac and cheese (kraft dinner for all you canucks) instead of butter would work. And I certainly don't think that one could make a good ghee with apple mash. But it might make a wonderful apple sauce.

But that's just me. Your mileage may vary.

More seriously, I'm not a food scientist but some recipes need the fat content of butter (or its analogues) to work.

Permalink: Raw_Applesauce_as_butter_substitute.html
Words: 217
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/10/11 02:44

Category: i-tech

06/09/11 12:05 - ID#54457

What do IE tab extensions for Chrome do?

This is a question for (e:Paul). I wanted to view the full version of the RPCI Microsoft OWA email client in Chrome but it simply wouldn't allow me. I found these IE extensions for chrome:

1. IE Tab Classic:

2. Chrome IE Tab Multi:

The questions is how do these extensions manage to load the fully featured OWA while native Chrome cannot? Is using these extensions as risky as using IE? How are these extensions working?

Permalink: What_do_IE_tab_extensions_for_Chrome_do_.html
Words: 89
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/09/11 12:07

Category: i-tech

06/09/11 08:14 - ID#54456

Guitar Google Doodle

Google doodles keep outdoing themselves all the time and today is the peak of overachieving. They have a FULLY functional guitar with a recording feature as their logo honouring Les Paul, a guitarist and an innovator in music.

Go ahead! Play it! And I can't believe someone (Zack Bernardin) created this masterpiece with a mouse... or a keyboard sequence!

I couldn't create a coherent tune even if I tried!

From:

Permalink: Guitar_Google_Doodle.html
Words: 84
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/09/11 08:19

Category: the odes

06/08/11 11:29 - ID#54453

In love

with this desktop background:

I found it through colr.org and then through flickr but alas I can't locate the original page again. I usually change back to my solid black in around 3 days but this desktop feels so much more awesome than any I have ever had. The greens are so perfect and the yellow is just so happy!

EDIT: Located the original, after some crooked-logic searching:

Permalink: In_love.html
Words: 79
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/10/11 10:08

Category: eating in

06/07/11 05:49 - ID#54442

Calcium! Calcium!

The best way to beat cramps is by increasing calcium intake. I know that yogurt is the BEST way to get calcium in my diet but I keep forgetting to eat yogurt and end up with the most vicious of cramps.

I can get 80% calcium in one little 8oz serving of Yogurt! I am going to burn this figure into my teeny brain. So the next time I am making excuses about there not being an ideal calcium source, I can come here and see plain facts staring me in face.

Plain low fat Yogurt
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 8 oz (227g)

Calories.......................150
Calories from Fat.......30

Amount Per Serving and/or % Daily Value for a 2000 calorie diet

Total Fat........................3 g (5%)
Saturated Fat.................2 g (10%)
Trans Fat.......................0 g
Cholesterol...................20 mg (7%)
Sodium.......................190 mg (8%)
Potassium...................560 mg (16%)
Total Carbohydrate........17 g (6%)
Dietary Fiber...................0 g (0%)
Sugars.........................17 g
Protein.........................11 g (22%)
Vitamin A.....................20%
Vitamin C......................6%
Calcium........................40%
Iron...............................0%
Vitamin D......................35%
Riboflavin......................20%
Vitamin B12..................15%
Phosphorus..................20%

Permalink: Calcium_Calcium_.html
Words: 153
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/07/11 05:57

Category: opinion

06/05/11 12:10 - ID#54426

Neutral Samaritan?

If you hear a massive sound of possibly an automobile accident a few blocks away from your home, do you

a) ignore it and hope no one is injured
b) go out with phone in hand ready to call 911.
c) ignore if it is in the small hours of the night/morning but go out and investigate if it is earlier.

What do you do? I often hear terrible sounds from my flat. Sometimes I have gone out with phone in hand and found nothing and sometimes I have ignored them and felt terribly guilt-wracked when I have heard fire-trucks a whole 15 minutes after.

What do you all do?

Permalink: Neutral_Samaritan_.html
Words: 109
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/05/11 12:10

Category: the odes

06/04/11 12:56 - ID#54421

Is it still raining, my love?

Yes, and I am bored to death of rains in what is supposed to be summer.

PS: If you have not watched Bleak House, you should. There are fewer series as wonderfully done as this adaptation and Gillian Anderson is absolutely flawless as Lady Dedlock.

Permalink: Is_it_still_raining_my_love_.html
Words: 49
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/04/11 01:26

Category: eating in

06/03/11 08:24 - ID#54418

Best Dark Chocolate Bar at Walgreens

Is Lindt 85% Dark chocolate.

It is probably the only chocolate bar at Walgreens (@Delaware & North) that does not have cloying amounts of sugar and soy lecithin and whatnots that yuck-ify all dark chocolate.

It would have been awesome had they carried the 90% Lindt or even the 85% Valrhona, but they don't. So in their whole dark chocolate inventory, Lindt 85% easily stands heads and shoulders above all the rest.

And yes, I have now sampled each and every single dark chocolate bar they carry or have ever carried (some of them multiple times) so I declare myself a Walgreens (@Delaware & North) dark chocolate expert.

PS: I admit that I am not a Walgreens (@Delaware & North) expert in chocolate bars other than the dark ones - because I think all non-dark chocolate is mediocre by definition.

Permalink: Best_Dark_Chocolate_Bar_at_Walgreens.html
Words: 136
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/03/11 08:39

Category: science

06/03/11 10:42 - ID#54411

Birdsong and microRNA.

I was recently reading an article about how birdsong influences the expression of small RNAs called... microRNA that in turn, influences gene expression.

It's absolutely fascinating. If you think about it, everything happens with gene-expression. Every little sound or image or any sensory input we receive from outside changes and temper the way our genes express in an ever-changing interaction.

I wonder what an intense episode of stress does to our immune-system related genes... Does it promote allergic reactions? Does it suppress the immune-system in a counter-productive move? I have this slight inkling of a doubt that this year, my escalating stress, nightmares about graduating and complete lack of restful sleep day in and day out is probably the primary cause of all my out-of-the-blue allergies.

I have never had allergies to ANYthing before. I usually cope with stress well... but then I have also had family around me in the past to buffer most extreme stressful times. I have sailed through most 40 hour shifts with nothing more than sore throats in the past. But I think if I had to do those shifts now, I would fall seriously sick. Things have changed so much.

So coming back to microRNAs, I wonder how microRNA influenced gene-expression charts the course of body physiology and especially, immune-system function. Sounds like an excellent future avenue ripe for investigation - especially since we can knock some of these microRNAs out with drugs...