Fantastic Foods In The News

Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC

ON THE TABLE | SUZANNE HAVALA HOBBS
Warm up, get thin with broths
Soups are full of great nutrients, travel well and are easy to fix

Goodbye, backyard tomatoes and summer salads. Time to make the seasonal transition to other diet-friendly staples.

What's so great about soup? It fits a menu niche for anyone watching their weight. Soup is nutritious, filling and often low in calories.

The caveat, of course, is that we're generally talking about broth-based soups. Cream soups are typically high in saturated fat, although healthier versions can be made using pureed potatoes, beans or lentils, or soy milk instead of whole milk or cream.

• It makes a perfect entrée. Serve it for dinner at least once a week. Bean, lentil, and split pea soups are great choices because they're rich in fiber and protein. Serve them with crusty bread and a green salad.

• Soup is easy to make. You can make it in a slow cooker overnight or while you're at work, or simmer it on the stove while you do other things. Experiment with ingredients. I often start with a basic vegetable or bean soup recipe and toss in odds and ends from the pantry or refrigerator -- a handful of elbow macaroni, small amounts of leftover cooked vegetables, or unused pasta sauce.

• Soup travels well. Take it to the office or school for lunch, but be sure to use a container with a top that seals well, such as a Thermos. Take broth-type soups in the car in a travel mug, but be careful about too-hot soups that could burn if spilled.

One drawback to soup is the high sodium content, especially in commercial brands. If you make your own soup, you can leave out added salt entirely. If you do that, or if you buy low-sodium prepared products from the store, consider these tips I got from Robert Pritikin, son of the late diet guru Nathan Pritikin, some years back.

"I always add a little Thai hot sauce -- particularly if I'm eating a low-sodium soup -- or a squeeze of fresh lemon," he said. "It brings out the flavor without adding sodium."

He also had something to say about hot and sour soup, my favorite in Chinese restaurants. If you find yourself with a stuffy nose this winter, this soup is a surefire cure. According to Pritikin, the soup gets its kick from vinegar, which also works as a good replacement for salt in foods.

If you haven't the time or inclination to make soup from scratch, there are some good canned and packaged products available. My favorites are the instant single-serving cups made by Fantastic Foods and Nile Spice. I find the biggest variety in natural foods stores, where the prices are often more competitive.

Whichever brand you buy, compare nutrition fact labels for sodium content and choose those with the least amount.

A final note: A reader wrote me to complain that monosodium glutamate (MSG) -- a source of sodium and an ingredient to which some people may be sensitive -- had begun appearing in some Progresso canned soups.

Company representatives were unavailable for comment despite repeated calls. But my own check of Progresso labels -- including, to my surprise, my favorite lentil soup -- found this to be true. It pays to reread familiar food labels occasionally. Ingredients and nutritional content can change.

Suzanne Havala Hobbs is a registered dietitian and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy at UNC;

See Full Article

Newsday, October 20, 2004 Wednesday
NASSAU AND SUFFOLK EDITION
BYLINE: ALAN J. WAX

Some soy in your tacos?

Eating a taco doesn't have to be a greasy proposition anymore. Fantastic's Taco Filling uses soy crumbles and is low in fat and high in protein. The filling tastes meaty and doesn't have the residue that leaks on hands or saturates the taco shell. The filling might be too mild for some tastes, so those wanting spicier tacos should have salsa on hand. Available at major grocery stores. Suggested retail is $1.89...

At the Kidsfaire at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Nicole Stuart happily snacked on organic cheese crackers just a few hay bales away from the corn dog and french fry tents.

''Yum. I like the crackers and the milk, too,'' said Nicole, 8, downing a cup of the hormone-free Organic Valley milk. ''They taste good.''

Those are just the kind of accolades that Nicole's mother, Denise Stuart of San Jose, is pleased to hear.

''For years, between feeding and baby changing, the whole healthy eating thing went out the window,'' said Stuart, nodding toward her 4-year-old triplets. ''But now that they are going to school, I am going to try feeding them more healthy foods.''

Organic munchies -- from berry juice to Fantastic Food's soy-meat tacos -- were on display courtesy of the Organic and Natural Experience, a marketing company that represented food vendors at the fair, which is expected to draw 60,000 visitors this weekend. The marketing company is featuring organic products at fairs and other events targeted to children to give parents a sense of what else might be available for their children to eat.

Organic products have been catching on at schools around the country in recent years as parents and educators look for ways to combat childhood obesity, which affects 9 million American children. Excess weight has been linked to a dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes in children, a sometimes fatal disorder that was once only seen in adults. Children who are overweight are more likely to suffer from asthma and high blood pressure, according to federal health experts...

FROM ABBEY'S VEGETARIAN RECIPES
October 2002

Abbey Levine collects delicious vegetarian recipes to include in her free weekly recipe service and a recipe donated by the Fantastic Foods website was a winner!

FROM NATURAL FOODS MERCHANDISER
October 2002 Issue

Fantastic Foods introduces Simmer Soups, a line of all-natural soup mixes. Completely vegetarian, with a lower sodium content than seen in most other soup mixes, our Simmer Soups deliver on home-cooked taste without compromising on nutritional content. Just add water, and piping hot soup is ready in only 15-20 minutes. In four delicious flavors: Creamy Potato, Split Pea, Vegetable Barley, and Vegetarian Chicken Noodle. Call 1-888-254-3711.

FROM THE AMERICAN TASTING INSTITUTE
2002 Award Certificate

The American Tasting Institute is pleased to announce Fantastic Foods as a 2002 American Taste Award of Excellence Certificate recipient in the Natural/Organic Dry Soup Cups category for their following products:
• Split Pea Soup
• Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Creamy Garlic Mushroom
• Jumpin’ Black Bean Soup

In addition, the American Tasting Institute is pleased to announce Fantastic Foods as a 2002 American Taste Award of Excellence Certificate recipient in the Natural Side Dishes category for their Tabouli and Arborio Rice.

The American Tasting Institute’s panel of accomplished, professional chefs evaluated these products on a broad range of criteria including appearance, flavor, taste, and texture. The judging was performed double blind and conducted in the most efficient and accurate environment. Fantastic Food’s products met our stringent standards of distinction and share in this 2002 Award Certificate with a select few products.

The American Tasting Institute is a private organization headquartered in San Francisco with a national network of over 37,000 professional chefs. For more than fifteen years, the American Tasting Institute has been dedicated to honoring the best in taste for food and beverage products throughout the North American marketplace.



	News Archives For Current News, please click here. Wednesday, November 17, 2004 Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC ON THE TABLE \| SUZANNE HAVALA HOBBS Warm up, get thin with broths Soups are full of great nutrients, travel well and are easy to fix Goodbye, backyard tomatoes and summer salads. Time to make the seasonal transition to other diet-friendly staples. We talked about oatmeal last week. This week: Soup. What's so great about soup? It fits a menu niche for anyone watching their weight. Soup is nutritious, filling and often low in calories. The caveat, of course, is that we're generally talking about broth-based soups. Cream soups are typically high in saturated fat, although healthier versions can be made using pureed potatoes, beans or lentils, or soy milk instead of whole milk or cream. Other reasons to love soup: • It makes a perfect entrée. Serve it for dinner at least once a week. Bean, lentil, and split pea soups are great choices because they're rich in fiber and protein. Serve them with crusty bread and a green salad. • Soup is easy to make. You can make it in a slow cooker overnight or while you're at work, or simmer it on the stove while you do other things. Experiment with ingredients. I often start with a basic vegetable or bean soup recipe and toss in odds and ends from the pantry or refrigerator -- a handful of elbow macaroni, small amounts of leftover cooked vegetables, or unused pasta sauce. • Soup travels well. Take it to the office or school for lunch, but be sure to use a container with a top that seals well, such as a Thermos. Take broth-type soups in the car in a travel mug, but be careful about too-hot soups that could burn if spilled. One drawback to soup is the high sodium content, especially in commercial brands. If you make your own soup, you can leave out added salt entirely. If you do that, or if you buy low-sodium prepared products from the store, consider these tips I got from Robert Pritikin, son of the late diet guru Nathan Pritikin, some years back. "I always add a little Thai hot sauce -- particularly if I'm eating a low-sodium soup -- or a squeeze of fresh lemon," he said. "It brings out the flavor without adding sodium." He also had something to say about hot and sour soup, my favorite in Chinese restaurants. If you find yourself with a stuffy nose this winter, this soup is a surefire cure. According to Pritikin, the soup gets its kick from vinegar, which also works as a good replacement for salt in foods. If you haven't the time or inclination to make soup from scratch, there are some good canned and packaged products available. My favorites are the instant single-serving cups made by Fantastic Foods and Nile Spice. I find the biggest variety in natural foods stores, where the prices are often more competitive. Whichever brand you buy, compare nutrition fact labels for sodium content and choose those with the least amount. A final note: A reader wrote me to complain that monosodium glutamate (MSG) -- a source of sodium and an ingredient to which some people may be sensitive -- had begun appearing in some Progresso canned soups. Company representatives were unavailable for comment despite repeated calls. But my own check of Progresso labels -- including, to my surprise, my favorite lentil soup -- found this to be true. It pays to reread familiar food labels occasionally. Ingredients and nutritional content can change. Suzanne Havala Hobbs is a registered dietitian and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy at UNC; See Full Article Newsday, October 20, 2004 Wednesday NASSAU AND SUFFOLK EDITION BYLINE: ALAN J. WAX Some soy in your tacos? Eating a taco doesn't have to be a greasy proposition anymore. Fantastic's Taco Filling uses soy crumbles and is low in fat and high in protein. The filling tastes meaty and doesn't have the residue that leaks on hands or saturates the taco shell. The filling might be too mild for some tastes, so those wanting spicier tacos should have salsa on hand. Available at major grocery stores. Suggested retail is $1.89... San Jose Mercury News October 17, 2004 Sunday At the Kidsfaire at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Nicole Stuart happily snacked on organic cheese crackers just a few hay bales away from the corn dog and french fry tents. ''Yum. I like the crackers and the milk, too,'' said Nicole, 8, downing a cup of the hormone-free Organic Valley milk. ''They taste good.'' Those are just the kind of accolades that Nicole's mother, Denise Stuart of San Jose, is pleased to hear. ''For years, between feeding and baby changing, the whole healthy eating thing went out the window,'' said Stuart, nodding toward her 4-year-old triplets. ''But now that they are going to school, I am going to try feeding them more healthy foods.'' Organic munchies -- from berry juice to Fantastic Food's soy-meat tacos -- were on display courtesy of the Organic and Natural Experience, a marketing company that represented food vendors at the fair, which is expected to draw 60,000 visitors this weekend. The marketing company is featuring organic products at fairs and other events targeted to children to give parents a sense of what else might be available for their children to eat. Organic products have been catching on at schools around the country in recent years as parents and educators look for ways to combat childhood obesity, which affects 9 million American children. Excess weight has been linked to a dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes in children, a sometimes fatal disorder that was once only seen in adults. Children who are overweight are more likely to suffer from asthma and high blood pressure, according to federal health experts... Read the full article... Health Magazine September 2004 Download the .pdf (274kb) FROM ABBEY'S VEGETARIAN RECIPES October 2002 Abbey Levine collects delicious vegetarian recipes to include in her free weekly recipe service and a recipe donated by the Fantastic Foods website was a winner! FROM NATURAL FOODS MERCHANDISER October 2002 Issue Fantastic Foods introduces Simmer Soups, a line of all-natural soup mixes. Completely vegetarian, with a lower sodium content than seen in most other soup mixes, our Simmer Soups deliver on home-cooked taste without compromising on nutritional content. Just add water, and piping hot soup is ready in only 15-20 minutes. In four delicious flavors: Creamy Potato, Split Pea, Vegetable Barley, and Vegetarian Chicken Noodle. Call 1-888-254-3711. FROM THE AMERICAN TASTING INSTITUTE 2002 Award Certificate The American Tasting Institute is pleased to announce Fantastic Foods as a 2002 American Taste Award of Excellence Certificate recipient in the Natural/Organic Dry Soup Cups category for their following products: • Split Pea Soup • Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup • Creamy Garlic Mushroom • Jumpin’ Black Bean Soup In addition, the American Tasting Institute is pleased to announce Fantastic Foods as a 2002 American Taste Award of Excellence Certificate recipient in the Natural Side Dishes category for their Tabouli and Arborio Rice. The American Tasting Institute’s panel of accomplished, professional chefs evaluated these products on a broad range of criteria including appearance, flavor, taste, and texture. The judging was performed double blind and conducted in the most efficient and accurate environment. Fantastic Food’s products met our stringent standards of distinction and share in this 2002 Award Certificate with a select few products. The American Tasting Institute is a private organization headquartered in San Francisco with a national network of over 37,000 professional chefs. For more than fifteen years, the American Tasting Institute has been dedicated to honoring the best in taste for food and beverage products throughout the North American marketplace.
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