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40 tonnes of butter recalled for absurd reason

Costco has recalled nearly 40 tonnes of butter for an absurd reason. America's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out an initial recall for 36,000kg of Kirkland Signature butter in October because the label failed to mention that the kitchen staple contains milk. Packages for both the salted and unsalted version of the butter listed cream as an ingredient, but did not include an allergy warning for milk. The bizarre recall left many internet users scratching their heads, with many slamming the wasteful move stating the obvious: "It's butter". “Costco butter was just recalled, because the label doesn’t say that it contains milk. It’s butter. News articles are telling people how they can return, or safely dispose of, the butter. It’s butter,” one person deadpanned. “Can y’all please safely dispose of it at my house? I have a lot of holiday baking to do," another joked. “If you need to government to tell you that butter is a dairy product then … well, I can’t help you God I loathe the state," a third added. “To be called ‘Butter’ it must contain milk or milk derivatives. Talk about useless government,” another social media user wrote. “Rather than waste (40,000kg) of butter why don’t they print stickers that say “Contains Milk” and save perfectly good food? So wasteful,” a fifth wrote. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention mentioned in the recall that milk is one of the main foods that “account for most serious allergic reactions in the United States”. The FDA did not say if there has been any illnesses or adverse reactions from the product. Image: The Image Party / Shutterstock.com

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Run out of butter or eggs? Here’s the science behind substitute ingredients

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paulomi-polly-burey-404695">Paulomi (Polly) Burey</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> It’s an all too common situation – you’re busy cooking or baking to a recipe when you open the cupboard and suddenly realise you are missing an ingredient. Unless you can immediately run to the shops, this can leave you scrambling for a substitute that can perform a similar function. Thankfully, such substitutes can be more successful than you’d expect. There are a few reasons why certain ingredient substitutions work so well. This is usually to do with the chemistry and the physical features having enough similarity to the original ingredient to still do the job appropriately. Let’s delve into some common ingredient substitutions and why they work – or need to be tweaked. <iframe id="IitfH" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/IitfH/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <h2>Oils versus butter</h2> Both butter and oils belong to a chemical class called <a href="https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Map%3A_Fundamentals_of_General_Organic_and_Biological_Chemistry_(McMurry_et_al.)/23%3A_Lipids/23.01%3A_Structure_and_Classification_of_Lipids">lipids</a>. It encompasses solid, semi-solid and liquid fats. In a baked product the “job” of these ingredients is to provide flavour and influence the structure and texture of the finished item. In cake batters, lipids contribute to creating an emulsion structure – this means combining two liquids that wouldn’t usually mix. In the baking process, this helps to create a light, fluffy crumb. One of the primary differences between butter and oil is that butter is only about 80% lipid (the rest being water), while <a href="https://www.nutritionadvance.com/types-of-cooking-fats-and-oils/">oil is almost 100% lipid</a>. Oil creates a softer crumb but is still a great fat to bake with. You can use a wide range of oils from different sources, such as olive oil, rice bran, avocado, peanut, coconut, macadamia and many more. Each of these may impart different flavours. Other “butters”, such as peanut and cashew butter, aren’t strictly butters but pastes. They impart different characteristics and can’t easily replace dairy butter, unless you also add extra oil. <h2>Aquafaba or flaxseed versus eggs</h2> Aquafaba is the liquid you drain from a can of legumes – such as chickpeas or lentils. It contains proteins, kind of how egg white also contains proteins. The proteins in egg white include albumins, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5912395/">aquafaba also contains albumins</a>. This is why it is possible to make meringue from egg whites, or from aquafaba if you’re after a vegan version. The proteins act as a foam stabiliser – they hold the light, airy texture in the product. The concentration of protein in egg white is a bit higher, so it doesn’t take long to create a stable foam. Aquafaba requires more whipping to create a meringue-like foam, but it will bake in a similar way. Another albumin-containing alternative for eggs is <a href="https://foodstruct.com/compare/seeds-flaxseed-vs-egg">flaxseed</a>. These seeds form a thick gel texture when mixed with a little water. The texture is similar to raw egg and can provide structure and emulsification in baked recipes that call for a small amount of egg white. <h2>Lemon plus dairy versus buttermilk</h2> Buttermilk is the liquid left over after churning butter – it can be made from sweet cream, cultured/sour cream or whey-based cream. Buttermilk mostly <a href="https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(06)72115-4/fulltext">contains proteins and fats</a>. Cultured buttermilk has a somewhat tangy flavour. Slightly soured milk can be a good substitute as it contains similar components and isn’t too different from “real” buttermilk, chemically speaking. One way to achieve slightly soured milk is by adding some lemon juice or cream of tartar to milk. Buttermilk is used in pancakes and baked goods to give extra height or volume. This is because the acidic (sour) components of buttermilk interact with baking soda, producing a light and airy texture. Buttermilk can also influence flavour, imparting a slightly tangy taste to pancakes and baked goods. It can also be used in sauces and dressings if you’re looking for a lightly acidic touch. <h2>Honey versus sugar</h2> Honey is a <a href="https://resources.perkinelmer.com/lab-solutions/resources/docs/APP_Analysis-of-Sugars-in-Honey-012101_01.pdf">complex sugar-based syrup</a> that includes floral or botanical flavours and aromas. Honey can be used in cooking and baking, adding both flavour and texture (viscosity, softness) to a wide range of products. If you add honey instead of regular sugar in baked goods, keep in mind that honey imparts a softer, moister texture. This is because it contains more moisture and is a humectant (that is, it likes to hold on to water). It is also less crystalline than sugar, unless you leave it to crystallise. The intensity of sweetness can also be different – some people find honey is sweeter than its granular counterpart, so you will want to adjust your recipes accordingly. <h2>Gluten-free versus regular flour</h2> Sometimes you need to make substitutions to avoid allergens, such as gluten – the protein found in cereal grains such as wheat, rye, barley and others. Unfortunately, gluten is also the component that gives a nice, stretchy, squishy quality to bread. To build this characteristic in a gluten-free product, it’s necessary to have a mixture of ingredients that work together to mimic this texture. Common ingredients used are corn or rice flour, xanthan gum, which acts as a binder and moisture holder, and tapioca starch, which is a good water absorbent and can aid with binding the dough. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202036/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paulomi-polly-burey-404695">Paulomi (Polly) Burey</a>, Associate Professor (Food Science), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/run-out-of-butter-or-eggs-heres-the-science-behind-substitute-ingredients-202036">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Why you should grate your butter

Making your own food can take quite a bit of time, so a time-saving trick is always welcome. Dealing with cold, hard butter out of the refrigerator can be a hassle – it is not easily spreadable, and often needs to be brought to room temperature for most recipes. You can’t exactly leave it out for too long, either – food authorities such as the <a href="http://foodsafety.asn.au/butter/">Food Safety Information Council</a> generally recommend storing butter in the fridge to prevent it from becoming rancid. Luckily, there’s a trick to make your butter soft in little to no time. And it only requires a grater. Meghan Moravcik Walbert from <a href="https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2019/03/grate-your-butter-to-soften-it-quickly/">Lifehacker</a> said grating your butter is an easy way to transform it from brick-hard to soft, fluffy and ready for use. Once grated, the softened butter can be spread over toast, mixed up with dry ingredients in baking or utilised in any way your recipe requires. “I peel the wrapper back as I work to keep my hands clean,” wrote Walbert. “It takes less than 30 seconds to grate around 100g.” Don’t have a grater? You can try other tricks to soften butter, such as cutting them up into small chunks or setting it over a warm water bath. Would you try this trick? Let us know in the comments. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Queen Elizabeth II in mourning

Queen Elizabeth II is in mourning after her life-long friend passed away. Lady Myra Butter, a descendent of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and poet, novelist and playwright, Alexander Pushkin, died “peacefully” at the age of 97 in London. "Lady Butter was a daughter of Sir Harold and Lady Zia Wernher, and a granddaughter of Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia and Countess de Torby,” managing editor of Majesty Magazine Joe Little wrote. "Myra was a close friend of the Queen and Prince Philip since childhood and from time to time appeared in royal documentaries." Lady Butter created the Pushkin award, which helped celebrate literary work in honour of her ancestor. She was married to Sir David Butter to who she had five kids with - and the Queen was the godmother of their eldest child, Sandra Elizabeth Zia. Lady Butter grew up with the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret, and spent their holidays together. She was also a guest at the Queen’s wedding to Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947. “The war had been so grey that the royal wedding seemed to signify the world coming to life again,” Lady Butter previously told The Daily Mail. "Everyone was determined to have a new dress for the day and I wore a blue ribbed silk dress by Dior. It was one of the first three-quarter length dresses, and I wore it with a feathered hat. I had new shoes and a bag, too – any excuse. "All the people from the Commonwealth made the ceremony very colourful and the choir superb. "The Princess looked truly glittering. Her dress was beautiful and she was obviously in love. Philip looked very dashing in his naval uniform – and it really did seem like a fairy tale wedding." Images: Getty/ITV

Relationships

Butter chicken and sweet potato

Looking for something wholesome and fulfilling for dinner? Try out this comforting butter chicken and sweet potato dish as a winter’s warmer. Serves 4 Prep time: 15 mins + 1-hour marinating (optional) Cooking time: 40 mins Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 tbs tandoori curry paste</li> <li>¼ cup Greek yoghurt</li> <li>700g small chicken thigh fillets, trimmed </li> <li>1 tbs ghee or vegetable oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>1 long green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped</li> <li>800g sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthways, cut into 3cm pieces</li> <li>420g jar butter chicken sauce</li> <li>400g can finely chopped tomatoes </li> <li>150ml thickened cream</li> <li>Warm naan, to serve</li> <li>cucumber raita & coriander sprigs (optional), to serve</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Combine curry paste and yoghurt in a bowl. Cut chicken in half crossways (if chicken is large cut into thirds). Stir into tandoori mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour only if you have time.</li> <li>Preheat oven 230°C fan forced. Remove chicken from marinade. Place on a greased tray. Roast 10 minutes in hot oven.</li> <li>Meanwhile, heat ghee or oil in a deep-frying pan or wok. Add onion and chilli. Cook stirring 4 minutes until soft. Add sweet potato, cook 5 minutes. Add butter chicken sauce and tomatoes. Bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until sweet potato just tender. Stir in cream. Add the chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes until chicken cooked through.</li> <li>Serve with warm naan, raita and coriander.</li> </ol> Tip: Ghee is clarified butter, its available in the Indian section of the supermarket. Once opened, store in the fridge. It’s great for cooking curries, pancakes, pikelets and cooking over high heat as it won’t burn like regular butter.

Food & Wine

Chocolate pancakes with caramel and peanut butter sauce

These delicious pancakes come packed with flavours and no dairy – perfect for the whole family! Serves 2 Ingredients: Pancake <ul> <li>1 cup wholemeal spelt flour</li> <li>1 cup unsweetened almond milk</li> <li>3 medjool dates, pitted</li> <li>3 tbsp raw cacao powder</li> <li>1 very ripe banana</li> </ul> Sauce <ul> <li>1/3 cup coconut milk</li> <li>2 tbsp <a href="https://mayvers.com.au/product/mayvers-smooth-peanut-butter/">Mayver’s Peanut Butter</a> </li> <li>3 medjool dates</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Blend the dates and the almond milk until they are well combined and there are no chunks.</li> <li>In a mixing bowl, combine the flour with the cacao powder, date/almond milk from the blender and the banana. Mash the banana through the mixture with a fork.</li> <li>In a non-stick frypan over medium heat, cook the pancakes for approximately 2 minutes either side. </li> <li>Blend the sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour over pancakes when they’re ready.</li> <li>Enjoy! </li> </ol> Recipe by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/young_rebecca/">Rebecca Young</a>.

Food & Wine

World’s first butter bar opens in the US

Butter is a staple of many kitchens and dining tables around the world – but it is mostly seen as a complementary item rather than the main highlight. Bella La Crema is looking to change that view. Located in the Colorado town of Lyons, it is the world’s first butter bar with a menu full of homemade churned-dairy delights. Diners can enjoy savoury options such as the herbs de Provence-infused French Countryside as well as sweet concoctions like the chocolate, coffee and cinnamon-laden Mayan Chocolate Muse. The flights of flavoured butters – which are served with warm baguettes – are made with grass-fed, organic and non-homogenised cream with in-house culturing and churning. The bar also marks each new season or holiday by launching a new butter. Owner and operator Shauna Lee Strecker said she wanted to “make butter beautiful again”. She told <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/butter-bar-bella-la-crema-colorado">Food&Wine</a>, “Butter had been ruined, in my opinion … People were just using it as a throw-aside condiment, much like ketchup or mustard. Most of the store-bought butter is ridiculous – it’s crap. That’s why I decided to make butter beautiful again.” Looking to eat something heavier? The bistro-bar also offers an assortment of dishes, from salads to burgers and bisques.

International Travel

Enjoy a savoury onion and goat cheese tart

This puff pastry tart is perfect for when you want a savoury treat. Read more: Serves: 4 Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 sheet of defrosted frozen puff pastry</li> <li>4 red onions sliced</li> <li>2 tsp fresh thyme leaves </li> <li>200g crumbly goats cheese </li> <li>1 egg </li> <li>50g butter </li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Add butter to a medium saucepan over low heat. Once melted add sliced onions and cook gently for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally until soft and caramelised and set aside to cool.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a flat baking tray with baking paper and lay puff pastry on top. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">With a knife score a line 2cm inside the edge to create a border around the pastry (do not cut through the pastry). With a fork prick the pastry all over inside the border. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Inside the border, spread caramelised onions and distribute half the goats cheese in chunks.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">In a small bowl beat the egg and brush around the border of the pastry. Bake in the oven for 30 mins or until the pastry is golden brown.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"> Remove from the oven, top with remaining goats cheese and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.</li> </ol> Recipe courtesy of Australian Onions.

Food & Wine

Does almond milk deserve to be called “milk”?

At a conference about <a href="https://proteintech.events/">disruptive innovations in food production</a> last week, dairy industry spokespeople criticised the “milk” labelling of non-dairy products such as almond or rice milks. <a href="https://www.fedfarm.org.nz/">Federated Farmers</a>, a rural advocacy group, prompted media headlines with a suggestion that we should call a beverage made from almonds <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018706641/should-vege-products-be-able-to-use-meat-and-dairy-terms">almond juice</a> because it is “definitely not a milk under the definition in the Oxford dictionary”. In a similar vein, the chief science officer for the dairy cooperative Fonterra, <a href="https://www.fonterra.com/nz/en/about/our-markets.html">the world’s largest dairy exporter</a>, said: These plant-based milks have a positioning that says they are milk and that they are plant-based. Unfortunately, from a content basis, they are providing inferior nutrition compared to what you find in dairy products. Their position is that labelling plant-based beverages as milk is misleading consumers into buying nutritionally inferior products. This position is gaining momentum around the world. The US Food and Drug Administration (<a href="https://www.fda.gov/home">FDA</a>) is <a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/8/31/17760738/almond-milk-dairy-soy-oat-labeling-fda">considering making “milk” a label exclusive to dairy products</a>. And the European Court of Justice has already upheld a law <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40274645">restricting the use of dairy terms on soy products</a> (even though almond milk is exempt). We disagree. Calling the product “almond milk” makes sense and doesn’t mislead anyone. Defining milk “An almond doesn’t lactate,” according to <a href="https://reason.com/2018/10/17/an-almond-doesnt-lactate/">FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb</a>, so almonds cannot be milked. But defining milk by its method of production won’t cut it. The US-based company Perfect Day, for example, makes <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/7/15/20694715/vegan-ice-cream-lab-grown-dairy-perfect-day">dairy products</a> without the involvement of any udders or even cows. They genetically modified a protein-creating microorganism to produce the same proteins found in cow’s milk: casein and whey. A more useful way to define something is to look at its intended function. Consider a mouse trap. A mouse trap is a thing that is designed to trap mice. These traps use various materials and trapping mechanisms, but these differences don’t matter. The function of all these traps is the same, so they are all “mouse traps”. Almond milk and other plant-based beverages function as milks. They go well with cereal, can be consumed by themselves, and provide nutrition. In fact, almond milk has been used widely as an animal milk substitute <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/nut-milks-are-milk-says-almost-every-culture-across-globe-180970008/">since the middle ages</a>. Plant-based milks do what animal milks do, with the advantage of being acceptable for people who cannot or do not want to consume animal milks. Just like different traps are “mouse traps” because they all have the function of trapping mice, different kinds of consumable liquid, from cows, goats, coconuts, soy or almonds are all “milks” because they all perform the functions we associate with milk. Milk and nutrition Animal <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/milk">milk is nutrient rich</a> and <a href="https://www.bestfoodfacts.org/is-plant-based-milk-healthy/">more nutrient rich than many plant-based milk</a>alternatives. But, basing the definition of “milk” on nutritional claims might not help the dairy lobby distinguish their products from plant-based alternatives. As soon as a nutrition threshold is set for milk, plant-based beverages could be fortified with additives until they became milks. Some <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325425.php">soy milks are already fortified</a> with calcium and nutrients to aid calcium absorption. Emulating the higher levels of protein and certain vitamins and minerals (but presumably not fat and sugars) might not be too challenging, especially given the impressive, ongoing advances in food technology. Given that almond milk performs all of the milk functions we expect, including having some nutritional value, it makes sense to call it “milk”. Misleading consumers Even if you don’t like functional definitions, consumers are not being misled by product names like “almond milk”. Consumers don’t think that peanut butter has dairy butter in it. They also don’t think that almond milk is cows’ milk with almond flavouring. The companies making almond milk should not want consumers to think their product has dairy in it. Many consumers of plant-based milks choose them because they want milk but not the <a href="https://nutrition.org/going-nuts-about-milk-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-plant-based-milk-alternatives/">dairy-related moral or dietary problems</a> that come with it. If many people believed that almond milks contained dairy, the companies would quickly change the name to almond juice. Consumers also aren’t misled by the lower nutritional value of plant-based milks (relative to animal-based milks). Only very health-conscious people buy animal milk for a specific nutrition profile. And, <a href="https://www.sph.umn.edu/news/reads-nutrition-facts-food-labels/">very health-conscious people read nutritional labels</a>, so they are not going to be misled by low-nutrition juices masquerading as milks. Being misled about a product can have harmful effects. Requiring cars to be sold with a recent warrant of fitness is important because it can prevent the expensive mistake of “buying a lemon”. Labelling poisons as such is even more important because poison-related consumer mistakes could be deadly. But we need to find a workable balance between adequately protecting consumers and not placing too many burdens on producers. Consumers realise that almonds don’t lactate, and that plant-based milks are designed to be functional alternatives to animal-based milks. So, the name “almond milk” doesn’t mislead anyone. Written by Dan Weijers and Nick Munn. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/almonds-dont-lactate-but-thats-no-reason-to-start-calling-almond-milk-juice-121306">The Conversation</a>.

Food & Wine

Easy butter chicken with rice and naan

Craving a hearty meal for dinner but don’t know what to make? There’s nothing better than digging into a plate of butter chicken. The aromatic flavours and spices not only prove why this dish is a favourite, but it’s also simple to whip up. Serves 4 Prep 15 mins Cooking time 35 mins Ingredients <ul> <li>1⁄4 cup Greek yoghurt</li> <li>1⁄4 cup butter chicken paste or tandoori paste</li> <li>1 tsp ground cumin</li> <li>1⁄2 tsp ground ginger</li> <li>1kg chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut in half crossways</li> <li>1⁄4 cup Ghee or vegetable oil</li> <li>2 brown onions, peeled, halved, thinly sliced</li> <li>2 cups tomato passata sauce</li> <li>300ml thickened cream</li> <li>1 tsp white sugar</li> <li>Steamed rice, toasted naan bread, coriander to serve</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Combine yoghurt, paste, cumin, and ginger in a large bowl. Add chicken, stir until well coated.</li> <li>Heat half the ghee/ oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a clean plate.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium, add onions and remaining ghee / oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until onion is soft. Return chicken to pan with passata, cream and sugar. Bring to simmer. Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, or until sauce is thickens and chicken is cooked through.</li> <li>Serve butter chicken with rice, naan bread and coriander.</li> </ol> Tip: If you can’t find butter chicken paste you can use tandoori paste, it’s a little spicier. Tip: Ghee is clarified butter; you will find it in jars in the international section of the supermarket. Once opened store in the fridge. Use it in place of butter when working with filo pastry or cooking pancakes. Tip: Toast naan bread in a large dry frying pan over a medium-high heat or wrapped in foil in a hot oven. Recipe and image courtesy of <a href="https://www.australianonions.com.au/australian-onion-recipes/butter-chicken-with-rice-and-naan/#t5k5EYIe2pqhvj1R.97">Australian Onions</a>.

Food & Wine

Surprising things you can do with peanut butter

It’s delicious on toast, in a banana smoothie, or baked into a choc chip biscuit, but did you know that peanut butter has many uses outside of the kitchen? You might be surprised to learn just how versatile this spread really is. 1. Feed the birds Grab a pinecone and rub spoonfuls of peanut butter all over it to make a simple bird feeder. Attach some string and hang it up in your garden where you want the birds to visit. 2. Remove gum from shoes Apply peanut butter to the area and leave it for a minute or two, then wipe off with a clean cloth. 3. Catch a mouse No, not all mice love cheese as much as you’ve been led to believe. In fact what they really love is peanut butter, and the good thing about it is that it makes them sit for a while to lick the trap. This gives your mousetrap plenty of time to catch the little critter, rather than grabbing the cheese and scooting off. 4. Fix scratched DVD’s If you have old films or music lying around on CD or DVD, they can often become scratched and unusable. You can use peanut butter to ‘fill in’ the gaps caused by the scratches! Simply wet the silver side of the disk and then dry it with a lint-free cloth. Then use your finger to apply a small amount of peanut butter all over the silver side of the disk. Rinse off with warm water, dry again, and you should be able to watch your old films or listen to your favourite tunes again. 5. Swallow a pill If the grandkids (or even some adults!) hate swallowing tablets, try this. Place the pill onto a tablespoon of peanut butter, and cover it completely so that it can’t be seen. Encourage the patient to swallow the peanut butter without chewing it, so that the pill goes down without being tasted. 6. Fix a squeaky door If you haven’t got any WD40 you can use a smear of peanut butter on the hinges of a squeaky door instead. 7. Remove a sticker Don’t you hate when you buy something and can’t peel the price sticker off? Just rub a little peanut butter into the area and the oils will help remove it when you rub it with a cloth. Have we missed anything? Do you use peanut butter anywhere else around the home? We would love to hear your tips in the comments.

Home & Garden

Broccoli salad with almonds and feta

On a recent trip to Wellington reader Pam Shackleton visited the Ti Kouka Cafe on Willis St for lunch. Shackleton was impressed by its crisp and zesty broccoli salad. "It's the best I have ever tasted." We contacted the cafe and it happily supplied the recipe. Serves: 6 Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 broccoli heads</li> <li>50ml olive oil</li> <li>1 teaspoon chilli flakes </li> <li>2 garlic cloves </li> <li>1 lemon, zested</li> <li>½ preserved lemon, thinly slice the skin only</li> <li>60g goat’s feta</li> <li>40g sliced almonds</li> </ul> Method: 1. Cut broccoli into desired size and blanch in boiling water with a pinch of salt for 30 seconds. Remove and cool. Heat pan to smoking point and add broccoli in one layer, sear for one minute or until slightly burnt looking. Allow to cool. 2. Combine the olive oil, chilli and garlic to create a dressing. In a large bowl top broccoli with dressing, feta, almonds, lemon zest and season. Serve at room temperature. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a>

Food & Wine

Chocolate and peanut butter brownies

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is a rich, salty-sweet delight you’ll love. Give these brownies a go for a delicious spin on the moist, chewy baked snack. Ingredients: <ul> <li>125g unsalted butter, diced</li> <li>120g dark chocolate, roughly chopped</li> <li>⅔ cup plain flour</li> <li>½ teaspoon baking powder</li> <li>¼ teaspoon salt</li> <li>¾ cup sugar</li> <li>3 large eggs</li> <li>2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li> <li>½ cup chocolate chips</li> </ul> Drizzle <ul> <li>35g unsalted butter, melted</li> <li>¼ cup icing sugar</li> <li>⅓ cup smooth peanut butter</li> <li>⅛ teaspoon salt</li> <li>½ teaspoon vanilla extract</li> </ul> Method: <ol start="1"> <li>Preheat your oven to 160˚C. Grease a 20cm square baking pan and line with baking paper.</li> <li>For the brownie batter, melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Allow this mixture to cool slightly.</li> <li>Whisk the sugar into chocolate mixture, and then add eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.</li> <li>Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the chocolate. Stir everything until incorporated.</li> <li>For the drizzle, stir together the melted butter, icing sugar, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla until smooth.</li> <li>Pour the chocolate batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Spoon the drizzle over the tip and swirl it through using a butter knife.</li> <li>Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted is not wet when it comes out. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then cool to room temperature before cutting into squares.</li> </ol> Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/gin-and-tonic-cupcakes/">Do gin and tonic cupcakes take your fancy?</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/chocolate-tart/">How about a chocolate tart?</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/strawberry-rhubarb-cobbler/">This strawberry and rhubarb cobbler hits the spot</a>

Food & Wine

Oat biscuits with almond butter and marmalade

These comforting, crispy oat biscuits are brought to life with the combination of almond butter and slightly bitter marmalade. You could use any flavour or jam that you prefer though. I also adore these biscuits with cheese and fruit paste! Makes: 10 biscuits Ingredients: For the biscuits <ul> <li>60g plain flour</li> <li>½ tsp. baking soda</li> <li>Pinch sea salt</li> <li>100g rolled oats</li> <li>1 tbsp. butter, softened</li> <li>60ml boiling water</li> <li>40g sultanas</li> </ul> To assemble <ul> <li>3 tbsp. almond butter</li> <li>3 tbsp. marmalade</li> </ul> Method: <ol start="1"> <li>Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake. Line a baking tray with baking paper.</li> <li>Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and oats. Using your fingers, mix the butter into the dry mix as well as you can and then stir in just enough boiling water in order to form a dough which holds together but isn't too sticky. Finally, mix through the sultanas.</li> <li>Using your hands, form walnut-sized balls of the dough and place them onto the tray. Flatten each biscuit down with the palm of your hand.</li> <li>Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and crisp.</li> <li>To assemble, spread about a teaspoon of almond butter onto each biscuit followed by dollop of marmalade. Serve immediately!</li> <li>Store any remainders in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.</li> </ol> Written by Jordan Rondel. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Image credit: Emma Boyd/Stuff.

Food & Wine

Almond cherry cake

A delicious cake with almond and sweet fruit is proof that things really are better with a cherry on top. Ingredients: <ul> <li>8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature</li> <li>1 cup plain flour, plus more for pie plate</li> <li>½ teaspoon baking powder</li> <li>½ teaspoon salt</li> <li>¾ cup sugar</li> <li>3 large eggs</li> <li>½ teaspoon pure almond extract</li> <li>1 bag frozen cherries, thawed and dried</li> <li>½ cup sliced almonds</li> </ul>

Food & Wine

Peanut butter cookies

These peanut butter cookies get the mix of savoury and sweet just right. The mixture is also the perfect consistency of a soft yet chewy cookie, but can be baked for a couple of minutes extra to crisp them up. What are you waiting for? Get baking. Ingredients: <ul> <li>235g unsalted butter, softened</li> <li>¾ cup light brown sugar</li> <li>1 cup sugar</li> <li>2 large eggs</li> <li>2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the real kind is preferable to imitation)</li> <li>1 cup crunchy peanut butter</li> <li>3 cups + 2 tablespoons plain flour</li> <li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li> <li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li> <li>¾ teaspoon salt</li> </ul>

Food & Wine

Butter or margarine: which is worse for you?

What would life be like without butter or margarine? Would we all be doomed to eat straight vegemite toast forever? Imagine how different cakes would taste! Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about that, but if we can’t live without it, we can at least try to make the healthiest choice, right? The only question is, what’s better for us? Well, according to Lauren McGuckin of the Dietitians Association of Australia, it’s not about which but rather how much. “I guess I view butter and margarine as a level playing field because they are both a fat, full stop,” she told <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/04/29/butter-or-margarine_n_9791932.html" target="_blank">HuffPost Australia</a>. “They’re all very energy dense.” Despite being higher in unhealthy saturated fat, McGuckin concedes that butter is much more natural, less processed and has way fewer ingredients than margarine. But it’s still something we should only eat in moderation. “Within the context of someone’s day, if they have quite a high overall saturated fat intake and use a scrape of butter with their toast, the butter is probably the last thing I would pick on – instead it would be the McDonald’s burgers they’re having or the three litres of full cream milk they’re consuming in their iced coffees each week.” As for margarine, given it is plant-based, it is much higher in mono- and polyunsaturated fats than butter, which are essential for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. A big concern for many is the trans fat content (which can clog arteries) of margarine, but as McGuckin explains, modern plant-based spreads are much better than they used to be. “They do worry about the trans fat content being very high in margarine but, typically, most of them these days are made solid by a process called interesterification, which does reduce this trans fat component significantly.” "All nutritional panels for any food that may contain trans fat they should be listed. Most product companies these days are pretty savvy and doing their best to keep that out by changing the processing nature.” So which is better? At the end of the day, they’re both fats – and bad fats at that. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a little bit here and there. “It comes down to how much the individual is using. If someone is having a tiny little spread of butter or margarine on toast with Vegemite, I have no problem with that.” If you’d like to reduce your saturated and trans fat intake however, opt for sources of healthy fats instead, like avocados (which McGuckin describes as “nature’s margarine”), nuts, fish, seeds and unprocessed nut butters. Tell us in the comments below, do you use butter or margarine?

Body

Gluten-free mandarin almond muffins

The muffins are made using almond meal and cornflower because many people are choosing to go gluten-free for lifestyle choices or they have celiac disease. Mix all the liquids together first and lightly fold in the almond meal and cornflour. Muffins should never be over-mixed. You can top yours with Malibu chocolate ganache and candied orange. To make the latter, she has cut extremely thin slices of citrus fruit, dipped these in caster sugar, placed them on an oven tray and baked them at 150 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes. "The sugar caramelises around it. You want to get the slices as thin as you can otherwise they will leak too much juice." Makes: 6 Ingredients: <ul> <li>5 eggs</li> <li>250g caster sugar</li> <li>250g ground almonds 250g</li> <li>15g cornflour</li> <li>5g baking powder</li> <li>350g mandarins boiled and blitzed</li> </ul> For the Malibu chocolate ganache <ul> <li>500g dark chocolate</li> <li>250ml cream</li> <li>20ml Malibu (optional)</li> </ul> Method: 1. Place mandarins in a pot with water and cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until soft and cooked. 2. Allow to cool. Remove pith and blitz in a food processor. 3. Lightly whisk eggs with the sugar. 4. Sieve ground almonds, corn flour, and baking powder and add to the eggs. 5. Mix in with the blitzed mandarins and pour into prepared tins. 6. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 30 to 50 minutes, take out, cool on a baking rack, top with chocolate ganache and candied orange. For the Malibu chocolate ganache 1. Chop chocolate into small pieces. 2. Pour cream into a heavy bottom pot and bring to a boil 3. Once the cream comes to a boil, put the chocolate into the cream and allow to sit for a minute. 4. Stir until chocolate is completely dissolved and the ganache is smooth. 5. Cool ganache completely before using. Written by Virginia Winder. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>.

Food & Wine

Double-layer peanut butter and jam cake

Here's a peanut butter and jam sandwich – in cake form. You can use smooth or crunchy peanut butter but for best results use a good-quality, natural one. Serves: 12 Ingredients: <ul> <li>50g good quality, natural, salted peanut butter </li> <li>100g butter, softened</li> <li>150g light muscovado sugar or coconut sugar (or regular soft brown sugar)</li> <li>1 tsp vanilla extract</li> <li>3 organic eggs</li> <li>100g ground almonds</li> <li>100g flour</li> <li>2 tsp baking powder</li> <li>½ cup whole milk</li> <li>1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries </li> </ul> For the icing: <ul> <li>½ cup cream cheese</li> <li>½ cup good-quality, natural, salted peanut butter</li> <li>½ tsp vanilla extract</li> <li>½ cup icing sugar </li> </ul> For the filling: <ul> <li>Good-quality, low-sugar raspberry jam (store bought)</li> </ul> For the decoration: <ul> <li>Whole freeze-dried raspberries</li> </ul> Method: 1. Preheat oven to 175C fan bake. Grease and line 2 x 22cm cake tins. 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat peanut butter and butter until pale, light and fluffy. Keep beating while you add sugar. Add vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time until well combined. Fold through ground almonds. 3. Sift in flour and add baking powder and mix until just combined, and then add the milk. Do not over mix. 4. Evenly divide the batter between the two tins and dot with raspberries. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack. 5. Meanwhile, make peanut butter icing. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Blend in remaining ingredients until smooth. 6. Once cakes are cool, spread a layer of raspberry jam onto one cake and place the other, flipped upside down, on top to form a sandwich. Ice cake and decorate with freeze-dried raspberries. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Written by Jordan Rondel. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Image credit: Emma Boyd via Stuff.co.nz. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk%20%20%20" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now.</a>

Food & Wine

Bread and butter pickles

These simple pickles are great for sandwiches, burgers and platters. Ingredients: <ul> <li>3 cups thinly sliced courgettes, gherkins or small cucumbers</li> <li>1 tablespoon salt</li> <li>Good handful of ice cubes</li> <li>1 cup each: cider vinegar, sugar</li> <li>1 teaspoon each: yellow mustard seeds, pickling spices, ground turmeric, celery seeds</li> <li>1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes</li> <li>1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced</li> <li>1 each red, yellow and orange capsicum, thinly sliced</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Place courgettes in a large sieve or colander over a plate and toss through salt and ice cubes. Leave for an hour then wash off salt with cold water and drain well. Into a large saucepan or preserving pan place vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, pickling spices, turmeric, celery seeds and chilli flakes.</li> <li>Bring to the boil then immediately add all the sliced vegetables.</li> <li>Cover, return to the boil then lower to a simmer and cook for four minutes, stirring once or twice. Take off heat, transfer to hot sterilised jars and seal.</li> <li>Leave for a week before consuming.</li> <li>Pickles will keep at least six months in a cool, dark cupboard.</li> <li>Store in fridge once opened. </li> </ol> Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Image credit: Stuff.co.nz / Manja Wachsmuth. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>.

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Double-layer peanut butter and jam cake

Bread and butter pickles