Xtremely Unenthusiastic about Xanthan Gum

Yeah, xanthan gum....the only darned thing I could find related to food. Obviously, it's not something I keep in the pantry. But, it is an additive used for thickening different food products rather than what we might use at home, such as flour or cornstarch and water. And, get this - it is a bacteria that we've all seen at some point. It's causes "black rot" and it can be found on broccoli, cauliflower and leafy vegetables. It forms a slimy substance that science has made use of as a thickening agent in a variety of foods such as salad dressing and as a stabilizer in cosmetics. (Now, if that doesn't get you salivating, I don't know what will.)


Most xanthan gum is grown on glucose or, more recently, whey-based lactose. The lactose-produced xanthan gums are used primarily in shampoos and salad dressings. (Makes you just want to jump into the shower and hit the salad bar, doesn't it?)


For those who must have gluten-free diets, xanthan gum is often substituted for the gluten they cannot have in breads and batters. Believe it or not, though, xanthan gum is often derived from glutenous products, so celiacs must be aware of which products are made with gluten-free xanthan.


People with corn, soy or wheat allergies also need to be aware of what kind of xanthan gum is being used because they could react to even the minute amounts present in whatever product contains this agent, including toothpastes. Ingredient lists don't generally list the source of the xanthan gums, so it is best to be well researched before trying any product containing them or avoid products containing xanthan gums altogether.


My source of information was Wikipedia.

From Nothing to Write About to Nuts

It's been quite a week and I was feeling overwhelmed last night. My gentleman friend was robbed at gunpoint the night before and spent part of yesterday in the ER to see if his arm was broken because he actually fought with the robber. Between the adrenalin and the alcohol he'd also had, he was a real mess. Once those numbing agents subsided, he was in pain with torn tendons and ligaments that require a specialist. And, he's not as irrational as he was when it first happened. So, my mind wasn't really on coming up with a topic for Saturday. I have now updated to this, but wanted to make sure I posted something that was at least in keeping with the alphabetic theme.

I've enjoyed seeing other blogs, especially the food blogs (I am a foodie after all). Here's a couple recipes I get hungry just looking at:

Italian Meat Sauce and Pasta ~ Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice Recipe Blog

Cranberry Bliss Bars ~ Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice Recipe Blog

UPDATE


I love nuts. I especially like cashews and macadamia nuts. Peanuts and walnuts are next. Probably pecans next since they're so very much like walnuts and onward. I know that technically not all of these are nuts, but because of their similarities, we group them all together. Like tomatoes with vegetables.


True nuts are actually a composite of seed and fruit. We all know that seeds as we know them must be released from their fruits in order to be used. True nuts, on the other hand, are seeds whose fruits do not release them. Examples of this would be hazelnuts, hickories, chestnuts and acorns. They are encased by their "fruits" and must be forcibly released to be eaten. (Which I find interesting since walnuts are not considered true nuts.) For those of us not interested in the botanical restrictions, other edibles are considered nuts, many of which are hard-walled, edible kernels.


Walnuts, pecans and almonds are the edible seeds of drupe fruit, their leathery exteriors removed at harvest. Brazil nuts are the seeds of capsules. Cashews are seeds. Macadamia nuts are creamy white kernels. 


We've probably all heard at some point that peanuts are legumes - beans - while pine nuts are the seeds of some species of pine and pistachios are seeds from another kind of drupe. What we know as nuts are considered nuts only in the culinary sense and, interestingly, the most common of food allergens.


Nuts, as we know them, have known health benefits. They protect against coronary heart disease. Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, can lower LDL levels. They also have a low glycemic index, so are often recommended by doctors for people with Type 2 diabetes.


Nuts are healthiest in their raw forms because the roasting process can reduce their antioxident properties as well as the essential oils they contain.


An interesting bit of trivia - people who are allergic to cashews may also be allergic to mangos and pistachios because they come the plant family anacardia. Cashews must be roasted to be eaten because they contain anacardic acid (a toxin related to the toxin in poison ivy). Roasting destroys the toxin and must be done outdoors because inhalation of the smoke can cause life-threatening reactions in the lungs.


And, because it's CATURDAY, I will leave you with these:

Tiki, before and after

                              

                                                                                 Baby Cat loves Tom

Chloe, waiting patiently for breakfast