I’m convinced that messy food often tastes better than it’s perfectly plated counterpart, and this seasonal recipe is no exception.
Eton Mess, an English dessert comprised of meringues, whipped cream and fresh fruit, has been making an appearance on my table quite frequently lately and it may just have something to do with the influence of a certain TV show I’m semi-obsessed with (Downton Abbey, I’m looking at you!).
But the more I’ve been making it, the more I’m realizing that it’s a perfect back-pocket recipe for any home cook, and can easily be changed by whatever fruit you have stocked in your fridge. The meringues can be from scratch, or you can use store-bought ones instead, and the rhubarb can give way to summer berries, stone fruits, and pears or cranberries.
If you’re feeling tired of any of those, mashed bananas work great too, and the kids love that flavour combination. Once you know how to make this, your what-to-make-for-dessert dilemma will forever be solved.
Find the full printable recipe here: Rhubarb Eton Mess
So, it turns out that Nutella is officially not that good for you after all.
Last week, Ferraro, the company that manufactures the addictively sweet chocolate spread, agreed to a $3 million dollar payout in order to end a class action lawsuit filed against them by four American mothers.
The mothers, all of whom purchased Nutella under the guise that it was a nutritious part of the breakfast meal—based on the commercials for the product—were shocked to discover that there is more sugar and palm oil than skim milk and hazelnuts in the popular morning food.
Athena Hohenberg, a San Diego-area mother of a four-year-old, who initiated the legal claim, says she found out from her friends what was really in Nutella. Apparently she was ‘shocked to learn that Nutella was in fact not a ‘healthy, nutritious food’, but instead was the next best thing to a candy bar,’ her lawsuit said. Her discovery will not only see Ferraro making the large cash payout, but, more importantly in my opinion, will also result in the company reversing its labelling and advertising campaigns.
I’m curious though, who do you think is ultimately responsible here? Should companies have to pay for making unhealthy products or should parents be more informed about what they are feeding their kids? As a parent, do you think it’s difficult to know which packaged products are healthy, and which aren’t?
Here’s a homemade alternative to this spread.
Comments
It’s not hard to make healthful choices. The parents suing the corporation that produces Nutella obviously have an underlying issue that disables them from being able to commit to making informed choices: perhaps they cannot read well, or are unable to process the information they read in the way that anybody else with common sense would.
Our household uses Nutella, in strict moderation, because it is basically cake frosting or a melted chocolate bar in a jar, and we know that is NOT a healthful choice to depend upon for nutrition.
What’s next, people suing the company making Fun Dip fruit flavoured sugar candy because it’s not really the goodness of fruit?
An alternative to Nutella that is easy to make, chocolate-good, and yes, remotely healthy:
Chocolate Hemp Seed Spread
Recipe By : Theresa Albert, DHN, RNCP
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time 2 minutes
1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds
1/4 cup cocoa powder (not “Dutch processed”)
1/4 cup maple syrup
¼ cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
In a mini food processor or magic bullet, whiz hemp seeds with cocoa powder to combine. Add maple syrup, water and cinnamon and blend thoroughly. To make a thinner consistency for a fruit dip, add a little more water.