Dark Chocolate Spread - Oxfam Fair Trade - 400g

How is Potato Starch Made? Potatoes are well known for their healthy carbohydrates. Also known as ‘Starch’ (Polysaccharide), this side of a raw potato can be turned into a completely different ingredient. ‘Potato Starch’ is extracted from crushed, raw potatoes. The starch grain is released from the destroyed cells and either separated through a hydro-cyclone or dried out on its own as a solution. After this process, the once potatoes, become a white, powdery potato flour, full of spherical granules. Is Potato Starch Gluten-Free? Since potatoes are a root vegetable, organic potato starch is naturally gluten-free. Gluten is a protein found in the wheat plant and other types of grain, meaning they have no connection to one another. Those who suffer from ‘Coeliac’ disease, or choose to live a gluten-free diet can use potato starch as a wheat-free flour in lots of cooking recipes. How Does Potato Starch Work? Potato Starch in general, is used to make things like- pasta, bread, tortillas, pastries, noodles, and cereal grains. However, it has other uses too. The ingredient can be used as a thickener (sauces, soups, stews, and desserts) as well as a creamy batter for frying and baking sweet and savoury foods. Paste- Thickening Agent You can easily make wet potato starch at home. To use potato starch as a thickener, you start by dissolving your starch granules in cold water. This will allow your starch to become a smooth gel when it is gelatinised. NOTE: Not dispersing the starch in cold water at the start of your cooking could leave you with a clumpy gel as your overall thickener. After leaving the particles in cold water, you can heat them up in hot water, or whatever liquid you are cooking at that point in time. Potato starch has a better water-capacity (great for doughs) than its contender- Cornstarch. Potato Starch leaves you with a gel that is more translucent, silkier, and has a more neutral flavouring compared to corn. However, this starch has a lower gelatinization temperature, so it thickens quicker when it is hotter. NOTE: Keep an eye on your heat, if the temperature is too hot for too long, the potato starch will not absorb the water properly and its binding effect will be ineffective. Leave thickening to the end of your cooking so it has a perfect short period of heat. Crispiness In baking and frying, less is more. Adding potato starch gradually to your cooking will allow for a good structure and smooth texture overall. Adding too much too quickly (or too much in general) will give the starch a very crumbly texture, making its connectivity rubbish! It has been said that potato starch is better than cornstarch for frying, as it gives you a crispier result and for longer too. You can use the starch outright in your frying and baking, or you can make a creamy batter with it too. Potato Starch Uses As well as using potato starch in our everyday cooking, it can be used in other departments too. In the everyday food industry, potato starch is found in canned soups, savoury sauces, pie fillings, and even mayonnaise. They are a great additive to dishes that are refrigerated or frozen because it stops the meals from separating when they are chilled and cooked. Within the sweet world, potato starch is becoming a new hit for plant-based sugar confectionaries. Its excellent gelatinization properties work well in commercialised desserts like- custard, puddings, mousse, pastry, and cakes. It is seen as sustainable and more appealing by customers as it is gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan. Potato Starch vs Potato Flour Now that we know specifically what Potato Starch is, it is important to know the difference between that, and Potato Flour. Though they may look similar there are clear differences. Potato starch is made by crushing potatoes, activating the starch grain, before then drying out the remaining potato into small granules. Potato flour involves removing the skin, mashing them, drying them out, blending them and then keeping them in an air tight container. A main difference between the two, is that potato starch is simply ‘Starch’ extracted from the potatoes. Whereas Potato Flour is flour made from whole potatoes. Potato flour has a higher number of proteins, carbohydrates, fibre, and nutrients because it is made from the vegetable itself. With potato starch only being an extract, it contains less health benefits. Where Can You Buy Potato Starch? When looking to buy this ingredient, Potato Starch can be found in most supermarkets. You have to look for them in substitute/alternative food aisles, or the baking section, but many shops sell the starch product. If you are looking for a definite seller- flour shops, whole food shops, healthy food shops, and farm shops should sell potato starch, specifically organic potato starch. Another option is looking for healthy food online, through baking ingredient suppliers. These shops tend to have more options for ingredients and sell them in bigger bulks. This can be helpful if you are planning to create lots of potato starch recipes, or just want to invest in gluten-free potato starch for its wheat-free aspect.

It's time our kids go back to school! If you are looking for healthy snacks that are perfect for taking to school or after school, then this short list is for you. Eating healthy snacks can benefit your children in many ways. These healthy snacks will help your kids grow, develop and learn. To make your life easier, you can buy healthy snacks online and fill up your pantry with nuts, dried fruits, seeds, popcorn and dark chocolate. This way, you will always have some healthy snacks at hand. Popcorn Popcorn is a whole grain that is low in fat and rich in complex carbohydrates, making it a perfect snack for kids (if you don't add butter and salt). Corn has excellent health benefits for children. It contains a lot of dietary fibre, essential vitamins and minerals. High fibre improves digestion, helps avoid constipation, and stimulates digestive juices' secretion, keeping the bowels healthy. Popcorn also contains a good quantity of iron and calcium, manganese and phosphorous, which are vital for maintaining healthy bones and the functioning of cells. Additionally, corn is loaded with B vitamins, including vitamins B3, B6, pantothenic and folate acid, which are great for the brain and mood. Popcorn contains carotenoid antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein that help protect eye health. Nuts A handful of organic nuts or a serving of as little as 30g daily can benefit your kids in many ways. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamias and Brazil nuts are loaded with nutrients, protein and fibre to help children thrive and are an excellent fuel for the brain. In general, all kinds of nuts offer amazing health benefits, but every kind of nuts can also offer something special including preventing depression and anxiety. Walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and DHA, which help fight inflammation. They contain twice as many antioxidants as other nuts, which improve cognitive functioning. Hazelnuts, almonds, pecans and macadamia nuts are heart-healthy. Almonds help improve your kid's memory. Pistachios are rich in oils that help preserve fatty acids and prevent inflammation. Macadamias also help in normal brain functioning. Dark chocolate Dark chocolate is a very healthy snack when consumed in moderation. It contains powerful antioxidants and flavonoids. Flavonoids improve blood flow to the brain, which can significantly improve memory and brain functioning. Veggies and Fruits Fresh vegetables are an obvious healthy snack. Packed with vitamins, they contain everything your children need to grow and develop in the right way. Dried fruits can be an excellent replacement for fresh fruits due to their longer shelf life. They contain all the nutrients of fruits but can last longer in your pantry. Your kids will love dried fruits like cranberries, dried apricots, cranberries, dates and figs.

This Christmas, instead of gifting sugar-packed and unhealthy fat loaded sweets and super salty snacks, try giving healthier and more nutritious foods. Your family and friends will appreciate having these delicious and nutritious healthy alternatives to Christmas treats. Sometimes little things make a huge difference. Here's the list of healthy Christmas gift ideas. You can make small healthy gifts, or combine some of them in one Christmas wellness hamper. Nut boxes and bundles Nuts are one of the healthiest things you can eat. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, dietary fibre and healthy fats. Buy large bags of nuts online and make mixed nuts bundles as Christmas gifts for your loved ones. You can roast your own nuts at home and then give them to someone special in a nice box! Such a small gift but when it's made by you it means a lot more. Read more how make roasted nuts at home - recipe here. Dried fruit boxes and bundles Dried fruits are a very healthy snack option. They are a great source of vitamins and fibre. Buy large bags of fried fruits online and make mixed fruits Christmas boxes and bundles for your family and friends. Choose unsweetened dried fruits to avoid extra sugar! Organic spice bundles & homemade spice mixes If you want to spice up the life (and meals) of your loved ones, give them some organic spices. You can buy spices online and make your own spice mixes and spice coatings. The best gifts for Christmas would be mulled wine spice mix and mixed Christmas spice for baking. Check the recipe here. Then you pack it a small glass jar which is perfect for storing spices and wrap it up with a lovely festive ribbon and a gift is ready! Organic herbs Regular supermarkets usually offer limited selection of herbs in small packaging. If you want to surprise someone who love to cook, buy organic herbs online for them. In a wholefood speciality shop you will find rare organic products and herbs from all around the world. You can mix and match different rare herbs and pack them into small jars that will be the best way to store them for many months. Organic dark chocolate & vegan chocolate If you are looking for a gift that is still chocolatey and sweet but healthy go for organic dark chocolate. Dark chocolate bars are available in amazing flavours, from lemon and orange, nut coated to salted caramel. Pay attention to cocoa content - the higher percentage the better but also slightly more bitter. Organic tea & organic coffee In winter, a glass of hot beverage is there to keep us warm. Unfortunately, there are many pesticides and artificial fertilisers used in tea and coffee farming. These chemicals can be toxic to the human body and the environment. When you buy organic tea and coffee, you can be sure that there are no toxins in what you drink. Instead you get a drink which is high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and it helps to boost immune system. And that's why organic coffee and tea are great gifts for your loved ones. Good quality olive oil & vinegar You may not think about it as it is a pantry staple, but think about a high-quality organic olive oil and you may have a great gift for someone who cooks and loves good food. This kind of gift will truly delight the taste buds. There are also other speciality oils, such as pumpkin seed oil, hemp oil, walnut oil, avocado oil that you may consider for a gift. Another kitchen must-have is vinegar. The vinegar you find in normal supermarkets is usually cheap and poor quality. In specialty shops for food lovers you will find vinegars made in natural way from best ingredients such as organic fruits with amazing flavours that will enhance the taste of food in amazing ways. A bottle of great quality vinegar will be a great gift for your friends and family who love to explore new flavours. Homemade cookies & cakes When you make your own cakes you can decide about the ingredients you choose and you can choose the best quality ingredients that are healthy. You family and loved ones would love to receive something made by you. During Christmas period you can easily find healthy recipes for cakes and cookies. Here's a recipe for Christmas cake that can offer to someone special.