Hold on- what are "artisan" popsicles, and how are they different from "regular" popsicles? The Oxford dictionary defines the word artisan used as an adjective as, "(of food or drink) made in a traditional or non-mechanized way using high-quality ingredients." And this perfectly describes how an artisan popsicle is superior to a normal one. Used with fresh, natural ingredients, artisan popsicles are packed with more flavor, yet have less sugar. Also, these desserts don't consist of mystery, most likely artificial fruits. Many of the stores that sell them claim that their fruits are natural, yet these popsicles do not solely consist of fruit. There is more variety in ingredients than normal popsicles, since some can be classified as spices or dessert-like. Cielito, which translates from Spanish into "little heaven," is also the name of Miami, Florida's first artisan popsicle store, attempting to bring this dessert trend from where it became first popular, New York. I decided to check it out in order to better understand exactly what makes an artisan popsicle so unique, and my high expectations were surpassed. These popsicles were very high-end (and expensive, but it was ultimately worth it), and there were many different options, including a version especially made for dogs! From strawberry kiwi with a whole kiwi slice embedded in it, dulce de leche with brownie inside, carrot ginger pineapple, banana with a dulce de leche filling, and pineapple dusted with pepper with jalapeños stuffed inside, the flavors are certainly deliciously unique. However, to insure the highest quality flavoring they change as ingredients become in or out of season. After you choose your flavor, you have the option of adding a coat of dark or white chocolate to your artisan popsicle. Then, you are able to choose up to three toppings to top it with. Whether you like a richer dessert or one that is more refreshing, the overwhelming variety of artisan popsicles is something for everyone to enjoy. Although more expensive, the high quality and cool satisfaction of this treat is something that is definitely worth a try. Without a doubt, most people who sample one of these trendy, high-end popsicles will become as hooked on their deliciousness and surprising healthiness* as I have become.
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It seems that the Chicago suburbs are following a trend in genuine cuisine, since another new authentic restaurant was recently introduced: Jimmy Thai. Finding “real” Thai food in this area is unique, and the flavorful nature of this specific type of food is something that many current restaurants in the suburbs are lacking. Therefore, I think the introduction of a genuine Thai restaurant will bring variety to the palate of the area, and people should definitely check it out. When I first walked into Jimmy Thai, I was greeted by one of the most friendly restaurant owners I have ever met, and was impressed by the bright colors and liveliness of the interior. There was a perfect noise level, energetic music, and the atmosphere was calmer than most other restaurants. The wait staff was helpful and efficient as well, making dining at Jimmy Thai an excellent experience. The restaurant’s owner, Jim Seriruk, was one of the original owners of Thai Thai, which was open from 2008 to 2016. When it lost its lease he remodeled the space and then opened Jimmy Thai with his wife in early 2017. Ever since a critic at the Chicago Tribune sampled his food not long after the restaurant’s opening, and published an article praising the dishes, Jimmy Thai has taken off. According to Jim, “Jimmy Thai started because of our passion for Thai food and sharing the traditional Thai cooking art … Our vision is to be the ‘go to’ place for authentic Thai and Ramen in the area for its food, family-like atmosphere and friendly, caring service.” In my opinion, he has achieved his goal, since my experience at Jimmy Thai was a highly positive one. A large part of this was the quality of the food. From the flavor variety of the Thai fried rice and custom ramen, to the richness of the golden noodles, to the perfect balance of sweetness in the mango and sticky rice, I thoroughly enjoyed eating at Jimmy Thai. First, I sampled the Thai fried rice, which according to the owner is one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. It certainly lived up to its reputation; the rice, carrots, egg, onions, tofu, broccoli, green pepper, peapods, and bok choy creation was cooked perfectly. In past experiences, I’ve found some fried rice dishes include dry rice and tofu of a weird spongy consistency, but this was not the case with the Thai fried rice at all. Next, I ordered custom ramen off of the make-your-own ramen menu. However, this was not similar to a typical ramen noodle soup, it had a variety of ingredients mixed in such as shrimp tempura, half of an egg, bok choy, peapods, and onion. Not only was there a variety of different flavors, but also a variety of textures between the soft noodles, the crunchy shrimp tempura, and the vegetables somewhere in between. Then, I ate golden noodles, which is made up of egg noodles, carrots, peapods, egg, mushrooms, broccoli, green pepper, and tofu. The noodles were extremely rich, tender, and light, and the vegetables were cooked nicely. However, this plate would be even better with a little salt, as it was a little too rich sometimes. To end this excellent meal, for dessert I sampled the mango and sticky rice. This dish was incredibly interesting, as there was a sugary sauce poured over a huge portion of rice, with mango on the side to cut and eat with it. Although not quite yet in season, I thought the mango was the perfect refreshing counter to the incredibly sweet flavor of the rice. Jimmy Thai’s hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and Sundays 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (but Ramen Time is closed). They are located at 475 Lake Cook Road in Deerfield. I strongly urge those who live in or travel to the Chicago suburbs to eat at this restaurant, you will be pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of the staff, high quality of the food, and overall authentic Thai dining experience. Address: 808 N Milwaukee Ave Deerfield, IL 60015 There are only a few restaurants in the Chicago suburbs, and those who live there are starting to get bored of them. However, there is a new make-your-own pizza place that recently opened in Deerfield called Pizza Amoré that may be a great restaurant to try. Pizza Amoré is conceptually the same type of restaurant as Mod or Blaze, but the Italian heritage of the owner causes the pizza to taste more authentic. With its clean environment and modern design, Pizza Amoré is the perfect place to catch up with friends or family over a delicious pizza or salad. Between high tops and booths, there are many places to sit, all with a nice view of the unique features of the restaurant that reflect its Italian culture. When Pizza Amoré opened three months ago, owner Anthony Donato had a vision to bring a slice of Italian culture into the Deerfield area. A restaurant modeled around authentic taste is a new and different concept for Deerfield, and I believe this variety will definitely be welcomed by those who want to try genuine Italian pizza. Also, the pizza takes just minutes to bake, so eating at Pizza Amoré may appeal to those who are too busy to sit down at a restaurant for an hour to eat lunch or dinner. So how does Pizza Amoré compare to other nearby make-your-own pizza places? Like other restaurants of this type, there are seemingly endless salad and pizza toppings you can request to be added to your meal. For my toppings, I chose tomato sauce, mozzarella and asiago cheese, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. I expected the pizza to taste the same as the pizza at Blaze or Mod, but it could not have been more different. For starters, the crust was much thinner, soft on the top with a cracker-like consistency on the bottom. This was unique, since most pizza crust is either chewy or crunchy but not both simultaneously. Unfortunately, the thin crust made it a bit difficult to eat normally, although this was easily remedied by eating the slices New York style. Aside from the unique crust, the freshness of the vegetables on top made up for this slight inconvenience. In fact, one of the pizza chefs said Pizza Amoré orders new ingredients every week. Also, the creamy mozzarella cheese and spiced sauce complemented each other nicely, and combined with the vegetables to create a savory, harmonious mix of toppings. Restaurant hours are from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the weekends, with Friday evenings being the most popular time that many people dine, according to restaurant staff. The modern setting and delicious pizza makes Pizza Amoré a restaurant I highly recommend eating at for lunch with friends, or a quick bite before an activity. (If you don't live in the Chicago area and do not think you will be traveling there soon, this is still relevant because Pizza Amoré is open to becoming a chain.)
Lighter, Fluffy Old-Fashioned Pancakes Much better than store-bought pancake mix! Prep/Cook time: 10 minutes Makes: about 4, but depends on the size of the pancakes Ingredients: 2 tablespoons melted butter; 1 tablespoon normal sugar (healthier alternative: brown sugar); 1 1/4 cups of milk, nonfat; 2 egg whites; 1 1/2 cups of flour, all-purpose; 3 teaspoons of baking powder; and a pinch of salt Prep: Pour all of the above ingredients into a large bowl (in no particular order), and mix them thoroughly. Cook: Pour about 1/4 cup of this mixture into a pan to create each pancake. The fun part is, you can make any shape you want! My personal favorite though is Mickey Mouse, a true classic. Why this is a great breakfast option: It's fast, it's easy, and everyone loves pancakes. Also, this particular recipe has less calories and less sugar than most of the store-bought brands. And, it's homemade, and homemade things always taste better :) Ever feel tired in the middle of the day and wish the answer was as simple as a glass of water? Well, Yerbaé is a NEW brand of sparkling water that already comes in a variety of flavors. And, the unique thing is, it's caffeinated! If you're someone who is conscious of the amount of soda or coffee you drink or you're just looking for more energy, Yerbaé might be the perfect new substitute, since it may contain just as much caffeine, yet does not include artificial products. Also, it is non-GMO and gluten-free! Therefore, you receive the energy boost you are looking for while drinking something that is very likely more healthy! I decided to sample and compare five of the new Yerbaé's flavors; lemon, pineapple coconut, orange cherry pineapple, kiwi strawberry, and pomegranate berry. Lemon The lemon flavor wasn't too bitter, and it is packed with much more flavor than lemon LaCroix. In fact, it tasted just like real lemon except more toned down, not as sour. A classic lemon Yerbaé is something you would never get sick of. Pineapple Coconut This is definitely a very interesting flavor. It is a very sweet and strong drink, so I would only recommend the Pineapple Coconut to those who are fond of both fruits. I could taste the pineapple and the coconut in the drink like I was actually eating them, so it was nice to consume a drink that I actually felt contained a satisfactory amount of flavor. Orange Cherry Pineapple Nice job on this one, Yerbaé! I never would have thought these three fruits would compliment each other so nicely, but they certainly did. The citrus flavor of the orange, the sweetness of cherry and refreshing tartness of the pineapple worked together in perfect harmony to create a drink that truly "hit the spot." Kiwi Strawberry Similarly to the Orange Cherry Pineapple, the balance between the fruits is perfect. Neither the flavor of the kiwi nor the strawberry overtakes the other, and it isn't too sweet like I expected. I would say that the especially nice balance lands Kiwi Strawberry at #1 favorite on my list. Pomegranate Berry This drink is the most refreshing of the five, and it's very fruity. Pomegranate Berry is my favorite kind of Yerbaé in terms of idea, since the combination of the darker blueberry flavor and the brighter pomegranate go well together. My take: I would recommend this brand of sparkling water to anyone who wishes to receive the energy boost of caffeine without having so many calories accompany it! I would love to hear what you think. Give it a try, and comment here! Yasso Bars are these amazing greek yogurt bars that taste exactly like ice cream-- but healthy! My family is obsessed with them, and we have them for dessert almost every night. Better yet, they come in so many delicious flavors! Below is a review of these incredible Yasso Bars. Has there ever been a dessert you loved so much that it completely changed how you think about snacking? The day I discovered Yasso Bars, my life honestly changed forever. Our family eats them on an almost daily basis, and they may soon become one of your favorite desserts. Yasso bars were created by two childhood friends in Massachusetts who had a shared love of sports and a healthy lifestyle. After receiving degrees from "Ice Cream Camp", taking countless road trips and spending over a year of research and development, they executed their first production run of Yasso Bars in 2011 and began building loyal fans across the country. The Yasso website says the company is committed to creating flavors that are delicious, nutritious, and authentic, and the creative team has come up with some amazing flavors. In this review, I am blogging about the flavors Sea Salt Caramel, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Fudge, Mint Chip, Peanut Butter Cup, and Cinnamon Bun.** Top Choice: Sea Salt Caramel Sea Salt Caramel might be my favorite flavor, especially because it’s really sweet and who doesn’t love really sweet things (especially when they're super healthy at the same time)? What is so unexpected about this bar is how milky it is; it almost reminds me of dulce de leche. Upon the first bite, how refreshing and smooth it tasted first entered my mind. Sea Salt Caramel also has a huge caramel swirl in the middle that brings a whole new level to it. Despite this, a few downsides to this bar is that it tastes a little frothy, and it’s right on the border of satisfying sweet and sickly sweet. All in all, this is definitely one of my favorite flavors and it is highly recommended. Best Texture and Balance: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough The Yasso Bar with the best balance and flavor contrast is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Besides from being a little bland and the fact the chocolate sticks to your teeth, it was not overwhelmingly sweet, and cookie dough balls are distributed throughout the bar evenly, which adds an astounding amount of inner complexity. The balance between the "toppings" and the ice cream is absolutely perfect! Overall, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough has an extremely elaborate taste, and is definitely one of the more interesting flavors. FoodSmart tip-- If you are nervous about trying Yasso Bars for the first time, I recommend sampling this one first (I think a large majority would like it). Attention Chocolate Lovers: Meet Chocolate Fudge The Fudge flavor, even though it may seem like heaven for fans of chocolate, was a little disappointing for me. This is due to the fact I’m not a huge chocolate ice cream fan in the first place; however, I think it may be really enjoyable for devoted chocolate lovers. For example, the combination of bitter V.S. sweet is balanced perfectly, giving this bar a smooth richness that is rare in regular ice cream bars (especially for one made with greek yogurt). To make this bar better I would recommend adding chocolate chunks to it, but for the anyone with a love of chocolate, Fudge may be perfection. Honorable Mention: Mint Chocolate Chip I am rating Mint Chip the most satisfying and refreshing of these six, and in a close second on the favorites scale to the Salted Caramel. It literally melts in your mouth, and the mint isn’t so strong that you wince with every bite, but it’s definitely there. Even though it’s so unbelievably simple, it has a very sophisticated taste. In contrast, one suggestion might be to add a few more chocolate chips, but otherwise, no words can describe how utterly delicious it is. Mint Chip creates a burst of flavor on your tongue that is very lasting, and I find myself eating these more than any of the other kind because of its superior refreshing taste. FoodSmart tip-- Because it's so refreshing, I think this is the best to indulge in after a visit to the gym or any other kind of physical activity. Most Fun and Playful: Peanut Butter Cup I absolutely love that Yasso added this flavor to their collection. It was definitely daring to try and take on the task of trying to transform the widely known Reese's Peanut Butter Cup into a greek yogurt bar. And, in speaking, they did it very well. This bar consists of peanut butter greek yogurt dipped in a hard, chocolate shell. The chocolate is very rich, and although I can tell it is trying its best to counter the strong peanut butter, it isn't there quite yet. The shell is paper thin, and doesn't wrap all the way around the bar, unfortunately. On the other hand, I do believe the concept of this flavor is excellent and will be a big hit among Reese's fans such as myself. NEW! Cinnamon Bun I completely do not understand how Cinnamon Bun can be healthy in any way. If you set out a Yasso Cinnamon Bun and an ice cream version of it in front of me, and I had to taste them both and tell the difference between them blindfolded, I could not pinpoint which one was the Yasso. This bar perfectly tackles the unique flavor of a cinnamon bun and completely reinvents it. If that's not enough, there's a "frosting" swirl in the middle, a melt-in-your-mouth-incredible addition. To sum it up in one word, Cinnamon Bun is power. Simply put, it is highly recommended that you run to the nearest Costco, Heinen's, or Mariano's this instant and buy some (this is not an exaggeration, this may be the best healthy dessert I've ever had). Please comment below if you love these Yasso Bars as much as I do, and are looking forward to more flavors to come. **Not mentioned-- blueberry, chocolate chip, coconut, coffee chocolate chip, cookies and cream, strawberry, vanilla bean.** Every month, to take a short break from all of the healthy suggestions, I'm posting one creative dessert idea a month. The first post for this new addition will be... a lollipop tree!
These are simple to make, and very creative! They go very well with any present and sweeten it up a little bit. A small tip-- If you like art, use a special type of ink to draw designs on the bucket to make it more interesting. How to make it your own: It doesn't just have to be a lollipop tree! You can stick cake pops in there, or any fun little dessert you think the person receiving it will enjoy. This gift involves a lot of freedom, and you can basically add whatever you want to it. Yesterday, my family and I visited Heider's Berry Farm in Woodstock, Illinois. They offer raspberry and strawberry picking June through September (or until the weather gets too cold), and their products aren't sprayed with chemicals. The second I popped one of the raspberries in my mouth, I let out a big sigh. They taste exactly like candy! For the next hour, I indulged in picking two cartons worth of fresh raspberries-- and maybe ate a whole one myself. One of the reasons I love fruit picking is because you know that everything you are taking is natural, and completely organic. You don't have to worry about what was added to it-- you know it's farm-to-table. Speaking of which, I have a strong belief that everyone should live close to where their food is coming from. Therefore, everything is more fresh. For example, if you eat something that is imported from a different state or country, it is more likely preservatives were added to make sure the food didn't spoil before reaching you. However, if it comes from a farm less than a hour's drive away, you know what you are purchasing doesn't have many (or any) additives or preservatives. Fruit-picking tips: >>> The good fruit are the ones on the backside of the next row over. These are the ones everyone tends to miss. I found lots of good berries this way! >>> When picking raspberries, take ones that look like they are ready to fall off. If one looks decent in color but is difficult to pull off, it doesn't taste as good as it looks!
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Jessica A.A high schooler with a love of food. See the My Story page to find out more. Archives
June 2021
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"Time to eat smart."
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Email me at jessica@timetothinkfoodsmart.com to let me know what you think!