There's a lot of things out there that are pretty random, and alot of them can find their ways into our
mouths. Just because something isn't that easy to categorize doesn't mean that we can't make
smart choices about whether or not it has a place in our diet. Read on, and see what I think about
things that might not be easy to place, but are still easy to fit into a way of eating.
Chef David Burke's Flavor Sprays: 3 stars.
I saw these products being discussed on 3FatChicks.com, and curiosity got the better of me. I decided
to try four of his flavours; Ranch, Buttery, Teriyaki, and Marshmallow. Then, I had myself a flavor-spray meal.
Here were the results:
5 ounces frozen green peas, cooked plain in microwave, no water or salt added.
Divided into 2 piles on plate, 1 portion sprayed with 2 sprays butter flavor, other sprayed
with 2 sprays ranch
butter-- not very noticeable, not much smell. Little if any salt taste.
1 spray on finger, light but artificial buttery flavor (no surprise there), moderate salt. Light intensity
ranch-- some herbal and dairy notes, very faint, but definitely different than plain peas.
Very light salt. Smelled like ranch dressing. medium strong intensity
1 spray on finger, medium salt, surprisingly sour, though not unpleasant. Some "ranch" flavor.
1 6 oz tilapia fillet, cooked in cast iron pan w/approx 1 tsp. crisco, no seasonings added.
Plated, then sprayed with 4 sprays teriyaki flavor.
4 sprays... couldn't taste
1 spray on finger to sample, pleasantly sweet and balanced teriyaki flavor, med-light intensity
4 more sprays on fish, light, pleasant teriyaki, very nice flavor
Marshmallow
1 spray on finger. sweet, defiantly "marshmallow", medium intensity, strong marshmallow smell
2 sprays onto approx. 3 ounces of fat free cottage cheese-- Definite marshmallow smell. Very light, sweetened tasted.
Conclusions: I should point out that I have sinus problems, I tend to be pretty bad at tasting subtle flavours.
The bottles and website recommend 1 or 2 sprays to flavor foods, but for me that simply wasn't
enough. The fact that I didn't salt my food beforehand might also be a factor, the sprays
were going onto some pretty bland foods that demanded a fair amount of seasonings. I think that
the flavors of the sprays might be more pronounced if the food is preseaoned with a reasonable amount of salt.
All in all the sprays taste good, in particular the teriyaki flavor. But I had to use alot more
than recommended to get enough flavor to be able to enjoy it.
But even so, I think it might be worth it. The chef claims there are
about 400 sprays worth of product in each bottle, and I have no reason to disbelieve that. Even
accounting that it takes 8 sprays to flavor 6 ounces of fish, that comes to 50 servings per bottle.
With shipping, each bottle comes to about 6 or 7 dollars. That doesn't seem like an outrageous
price to pay, to me. It is very easy to use, has a nice flavor, and does save some calories over
the more traditional sauce (I had been using Kikkoman's Teriyaki Baste&Glaze, which claims 50 calories per
2 tablespoon serving).
These sprays might not be to everyone's liking, but I think that I will by
buying them again, especially the Teriyaki, and I am tempted to try some of his other savory flavours as well
(I'm just not as into the sweet stuff, not because I was overly disappointed with the marshmallow).
Citrucel Fibershake (chocolate): 5 stars.
It's a bit embarrassing to say this, but I often have to deal with the bother that
is constipation. Even more so since I've been dieting, even though I've upped my fiber intake quite
a bit. I suspect that maybe I'm not eating as much fat as I used to lube up the in old insides.
I was a bit skeptical when I saw this product. Chocolate fiber shake you say? And sugar
free to boot? I was expecting it to be gag city. But I am always looking for ways to
help with the regularity problems I have, so I gave it a go. I mixed a scoop in with a cup of skim
milk, and gave it a whirl with my hand held blender. I was almost stunned at how good it tasted!
Thick and creamy, it felt entirely more indulgent than the calorie count (50 per scoop) would
suggest. I would give this product 5 stars just for the taste and texture alone. The
fact that it might actually deliver something useful in terms of fiber kinda makes me want to award it a bonus
star just because. If they stop making this stuff, I think I might cry.
Slim Fast Shakes (various flavors): 2 Stars.
There is something appealing in the idea of getting a balanced meal from a can that
will help one lose weight. It's quick, it's easy, and if it worked, it would be wonderful!
Problem is, it never worked for me. I tried it for several months, back when Slim Fast's motto seemed
to be "One for breakfast, one for lunch, and a sensible dinner". For me, this just didn't work.
I was famished all the time, cranky and tired, and I never lost more than a couple of pounds.
The shakes didn't taste all that good either, with a strong, weird, vitamin taste that lingered in my mouth.
I do know of some people that have had some good results using these products, at least in the short
run. But for those of us who have a very serious amount of weight to lose, there are much better
ways to do it.
