"eating well" news and stories

EatingWell magazine ran a feature article about Niman Ranch, which works with a network of family farmers that adhere to strict standards to produce high quality beef, pork and lamb. Their guidelines include treating animals humanely, feeding them all-natural feeds, and allowing them to mature naturally, rather than in an unnatural, forced way. Niman Ranch is often regarded as an excellent example of a company that goes above and beyond the bare minimum standards set by the USDA for "natural" meat production. In addition to Niman Ranch, EatingWell included a list of other companies that pride themselves on the quality of their meats and the treatment of the animals in their care. Check out their whole list for more information on the individual companies, but the brands whose cuts made the cut are:

• Coleman Natural Foods
• Dakota Beef 
• Laura's Lean Beef
• Maverick Ranch Natural Meats
• Niman Ranch 
• U.S. Wellness Meats 

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Chocolate and hazelnut is a nearly-unbeatable combination and among the most popular in the world of confectionery. It seems only natural to combine the flavors in other things, like spreading Nutella on toast, adding hazelnut syrup to a Starbucks mocha or baking a cake. Jessica, at Su Good Eats, tested not one but three different cakes using a hazelnut and chocolate flavor combination in a quest to come up with the best one. Not only are they delicious, but they are also lower in fat than your average cake - quite a feat considering that nuts are rather high in fat, even if it is the heart-healthy kind. Her favorite of the cakes was the above-pictured version of Nigella Lawson's Nutella Cake, which she describes as being almost like a solid slab of nutella: rich, smooth and flavorful. It is definitely the perfect cake to make for a special occasion or on a day when you are feeling just a bit decadent.

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