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Chia Seeds Harvest

By Kristen | June 19, 2020 Chia Seeds are nutritional powerhouses that, given the right climate, you can grow at home! A Long Growing Season Chia plants, part of the mint family, are native to Mexico and Central America. They prefer tropical and subtropical climates, although modern crop management has extended their reach to the…

How to incorporate Chia Seeds into Your Diet

By Kristen | June 12, 2020 Looking to boost your nutrition? Look no further than chia seeds. Chia seeds are considered a superfood giving the nutritional punch they pack for their (tiny!) size. Unlike many other seeds, chia seeds do not need to be ground before eating to unleash their nutritional benefits. Chia seeds are…

How to Store Vanilla Beans

By Kristie | June 10, 2020 People who keep vanilla beans at home have immaculate taste. (Alright, we may be a little biased.) But if you’re one of them, you’re probably no stranger to the cost of quality vanilla beans — they’re a precious commodity. Every bean counts because losing even one to dryness or…

Benefits, Nutrition, and Servings for Flax

By Kristen | June 5, 2020 Credit 2020: Martha Dol. Adding flax seeds to your diet is a wonderful way to boost your nutrition. Just one tablespoon of flaxseed per day offers proven health benefits. Each tablespoon serving of whole flax seeds contains*: 54 calories 1.9 grams (g) protein 3 g carbohydrate 4.3 g fat…

Vanilla Pods, Extract, Powder, or Paste: Which is Best?

By Kristie | May 29, 2020 As a baker, you want to know which form of vanilla is best for your bakes. When you go to the supermarket or even your local farmer’s market, you can expect to find up to 4 different kinds of vanilla products: whole pods, liquid extract, powder, and paste. Ever…

How to Soften Poppy Seeds

By Kristen | May 29, 2020 The Difference Between Nuts and Seeds A sprinkling of nuts or seeds added to almost any dish boosts flavor, texture, and nutrition. Technically, nuts are the fruits of trees. But everything we call a nut is not technically a nut. For instance, peanuts are legumes and pine nuts are…

5 Ways to Use Vanilla Outside of Food

By Kristie | May 28, 2020 We all know that vanilla tastes delicious. In cookies, cakes, ice cream… the list goes on. (Especially if we “accidentally” add in a little extra.) But food isn’t the only place that’s perfect for vanilla. Do you want your house to smell delicious, even when you haven’t been baking?…

Know Your Vanilla Beans: Grading, Species, Country of Origin

By Kristie | May 22, 2020 If you’ve ever gone shopping for vanilla beans, you may have had to choose between a variety of labels: Grade A, Grade B, Madagascar, Bourbon, Mexican… the list goes on. You’d be right to be confused — it’s a lot to take in! Here we’re going to break down…

Baking with Flax Seeds

By Kristen | Updated December 3, 2024 I first began baking with flax years ago, when I had a customer request vegan baked goods. In order to make my recipes vegan, I would have to find substitutes for butter (not difficult, oil works) and eggs (a bit more tricky). I did some research and quickly…

Winnowing: Separating Plant Matter from your Poppy Seeds

By Kristen | May 15th, 2020 Sometimes, when seeds are harvested, bits and pieces of the plant stem, seedpod, or husks can get caught up in the process. What should you do if you find plant matter in your poppy seeds? Turn to a process called winnowing, which is a seed cleaning technique. Winnowing Process…