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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Super Bowl Recipes~ #1 Jorge's Queso Fundido Authentico with Chorizo and Poblano Peppers



Super Bowl XLVII, this year's largest sports event in The United States, and perhaps the whole of North America shall commence on February 3rd, 2013. It shall be broadcast throughout the world, and it shall have millions upon millions of views. But to watch this display of American Football, you will need dishes to eat while you watch the game itself.

And for these dishes, you will need recipes. We at All Natural Food Zone have a bevy of recipes we are ready to share with you that will be perfect accompaniments to the big game. The first of these recipes, Jorge's Queso Fundido Authentico with Chorizo and Poblano Peppers. This recipe is a classic recipe, and is a favorite of George and the blog, and anyone who tries it. This delicious dip is an instant classic, and is perfect for any occasion; though especially when the Super Bowl happens. This dip is thick, smoky, spicy, and extra cheesy. Using a authentic Mexican recipe created by George, this is an authentic, delicious gem of a dip. Perfect for a party, this is delicious served with tortilla chips, crusty bread, pita chips, crackers, and more. Below is the recipe for this delicious dip:

Ingredients

USA

• 2 poblano peppers, (you may use jarred poblano peppers, if you are short on time)
• 1/2 pound(s) Mexican pork chorizo (such as Niman Ranch, this is the brand we use) casings removed
• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil preferably organic or fair trade
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced, preferably organic
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, preferably organic
• 2 organic plum tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup(s) organic all-purpose flour
• 1cup(s) pale Mexican beer, such as Corona, or Tecate
• 1/2 pound(s) sharp Cheddar (such as Cabot, brand we use), grated (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 pound(s) Monterey Jack, grated (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1/4 pound(s) mozzarella, grated (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro
• Tortilla chips (such as Kettle Brand TIAS, The Better Chip, Food Should Taste Good, or Way Better Snacks.), for serving.

Metric

2 poblano peppers (you may use jarred poblano peppers, if you are short on time)
227 grams pork chorizo, casings removed
15 mls olive oil, preferably organic and/or fair trade
1 small yellow onion, finely diced, preferably organic
2 cloves garlic, minced, preferably organic
2 plum tomatoes, diced, preferable organic
60 mls organic all-purpose flour
240 mls pale Mexican beer, such as Corona, or Tecate
227 grams sharp Cheddar (such as Cabot), grated (about 2 1/4 cups)
227 grams Monterey Jack, grated (about 2 1/4 cups)
113 grams mozzarella, grated (about 1 cup)
30 mls chopped fresh cilantro
Tortilla chips (such as Kettle Brand TIAS, The Better Chip, Food Should Taste Goodor Way Better Snacks.), for serving.

Directions

1• Roast poblanos directly under broiler or over an open flame, turning frequently until blistered and blackened on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for 15 minutes to steam. When cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to peel off skin. Cut off stem ends and remove seeds. Chop peppers into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. (If using jarred poblano peppers, only chop peppers, remove seeds, peel off skin, and cut off stem ends. Ignore rest of step 1.)

2• In a large pot over medium heat, cook chorizo, breaking it up as it cooks, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. In same pot, add oil, onion, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add reserved poblanos and plum tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of tomato juices have evaporated, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over tomato mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Stir in pale Mexican beer and increase heat to medium-high, stirring occasionally until mixture reaches a boil.

3• Reduce heat to low and whisk in cheeses, 1 cup at a time, until mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small fondue pot, or slow cooker set on low. Sprinkle with reserved chorizo and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips, or crusty bread, or pita chips, or crackers, or whatever you choose.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Food Review #40 CLIF Kid ZFruit Sour Apple





As we previously promised, the CLIF Bar review saga has not ended yet!

As you probably know, we recently reviews CLIF's Kid ZFruit Rope Fruit Punch we gave it a very satisfactory rating of 10 out of 10. This gave us high hopes for this product, and we were ecstatic when we discovered this at our local natural food store. It sounded delicious, but would it be?

In case if you didn't read our last review, here is some information of the CLIF Kid ZFruit line. A healthier alternative to it's unnatural, and non-organic competitors; the CLIF Kid ZFruit Rope Sour Apple has a full serving of fruit per rope. It also contains no processed, or added sugar, and is gluten-free.

Ths product is situated in a convenient package, available in single-packs or packs of twelve. Each piece is small enough to fit into a lunch box easily, and even into a pocket or purse. This is a very affordable product, with one of the "ropes" going for around $0.99, and are often on sale for around $0.50. You can purchase a pack of twelve for a few dollars.

It is highly uncommon to see "sour" or "green" apple products, other than the fruits themselves. Granny smith apples are one of my favorite fruits, and they often times very unappreciated fruit. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to try this product, and why it drew my attention.

So, let's see how this attention-grabbing product tastes!

This product has fun, and colorful packaging. It is simple, and easy to open. I like the fact that you are able to view the actual product through a transparent area on the front of the package. As my hands gripped the top of the package, and opened it; I smelled an intense, yet realistic and natural-smelling smell of green apples. This aroma wafted through the air, and enticed me even further. As I tasted the product, I hoped it would taste like the aroma, or perhaps even better.

It did, a bit.

When I first tasted this product, I discovered that it had a nice consistency, quite similar to the consistency of the previous CLIF Kid ZFruit Rope product I had tried, Fruit Punch. It was shaped in a very unique, interesting, quirky, and cute rope shape(similar to some licorice). The taste however, wasn't exactly like a green apple. It was more tart, more sour than a green apple. It was more of a sour apple, like the flavor is called. I had expected a green apple flavor, but this truly was a sour apple flavor.

This disappointed me, however it still was a very good product, and still was very delicious. I still liked the flavor, and this product. This sour apple flavor was even more unique than the green apple flavor. This flavor is very delicious, and has a natural, tart flavor; so tart, it made my mouth pucker. This was quite good, I thought to myself.

This has a distinct flavor of apple, and the tartness contrasts nicely with the apple. Is this my favorite CLIF Bar product? No. Is this my favorite CLIF Kid ZFruit product? So far, fruit punch is my favorite, so no.

Despite this, this is a delicious product. It may not be my favorite, but I would buy it again, and again. It is a unique product, and I have never tasted anything like it. Though it's flavor is not the same as a green apple, it is still natural tasting, and is still good.

Overall, the CLIF Kid ZFruit Sour Apple gets a 9 out of 10! I would highly recommend this product, and it is a great product! I love it, kids love it, and I think you will love it. It is the perfect size to fit into a purse, backpack, lunchbox, tote bag, or pocket. It is extremely portable, and extremely affordable. It is certified Organic by the USDA.

This is a delicious product, and you can find these at stores across the US, Canada, and in some stores in the UK, and other nations. You can purchase them off of Amazon, or off of CLIF's online store.

Stay tuned for in the coming days, as the CLIF review saga shall come to an end soon. There are only two CLIF reviews left, and then we shall move on to reviewing other things. Keep coming back to, and keep reading All Natural Food Zone for unbiased and reliable reviews, that you can trust!




Food Review #39 CLIF Kid ZFruit Rope Fruit Punch





Our newest CLIF review, Food Review #39 CLIF Kid ZFruit Rope Fruit Punch. This product caught my interest from the get-go, and this is why I have decided to review it here. How does it fare? Let's find out.

A healthier alternative to it's unnatural, and non-organic competitors; the CLIF Kid ZFruit Rope Fruit Punch has a full serving of fruit per rope. It also contains no processed, or added sugar, and is gluten-free.

Ths product is situated in a convenient package, available in single-packs or packs of twelve. Each piece is small enough to fit into a lunch box easily, and even into a pocket or purse.

Though it is small on the outside, don't let that fool you, this has big flavor on the inside. When I first opened the package, I was hit with an intense smell of fruit; a medley of fruit from apples and pears, to grapes and cherries. This smells very delicious, just like your classic fruit punch. But the question is, will it taste?

When you first bite into this product, you can tell that it has a nice consistency. It isn't gummy, though it isn't leathery. It is a happy medium between the two. It tastes very much like it smells, with an intense, natural-tasting flavor of a medley of fruits.

I will be honest, this is one of the most delicious products by CLIF Bar that I have tasted, and is definitely in the top three of my favorite products by them. I loved it, I even had a kid try it, and he liked it. I think that not only kids will like this, but adults, and the entire family will like this.

This is a very affordable product, with one of the "ropes" going for around $0.99, and are often n sale for around $0.50. You can purchase a pack of twelve for a few dollars.

Overall, the CLIF Kid ZFruit Rope Fruit Punch gets a 10 out of 10! This is a delicious, all-natural, organic, and gluten-free alternative to other similar snacks. And I must let it be known, that this has no HFCS! I highly recommend this product, and I will be eating this for years to come. If you are looking for a nice, fruit-snack alternative, this is a good option. The CLIF saga is not over yet, there are several other CLIF reviews at will be out in the coming days. Keep coming back to, and keep reading All Natural Food Zone for unbiased and reliable reviews, that you can trust!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Food Review #38 CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Chip



The latest addition to our series of reviews, CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Chip. How will this, our 38th food review, fare? Let's find out.

Many energy bars try to duplicate the flavor of chocolate chip cookies, most of them fail at their attempts. So, this lowered my expectations for this product greatly, but was I in for a surprise upon tasting the product.

The CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Chip looks similar to a chocolate chip cookie bar on the outside. You can spot the bevy of chocolate chips poking through the surface, as well as the oats that help give this product further nutritional value. It smells quite similar to an actual chocolate chip cookie, and upon tasting it; it tastes like one too.

It has a nice, chewy texture, and has tastes similar to an actual chocolate chip cookie. Judging from my experience, is seems as if CLIF Bar does a pretty good job duplicating the flavor of classic treats such as, Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Brownie, and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Overall, the CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Chip receives a score of 10!

I highly recommend this product, and it is my third favorite CLIF Kid Z Bar product so far. This is a delicious, organic, and affordable product.

The CLIF Bar review saga is not finished yet! Check in here in the coming days to see further reviews of their products!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Food Review #37 CLIF Kid Z Bar Iced Oatmeal Cookie





As I previously promised, this is the second of the CLIF Bar reviews to come. If you read the my last review of CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Brownie, then you know that it received a 10 in our reviewing scale from 1-10.

But will our 37th food review; the CLIF Kid Z Bar Iced Oatmeal bar be as good or even better than the Chocolate Brownie variety? Let's find out.

I expected for this bar to contain raisins, as many oatmeal cookies do, this made me believe that this product would be inferior to the CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Brownie energy bar. I personally do not like raisins, and many people either love them, or hate them. I hate them.

When I opened the package, I thought I was seeing things; I did not spot any raisins. This product is drizzled with a white, likely vanilla frosting on top. This adds a sweet accent to this bar, and is a unique and delicious touch.

This bar has an authentic, oatmeal cookie flavor. It has a strong oat flavor, and the frosting's sweetness accents it well. But, I notice another unexpected touch. White chocolate chips, this unexpected surprise also adds to the sweetness, and adds a unique flavor to this bar. It still tastes very similar to a real oatmeal cookie.

As with the rest of the CLIF Z Bar line, the CLIF Z Bar Iced Oatmeal Cookie bar is certified organic by the USDA.

The frosting and white chocolate chips accentuate the oats in this bar well, and it is a delicious product. It went beyond my wildest hopes, and for that it gets this score. Overall, the CLIF Kid Z Bar Iced Oatmeal Cookie bar gets a 10!

This product truly surprised me, and while it may not be my absolute favorite CLIF Bar product, it is one of my favorites. This is a delicious product, and I highly recommend it. Oat lovers, this is a perfect product for you, and I even more highly recommend to you.

Alas, this is not the last of our CLIF reviews, and there will be several more products of their's reviewed in the coming days. Check back here often to see how they fared, and if they will fare as good as these did.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Food Review #36 CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Brownie



Ah, an energy bar review. We all knew that this was bound to happen. I have had some bad experiences with these products. Many have dreadful under-tastes, awful textures, and are not good. So I was quite skeptical with the 36th food review, CLIF Z Bar Chocolate Brownie.

When I first opened the package, I am hit with a whiff of chocolate aroma. I glance at the product, and the energy bar does look very similar to an actual chocolate brownie, but will it truly taste like it looks?

In short, yes it does, in fact it may taste better than it looks. When I taste this product, it does taste very authentic, and very similar to an actual brownie. It has a nice, chewy texture. There is some chocolate frosting drizzled on the top, which adds a nice touch. It also adds to the authenticity of the product.

The CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Brownie product is certified USDA Organic, as is the rest of CLIF Kid Z Bar line. This product is also made from whole grains, which is another plus for this wonderful product.

Overall, CLIF Kid Z Bar Chocolate Brownie gets a 10! This will be a go-to for me for years to come, and I highly recommend this product.

I must admit, I was quite surprised with this product, it was quite delicious, and tasted much like a real chocolate brownie. Soon, reviews of other CLIF products shall be posted, and will they be as satisfactory as this one?

Stay tuned.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Food Review #35 Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk




The latest saga in this site's odyssey of Ben & Jerry's reviews, New York Super Fudge Chunk seemed interesting enough when I spotted it in the ice cream aisle of my local natural food store. The question is though, will it the actual product be as good on the inside as the description on the package?

When you open this ice cream, large chunks of white and dark fudge greet you, poking out of the surface. These chunks taste as good as they look, and are similar in taste to homemade fudge. Next to the white and dark fudge chunks are the nuts; the bevy of fudge covered pecans, walnuts, and almonds.

These fudge-covered nuts are generously coated in a fudge coating, this coating accents the natural flavor of the nuts perfectly, though does not overpower the nuts. You can still taste the delicious, fudge-coated almonds, pecans, and walnuts.

These are all contained in Ben & Jerry's rich, and delicious chocolate ice cream. This creamy ice cream goes perfectly with the fudge covered nuts, and white and dark fudge chunks. This ice cream is rich, delicious, very nutty, and very chocolatey.

Overall, Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk, our #35 food review gets a 10! I highly recommend this product, and it is now one of my favorite products from Ben & Jerry's.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Food Review #34 Ben & Jerry's Key Lime Pie

Oh, Ben & Jerry's. If you have been a regular reader of this site, you would know of my love affair with both the brand, and it's products. We have had reviewed many of their products before, and all of our reviews of their
have been satisfactory so far, will this one be any different?

Let's find out.

When you first open the pint, you are hit with a whiff of key limes, and an almost key lime pie-like aroma. The ice cream is a solid pale lime green, with hefty portions of pie crust and meringue swirls, and of the tangy lime twist. The pie crust swirl has a flaky, buttery flavor that provides an authentic key lime pie experience. The meringue swirl makes it a bit lighter, and provides a nicer texture to the ice cream.

This flavor is rich, and very flavorful. It is rich, and is a unique flavor, I have never had any other flavor of ice cream that compares to this. The closest thing I could compare it to would be real key lime pie. This tastes like that classic key lime pie, in an ice cream form.

This flavor is a delicious variety of ice cream, and is one of my favorites. It is a limited batch, and they only make so much a year. While, this is not my absolute favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor, this is one of my favorites, and I recommend for you to get some before it runs out for the season.

Overall, I give Ben & Jerry's Key Lime Pie a 10! I recommend stockpiling some of this delicious flavor for the season, so you don't have to wait until it comes back! I highly recommend this product!