There are, by my count, at least seven levels of fried chicken. The worst of them is good; the best, which I waited forty-four years to find, led to what can only be called an out-of-body experience. Let’s start at …
Food Coloring Alternatives
Artificial food coloring is made from things such as tar derivatives, petrochemicals and hydrocarbons; these ingredients not only have no nutritional value or benefit to your health, they have been the focus of several studies by concerned medical professionals. The result of some of the studies done by scientists has revealed that artificial food coloring may be linked to many health and behavioral problems. Add this to my Recipe Box.
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Natural Food Coloring
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Due to the popularity of using natural ingredients as food coloring, several companies have taken up the challenge and created food coloring that is based in fruits, vegetables and/or spices. These types of food coloring are rich in nutritious compounds that are beneficial for a healthy, balanced diet. One such company is India Tree. India Tree sells all natural decorating colors that are made from vegetables and come in concentrated liquid form. You can find colors ranging from soft pastels to bright jewel tones. India Tree products are available online or in retail stores across the United States.
India Tree
800-369-4848
indiatree.com
Spices
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For a different do-it-yourself option, you can make your own natural food dyes at home. To make dyes out of spices, boil the particular spice until the spice has colored the boiling water, then boil until you have reached the desired depth of color. After you have achieved your desired color, strain the remaining solid pieces out of the liquid and allow to cool. If you are dying eggs, you can add a few tablespoons of white vinegar to the liquid. If you are dying food, skip this step. For red dye try using saffron, for brown, chili powder and for yellow hues use turmeric or ground cumin.
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Fruits and Vegetables
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For an easy way to make healthy food coloring, use fruits and vegetables. To make your dye, choose your fruit or vegetable and place in boiling water, allowing it to boil until the water has been dyed. Remove water from heat and strain out the remaining solid pieces of fruit or vegetable and allow the liquid to cool. Some berries like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries do not need to be boiled, only pureed, before dying. For reds and pinks use beets, raspberries or cranberries. Yellow apple peels or orange peels will warrant you yellow hues, while green tea or spinach leaves will make green dyes. For blue dye, use pureed blueberries or blackberries or red cabbage leaves. You can use coffee, walnut shells or yellow onion skins for brown dyes.
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References
- Photo Credit colored eggs image by citylights from Fotolia.com
