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Low-fat mango smoothie (à la Panera)

July 26, 2011 by 7 Comments


A Panera Bread locations recently opened near my home in Forest Hills.  (It opened in Rego Park.)  Restaurants and shops are constantly popping up in my area, so that is nothing new.  However, I have constantly heard friends rave about Panera’s food and drinks.  I also thoroughly enjoyed a baking event that I attended with one of their chefs last year.  Anyway, I immediately went online to look at their menu to see if a visit would be worth my time.  After looking at the bakery and cafe menus, a trip is definitely in my near future.

While browsing around the Panera menu, I saw many things that I would buy – especially the baked goods since I only like to bake on special occasions.  However, there were several things on the menu that made me think, “Oh, that would be easy and less expensive to make at home.”  Their “Low-fat Mango Smoothie” falls in the latter category.  Right now, I’m obsessed with mangoes.  I have been having mango and orange juice smoothies for breakfast since Serena put smoothies in my head.  (I just blend together 1 cup of chopped mango, 1 cup of orange juice and 1 cup of ice until it reaches my desired consistency. That is enough for two smoothies.)

Mangoes are very plentiful and inexpensive during the summer, so it is less costly  to make my own mango smoothies at home.  (Right now, they are 99 cents per mango/50 cents per smoothie!)

Loving research the way that I do, I found this 2009 video of a Panera Bread representative making a low-fat strawberry smoothie:

(You can get the recipe on the abc7chicago.com site.)

I don’t really care for strawberry smoothies though, so here’s what I think would be included in their Low-fat Mango Smoothie…

Low-fat Mango Smoothie (à la Panera)
Yield: 1 -2 servings

Ingredients

1 cup of peeled, chopped mango
1 cup of  Stonyfield Farm organic, low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup of ice

Directions

1. Place the mango, ice and yogurt into the blender (in that order).

2. Put the top on the blender and mix the ingredients together for 10 – 15 seconds/until it reaches your desired consistency.

3. Pour the mixture in a cup and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

-This recipe actually makes (2) 1 cup servings, so it is enough to share with someone else.

-If you are lactose intolerant and/or just don’t like the taste of milk, you can substitute orange juice for the yogurt to get another version of a refreshing mango smoothie. (I actually prefer the orange juice version!)

Related Posts:

Triple berry, blueberry and watermelon summer smoothie recipes

Bread Pairings Courtesy of Panera Bread

Chocolate Babka (Courtesy of Panera Bread’s Tom Gumpel)

“Bread pudding is THE thing” – Tom Gumpel of Panera Bread

Filed Under: Smoothie Tagged With: ,

Bread Pairings Courtesy of Panera Bread

October 30, 2010 by 12 Comments

Along with tasting the various breads, I really enjoyed learning about bread pairings at the Panera Bread workshop this week. I took some good notes, but the handout that we received was much more thorough, so I’m sharing that with you below. Enjoy!

Find the Perfect Match for Your Favorite Bread

Whether entertaining guests or enjoying a nice meal at home with family, incorporating fresh bread is essential. In fact, like wine, bread can enhance the flavor of a meal.

Tom Gumpel, certified master baker and vice president of bakery development at Panera Bread, provides guidance on selecting the perfect bread accompaniment for your next meal.

“Certain types of bread work particularly well with various meats, spreads or cheeses,” notes Gumpel. “A high-quality bread can catapult any meal, from hors d’oeuvre to entrées, into an extraordinary one.”

BREAD TYPE
Cheese Breads
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Italian-style aged hard cheese mixed with sourdough for a zesty and slightly spicy flavor. Crust studded with caramelized pieces of cheese.
IDEAL MEAL PAIRINGS
• Grilled vegetables and meats
• Soups and stews
• Hardier style meals
• Accompany dips such as hummus, or fruit and cheese plates

BREAD TYPE
Focaccia
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Traditional Italian flat bread flavored with olive oil, rosemary and sea salt and occasionally, cheese. More
contemporary versions incorporate robust ingredients such as olives, sun dried tomatoes or pesto.
IDEAL MEAL PAIRINGS
• Pastas with tomato sauce
• Braised or grilled meats
• Sautéed seasoned vegetables
• Paninis
• Pairs well with a variety of Mediterranean cuisines

BREAD TYPE
French
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Thin, crispy crust with a light cottony crumb. Natural fermentation process yields a slightly sweet flavor. Perhaps the most versatile bread.
IDEAL MEAL PAIRINGS
• Pairs well with a variety of meals, soups and occasions
• Complements breakfast, lunch and dinner

BREAD TYPE
Rye
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
A full-bodied flavor with a thin, crisp crust and a crumb that is slightly darkened by the rye. Slightly acidic flavor due to prolonged fermentation.
IDEAL MEAL PAIRINGS
• Best paired with flavorful meats – braised, roasted, smoked or cured
• Ideal for Reubens or other sandwiches

BREAD TYPE
Sourdough
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Mahogany colored, rich, crackled crust and an exceptionally soft crumb with a distinctly sour flavor.
IDEAL MEAL PAIRINGS
• Grilled and roasted meats
• Vegetables and fresh greens with flavorful dressings
• Tangy complement to hearty meals

BREAD TYPE
Sweet/Fruit
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Sweet dough naturally flavored with brown sugar, honey or maple syrup. Often features fruit, spices and/or nuts.
IDEAL MEAL PAIRINGS
• Toasted at breakfast
• Perfect for morning toast, bread puddings or French toast

BREAD TYPE
Whole Grain
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
A dense, chewy loaf made with whole grain flours. Other grains, such as wheat and rye, are added whole or coarsely chopped to give the bread a hearty texture.
IDEAL MEAL PAIRINGS
• Breakfast toast or with egg dishes
• Great for sandwiches
• Hearty addition to any meal

As promised, I am giving one of you my $25 gift certificate to Panera Bread. Simply leave me a comment sharing your favorite bread type. I will pick a winner on November 15th…just in time to get some bread for Thanksgiving!

(Thanks to Jennifer for the invite to this wonderful workshop!)

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: ,

Chocolate Babka (Courtesy of Panera Bread’s Tom Gumpel)

October 28, 2010 by 1 Comment

As promised on the previous post, here is the video and recipe for Chocolate Pecan Babka. It is from Panera Bread’s Tom Gumpel who led the bread workshop that I attended earlier this week. Enjoy!


CHOCOLATE PECAN BABKA

Makes: 3-5 Babkas

Assembly time: Dough 20 minutes (not including rest times), fillings 15 minutes each

Final Babka: 15 minutes

Bake time: 25 -35 minutes

Dough Ingredients

5 oz unsalted butter (soft)
5 oz sugar
5 oz whole milk
5 oz water
5 oz whole eggs (That would be Eggland’s Best eggs for me this month!)
1 lb 13 oz bread flour
1 tblsp dry instant yeast
¼ oz salt

Chocolate Ganache Filling
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (finely chopped)
4 oz heavy cream
1 Tblsp corn syrup

Pecan Topping
1 lb pecans (coarsely chopped)

Egg Wash
1 egg
1Tbls milk
Pinch salt

Dough Instructions
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour with the instant dry yeast using a hand whisk.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all other ingredients. Place the flour mixture into bowl on top of other ingredients.

Turn the mixer on low speed and blend for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, scrap sides and bottom of bowl and turn mixer on medium speed and continue to mix for 8-10 minutes or until a smooth, homogenous dough is achieved.

Remove the dough from the mixer and place on a lightly flour table or board. Cover the dough with a cloth to prevent gaining a skin. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, divide the dough into 3-5 equally sized pieces. Round them carefully and place in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.

Ganache Instructions

Heat the heavy cream just until it reaches a boil. Shut off the heat and stir in the corn syrup.

Place the finely chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate.

Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Allow to reach room temperature before using as a spread.

Assembly

Remove the chilled dough pieces from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured table, pin out a piece of dough into a rectangle about the size of a note paper.

Spread about 4 T of chocolate ganache across the entire surface of the dough.

Take a handful of chopped pecans and cover the surface of the ganache evenly.

Starting from the top downward, begin rolling the babka piece into a cylinder –shape.

It should now be a cigar shape with the chocolate filling tucked inside.

Taking a sharp knife, cut down the middle of the cylinder pressing all the way to the table.

You will now have two halves of the cylinder separated.

Begin by twisting the two strands together into a simple braid.

Place babka onto a paper lined sheet pan.

Brush the babka carefully with egg wash and sprinkle pecans as a garnish.

Place in a warm area and allow to rise for two hours, brush again (carefully) with eggwash and place into a 350 degree F oven.

Bake for about 25-35 minutes or until evenly mahogany brown.

Serve warm or room temperature.

 

Filed Under: Dessert Tagged With: ,

“Bread pudding is THE thing” – Tom Gumpel of Panera Bread

October 27, 2010 by 4 Comments

Earlier today, I went to a workshop that was sponsored by Panera Bread. Beforehand, I liked bread well enough, but it wasn’t really my thing. Unlike “my guys” who are bread lovers, I could do with it or without it. I was really going for them. Oh my goodness…my perception of bread has been forever changed after sampling bread prepared by Tom Gumpel, the Vice President of bakery development for Panera Bread. The aroma of the breads – especially the bread pudding – was heavenly. I just wish that someone could come up with ‘scratch and sniff” technology for web photos and videos! Anyway, I enjoyed myself so much that I will be dedicating the posts for the next three days to the event. Today, I will share the video and recipe for bread pudding. On Friday, I will share the video and recipe for the chocolate babka. Lastly, I will write about bread pairings on Saturday. I will also be giving away the Panera gift card that I was gifted on the final post. Unfortunately, Panera won’t arrive in Manhattan until the next year/year and a half, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it now!

When Tom mentioned that the first recipe that he would be sharing was for bread pudding, I was pleasantly suprised. I knew that we would be making chocolate babka later so I wondered (to myself) why he chose to make two sweet breads. I thought that bread pudding was the familiar sweet dessert that I grew up with in Virginia. It turns out that there are many different types of bread pudding and the one that Tom prepared was a cheese one – Asiago Strata. In a word…yum! You can see for yourself in the video below and I am sharing the recipe afterwards so that you can make it for your family…

 

ASIAGO STRATA

Serves: 6-8 people

Assembly time: 10-15 minutes

Bake time: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sweetened/salted butter (soft)
1-1/2 cup milk
1 cup cream
3 whole eggs
pinch of salt
pinch of cracked black pepper
1 loaf (18 ounces) Panera’s Asiago Cheese bread (or your favorite loaf of bread)
1 cup Asiago cheese, shredded (or other cheese shredded)

Directions

Preparation: Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Brush the sides and bottom of 8” baking dish or casserole dish with softened butter.

Custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, salt and pepper and set aside.

Assembly

Cut the Asiago bread across the loaf in thin, even slices, approximately ¼ “thick. Start assembly of the strata by placing bread slices on the bottom of the dish until bottom is completely covered. Sprinkle shredded Asiago cheese as necessary on the bread slices to cover completely. Cover with another layer of bread slices and sprinkle cheese on top, again covering bread slices completely.

Continue to build the strata for as many layers as dish allows, then pour custard mixture over top of strata.

Cover the strata and refrigerate for 15 minutes, allowing the bread slices to soak in custard mixture.

Baking

Place the strata pan on a cookie sheet to catch any dripping of the custard. Set the strata in the center of the pre-heated oven and allow to bake for approximately 35- 45 minutes. The custard should gain a rich dark color and rise slightly from the pan (it will settle after removal from the oven). Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 15 minutes before unmolding.

Service

Carefully invert the strata by placing a 10” plate over the top of the pan and slowly flip the plate and pan over together. Place on the counter and allow the strata to fall from the pan onto the plate. If the strata does not release from the pan, cut around the sides of the pan and try to invert again.

Serve hot or warm as an accompaniment with meat and vegetables to fill out the meal.
(Recipe courtesy of Panera Bread)

 

Filed Under: Breakfast Tagged With: , ,