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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2015 n GOURMET NEWS N H 4 6 N Pereg Gourmet Pops into the Breakfast Aisle with Quinoa Cereal Pereg Gourmet, a family-owned company spe- cializing in 100 percent natural and premium ancient grains, is embracing the breakfast cat- egory with a delicious, new popped cereal called Quinoa Pops. Joining Pereg Gourmet's lineup of premium quinoa products and quinoa dinner mixes, the new cereal provides a fun- loving makeover to this extremely versatile, nutritional powerhouse ancient grain. Available in original, vanilla, strawberry and cocoa, Quinoa Pops are certified gluten- free, OU kosher, and are a perfect complement to vegetarian and paleo diets. A healthier alter- native to puffed rice or corn cereal, Quinoa Pops are only 100 calories per serving, contain no cholesterol, and are low in sodium and sugar. Every bite offers a delicately sweet fla- vor, delicious airy texture and playful crunch. Try adding toppings like raisins, bananas or berries and combine with almond milk for a well-rounded morning meal. In addition to breakfast, Quinoa Pops also make a fun anytime-of-day snack. Made by pop- ping whole grain quinoa under high pressure and a bit of heat (like popcorn), the popped quinoa is then combined with a taste of sugar and natural flavorings to create a delightfully pure and yummy treat. Simply grab a handful to munch on, add to your favorite trail mix recipe, or sprin- kle them into yogurt. The Quinoa Pops also work as a great topping for oatmeal and ice cream. Pereg Gourmet does in-house testing on every gluten-free production and has a food safety program set up to prevent allergen contamination through proper cleaning of machinery. The Gluten Free Labs certifica- tion, reflected in the seal shown on the pack- aging, is a third-party service that tests the company's facility. Pereg Gourmet's Quinoa Pops are available for purchase at select retailers across the coun- try and online at www.pereg-gourmet.com. Family owned since 1906, Pereg Gourmet strives to provide its customers with the best spices and grains the world has to offer. The company produces more than 60 varieties of spices, spice blends and herbs, along with fla- vored grain mixes, gluten-free quinoa pastas, couscous, basmati rice, spreads, a new lineup of ancient grains and beans, and quinoa popped cereal. All of the brand's offerings are 100 percent pure, fresh and natural and never include any additives, preservatives, fillers, MSG or food coloring. In addition, every product is OU Kosher certified, and many are Non-GMO Project verified and gluten-free certified. The Pereg family believes food should provide comfort and connect people to family, culture, community and the planet. Visit www.pereg-gourmet.com for more information. Discover the Wisdom of Ancient Grains and Start New, Delicious Traditions with truRoots Where are your roots? truRoots ® believes that following ancient wisdom will always lead to rewarding relationships and valuable connections. Relationships between family and friends, relationships between farmers and the earth, and relationships between quality products and delicious meals will al- ways be improved with an added measure of ancient wisdom. A leader in the whole grains and sprouted foods categories, truRoots brand allows one to experience the world through a wide vari- ety of organic, gluten-free and Non-GMO Project Verified products. truRoots Originals line: Features the high- est quality organic and sprouted grains that are harvested by traditional farmers using certified organic standards and time-honored practices. Varieties include: Quinoa, Sprouted Quinoa, Germinated Brown Rice, Sprouted Mung Beans, Sprouted Green Lentils and Chia Seeds. truRoots Accents ® : Masterful mix of sprouted grains, purposefully combined to not only create pleasing colors and tastes, but also for nutrition. Varieties include: Sprouted Quinoa Trio, Sprouted Lentil Trio and Sprouted Rice Trio. truRoots Ancient Grain Pastas: Combine quinoa and amaranth, an Aztec supergrain, with whole grain brown rice and whole grain corn into unique, gluten-free Elbows, Fusilli, Penne and Spaghetti varieties. This combi- nation keeps a firm "al dente" texture after cooking, and for delicious pasta dishes. truRoots Pilafs: Come in five delicious and adventurous flavors such as Mediter- ranean Vegetable, Curry Rice and Coconut Lemongrass. Made with whole and sprouted grains, these items are convenient and fla- vorful additions to any meal. About truRoots Based in San Francisco, and recently acquired by The J.M. Smucker Comany, truRoots is dedicated to creating a connection between healthy meals and healthy land. The brand is committed to providing the highest quality, au- thentic and organic grains and beans. truRoots encourages nutritious eating and sustainable agriculture while maintaining personal con- nections with farmers, producers and customers around the world. Visit www.tru- Roots.com for additional information. For more information on truRoots, samples or images please contact Ben Heinemann at 303.449.2108, ext. 23. Le Gruyère AOP Continues Down the Road to Excellence Gruyère AOP celebrated its members, and especially its cheese makers, in a formal cer- emony in Marin, Switzerland in mid-No- vember. The cheese makers with the best qualitative averages of production over a span of five years were honored. The strict qualitative criteria are: the presence of open- ings, the quality and structure of the paste, its outer appearance and, of course, its flavor. All cheese makers whose production av- eraged more than 19 points (out of a possible 20) during this five year span were invited to receive a diploma or a bronze, silver or gold medal. Of the 170 village cheese dairies, 40 received a distinction. As for the 53 Gruyère d'Alpage AOP producers, 14 will receive a distinction. The cheese dairy of Le Crêt, led by Mr. Jean-Marie Dunand, achieved the best aver- age with 19.62 of 20 possible points. As for the Gruyère d'Alpage AOP, the Alp Bren- leires, run by the Esseiva family, is rewarded with an average of 19.82 of 20 points. Awards such as these serve to highlight the excellent overall quality of the Interprofes- sion du Gruyère members. It is important to stress that the work done on a daily basis by the everyone involved – the milk producers, the cheese makers and the refiners – brings these beautifully crafted Gruyère AOP products to market. The "Interprofession" approach serves three primary purposes: dictates that those involved in the production maintain a con- stant attention to the quality of the process; provides a solid base of education and con- tinued training; and defends the name Gruyère and all trademarks at the national and international level. It is indeed funda- mental that everybody's efforts are not de- stroyed by usurpers of all kinds. It is also worth noting that the Parmigiano- Reggiano International Prize was awarded to the Interprofession du Gruyère at the end of October for its defense of the trademark in the American market. This is the first time that another cheese has won the prestigious "Premio Internazionale Parmigiano-Reg- giano" award, and further goes to show the overall excellence of the Interprofession ap- proach. Le Gruyère AOP deserves its place atop the market, but this would not be possible if the quality is not guaranteed. This quality guarantee is what the Interprofession du Gruyère honored at the Marin ceremony. For more information, visit gruyere.com. The Healing Tree Launches Herbal Air and Bamboo Air While The Healing Tree normally specializes in natural relief products, it is no stranger to the herb business. Besides wholesale opera- tions, The Healing Tree's Apothecary & Tea Bar is filled with tea and herbs that are symp- tom-specific for a wide range of health is- sues. With tremendous success with walk-in customers who have used herbs to improve their health, the company is now launching a new product that contains both herbs and essential oils. The need arose from news ar- ticles that surfaced regarding harmful chem- icals found in brand name odor-eliminator sprays that were harmful to people's lungs. Thus was born the Herbal Air™ Natural Odor Eliminator, a spray that uses only 100 percent herbs and essential oils. Ingredients include herbal extracts of guava leaf, pomelo peel, Indian cork flower and aloeswood. "While on a trip to Thailand last year, we came upon a new product that won the prestigious OTOP Award in that country. Discovering the long-term dangers from many of the reports stated that most of the current sprays on the market do not even absorb the odor, but instead mask it using powerful chemicals that are hidden from the ingredients list. According to the EPA, air freshener contains four basic ingredi- ents: formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, aerosol propellants and p-dichloroben- zene. These combined chemicals can cause a number of health effects including nausea, asthma, chemical pneumonia, pul- monary damage, increased cancer risk, anemia, skin lesions, liver damage and much more. Many of them also contain 'fragrance' in the form of perfumed chemicals. We see the long-term harmful effects of how these low cost, dangerous ingredients are weakening people's immune systems, and we want to change the industry," said Joe Lam, Marketing Director for The Healing Tree. The Healing Tree's second new product launch is made from bamboo charcoal granules and is called the Bamboo Air™ Natural Purifying Bag. Bamboo charcoal goes through a carbonization process from being fired in a kiln at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit for two weeks, and, as a result, it becomes highly absorbent of odors, tox- ins and moisture. By placing bamboo char- coal in bags, it absorbs impurities in the environment to help keep the room fresh. While this product doesn't immediately eliminate odors like the Herbal Air, leaving the bag in an enclosed indoor space will help you breathe easier, re- duce mold and mildew and help absorb harmful chemi- cals. "The great thing is, you can renew it in sunlight every month to release the odors and toxins it has absorbed back into the environ- ment so it's like new again," said Lam. The Healing Tree is a four times award- winning company that's family owned and operated since 2004. The Healing Tree offers a wide variety of natural wellness products made from bamboo charcoal, such as joint supports, personal care, women's apparel and pet products. Visit The Healing Tree during Natural Prod- ucts Expo West in booth #4337. Learn more at www.healingtreeproducts.com.

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