Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/948609
Kitchenware News & Housewares Review Show Daily 4 3 Monday, March 12, 2018 Hilary's Introduces Culinary-Inspired Millet Medleys at Expo East Hilary's, which makes foods from real ingredients that are free from common allergens, has introduced Millet Medleys, a new line that offers a fla- vorful and clean twist on traditional rice pilaf, packaged in convenient microwaveable pouches. On display at Natural Products Expo East in September, Hilary's Millet Medleys come in four versatile and savory fla- vors: Traditional Herb, Golden Curry, Savory Mushroom and Fresh Greek, and are perfect as a bowl base, side dish or meal starter. The new heat-and- eat medleys are rolling out now nation- wide. "We were inspired to create this line because of the powerful and nour- ishing benefits of millet, which is also naturally gluten-free," said Becky Harpstrite, Vice President of Marketing at Hilary's. "Millet's higher protein content, sustainable growing methods and alkaline properties make it the perfect base for a variety of fla- vor profiles and recipes, allowing us to infuse bold flavors with clean ingredi- ents. With fresh, on-trend and mouth- watering flavors, our Millet Medleys are a tasty, free-from option in the frozen aisle. They're perfect for busy consumers who want convenience, whether they're clean eaters or have special dietary needs." Millet Medleys are made with a harmonious blend of ancient grain mil- let, extra virgin olive oil, organic vegetables and protein-rich pulses. They can be heated and served for a plant-based side dish or meal that's ready in minutes. Millet is a hot trending ingredient, known for its high fiber and alka- line properties, in addition to being a drought resistant crop. Like all Hilary's products, Millet Medleys are free from common allergens, including wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts, sesame and corn. They are vegan, USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and certified gluten free. The Traditional Herb Millet Medley offers a combination of car- rots, peas and white beans along with parsley and thyme, while Golden Curry Millet Medley has a warm mix- ture of lentils, peas and gold- en raisins seasoned with turmeric and cayenne. Savory Mushroom Millet Medley offers up the earthy, comfort- ing tastes of mushrooms, herbs and roasted vegetables, while the Fresh Greek Millet Medley's garbanzo beans, Kalamata olives, red onion and sun-dried tomatoes accented with parsley and mint provide an authentic taste of Greece. Hilary's new Millet Medleys are available at conventional and natural grocery stores nationwide and in Canada, as well as online for a sug- gested retail price of $4.99 per pack- age. For more information and recipe inspi- ration, visit www.hilaryseatwell.com. Microwave Tools Making Waves By Micah Cheek Something about microwaves invites derision. Lots of cooking jokes have the punchline of, "I can't even microwave popcorn!" Gordon Ramsay's starts throwing things every time he catches someone using one on "Kitchen Nightmares." What's with all the hate? A microwave won't significantly brown most foods, and the difference between tender-crisp zucchini and soggy squash is about 30 seconds. Other recipes can be adapted for the microwave but require some significant changes. Still, when used properly, the microwave oven is indispensable when time is of the essence, and there's nothing better for many routine cook- ing tasks. Furthermore, they present an opportunity for the retailer who carries accessories and cookers that help con- sumers make better use of the microwave. Tara Steffen, Marketing Manager, Lékué USA says that younger and busier consumers are wanting to get more out of their microwaves. "I think you have the Millennial crowd cooking for themselves; you also have the col- lege crowd cooking for themselves. It's also for the families. If you've got two working parents, you can make a meal quickly in the microwave, or have a child make a meal for them- selves," says Steffen. "For my 10 year old, he loves buttered noodles. We use our pasta cooker in the microwave. We can cook pasta in the microwave in 12 minutes." In microwave time, that's a long time, but you don't have to wait for water to boil, Steffen points out. That tools for quick breakfasts are also getting a lot of interest from con- sumers, according to Steffen. Single egg poachers, omelet cookers and bacon cookers are all available, giving the consumer the chance to actually cook breakfast in the microwave instead of heating up a prepackaged, frozen item. As these tools are designed to make food for busy families, many of them are designed to do double duty as serving piece and dining bowl. "We have the Ovo, an egg cooker, I use that a couple times a week as a healthy breakfast. I put one egg in the Ovo with olive oil and a little bit of pep- per," says Steffen. "If it's [serving] one person, I serve it in the vessel. Popcorn and omelets, you can eat right out of there." Marc Magnus, President of the Americas, Joseph Joseph is also seeing more consumers interested in using the microwave as a cooking tool rather than just for leftovers. "If you think about it, it makes sense that the trend is on those unique items because it's more about cooking than about reheat- ing. Someone's buying an egg poacher because they don't really know how to poach eggs, and everything seems eas- ier in the microwave anyway," says Magnus. Healthy eating also ties in to the trend. "I think it comes from the fact of what you're putting in the food. If you're cooking on a stainless steel skillet, you're usually cooking with fat. For the popcorn maker, you're not putting the fat in there," adds Magnus. "Popcorn is a trend – some of our key retailers see that. That goes along with healthy eating, it's a good snack. There could be a trend that we see here in more technique-based item." Joseph Joseph has seen more suc- cess in selling specific items rather than large, all-purpose microwave cookers, and is developing according- ly. "We see the sell-through more on these unique pieces," says Magnus. "This is where we're lucky to have a substantial team that reviews trends." For home cooks who aren't confi- dent in using their microwave ovens for new tasks, Joseph Joseph offers guidance. "All of our stuff comes with instructions. For the microwave cook- ware, you do have to make sure the instructions are pretty clear," says Magnus. "It's making sure you put in the right amount of water and watch it – it's not totally set and forget. You do have to have that instruction manual and be very clear on how to use it."