Restaurant Review #3: A SubZero Climate

(I'm just going to ignore the huge gap of not writing and continue on like I've been on schedule this whole time)

The other day I went to a magical place where they served delicious ice cream.  This place was called SubZero. 

When you walk in it's this snazzy little ice cream shop.  Nothing special.  Then you see the MENU!  For PKU'ers like me it's a dream.  First you pick out your BASE... like Rice Milk. :)  Then you pick out the flavor... and BECAUSE of the rice milk base you can have ANY of the flavors!  Lastly you can pick out the "extra things" to put in it, like twix, brownies, dark chocolate... It's like someone created this shop so PKU'ers can have a choice on what ice cream flavor to have!

No I'm not exaggerating.  Other ice cream shops (Baskin Robbins, Coldstone, Maggie Moos...) only have 1 or 2 choices for PKU'ers.  On the ice cream front we can have Sherbet, Sorbet, Ices, Coconut Milk (it's a fruit... really.), or RICE MILK! 

On the PKU friendly scale this place is full 10 out of 10! 

The ice cream there is made in front of you too!  What they do is they pour the base and the flavor together, and freeze it (SubZero!)  with Liquid Nitrogen.  While blowing the Liquid Nitrogen out of tube onto the ice cream they stir.  After they are done they stir some more, adding in the extras and mixing it in.  TADAA!!  It's done! (Don't worry it's perfectly safe to eat)

I have a HARD time deciding what to try because there are SO many choices!  My favorite so far has been Carmel Rice Milk Ice Cream with Twix in it.  And if you have a hard time deciding what to choose and don't want to hold up the line that has magically grown behind you (because somehow it always happens to me) you can visit subzeroicecream.com and decide ahead of time.

You can also see the real chemistry of using liquid nitrogen on ice cream.  I didn't explain it, and it's a fascinating read. 

So real fast: SubZero is an awesome PKU friendly ice cream boutique!  That's my message today.  See you whenever I see you. (Which may be a couple weeks because I have a couple of Huge tests coming up next week and I need to study!)

Excuses, Notes, and Foreshadowing.. Oh MY!

I'm sorry it took so long. I have a bunch of excuses: the internet disconnected (again) from my computer, I got sick, it's the end of the semester... That's pretty much it to be honest. I'm sorry that I kept you waiting.

I didn't bring my notes from the conference with me (I'm using a public computer because mine is still offline). So here are a few things I DID remember.

1. They are going to have a Utah PKU Camp this summer! :) Can't say if I'm going to go yet... I'm kind of on the borderline for ages. Kids up to 18 years old. It's going to be on June 15-16th. So if you want to go contact IPAD. (That's the Parent Group in our area) I'm happy that they are starting one up!!!!
   
2. Someone talked about getting all our nutrients. Did you know to jump-start your metabolism for the day you need to eat breakfast sometime in the first 1/2 hr. you're awake? I didn't.
   
3. You know how sometimes you get into a rut and eat the same things everyday? You are busy so you grab your "fast meal"... everyday? I know I do it. But it was mentioned that when we do this we aren't getting a lot of nutrients. There are some things that aren't in formula. You have to eat a variety of food to get it. You could cook lots when you do cook and eat leftovers when your busy. I even received a free cookbook with some pretty amazing recipes!

Later on in the conference we split into groups. People with PKU (most were adults in fact, there were 4 teens there including me!) But we were able to complain to each other and it made us feel better to know we weren't the only ones who hated that. But later we made a list of things we LIKE about PKU it was pretty interesting to see it. There ARE some good things about PKU. :) (That was the Foreshadowing part.) ;)

Have a great day! I'll try to fix my computer so I can post easier.

Really, Really Quick!

So here's the update with flavor straws... they taste good in bettermilk! :)

And I'm leaving in 1.5 hours for the Utah PKU Conference. I'm excited to go, I wanted to go to the one in Colorado last year but it was during the school year and I can't just drop everything to go to Colorado. Sigh. I have high hopes for it. It's going to last all day but I'm taking my notebook so I can post the highlights of it ASAP. There's going to be a PKU lunch. (I love the PKU buffets they always have) And I hope that I meet some PKU Mountain Region teen-friends.

*When 1 out of every 25,000 kids are born with PKU, friends tend to be scarce. I'm lucky to have my sister who also has it. :)*

Okay I told you it would be quick. And so this is my posting and running to get ready. :)

Happy 1st Birthday Blog!

I've been blogging for a year officially now. Well, more off and on blogging but the blog has been up for a year now. It's kind of a weird thought that it was only last year when I decided to "change the world" and put up this blog. I really do hope it's done some good out there, and not just for some reports some kid has to write about a metobolic disease. But some real good.







So let's look at some stats for

Year 1:

Top 5 posts:

1. New favorite Recipe- 131 views
   


2. Happy PKU Awareness Month- 125 views



3. Hello to You Too- 62 views



4. Food & Dates- 39 views



5. A Letter of Hope- 31 views

Top 5 Searches that Find the Blog:

1. People with Phenylketonuria-10
   


2. Pheylketonuria-8


3. PKU Awareness Month-6



4. PKU Baby-6



5. People with PKU-5

Top 5 Countries:

1. United States- 867
   


2. Malaysia-31



3. Russia- 28



4. Canada-22



5. Germany-18

Well, what did you think about the results?? I was really suprised at the number of people who viewed Food & Dates. The country views really intrigue me. To have people from another country reading what I'm typing this very moment... it's a pretty awe-inspiring thought. My Favorite post was The Letter of Hope personally. It's very touching. (And it's one of the posts where I actually got a picture to pop up with it.)

So where am I a year later...? Well, I'm a senior getting all my college stuff ready. Almost done with High School. Last year I didn't really think college could ever be so near. Last year... I was younger. I guess that's the word I was searching for. I've learned a lot about life this past year; and I've grown so much. I wonder what this next year will bring for us.

Anyways... Happy 1st Birthday Blog and May you last long enough to have many more!!!

Got Powermilk?

Sometimes you just need to shake things up. The same-old thing though comfortable gets boring. This includes Powermilk. The other day I was at the grocery store with my mom when she found something that could "shake up" my same-old Powermilk.

Ready?

Got Milk Flavored Straws.

I know what you're thinking. Milk... right? But these straws are lactose and gluten free! Cool right? They have 4 original flavors: vanilla, chocolate, cookies'n cream, and strawberry. They have a lot of other flavors too and are making them all the time. In fact, on their "official website" (just google Got Milk Flavored Straws to find it) they have a place where you can invent a flavor and they'll consider making it!

I don't like changing my milk a lot. I get used to the flavor and whenever it changes it takes forever to get used to. (Plus a lot of forcing myself not to gag.) But these straws are just a "I'm bored of my milk let's shake things up and use a flavor straw today" kind of solution.

My sister doesn't like it with her Powermilk. It doesn't mix well, I guess. But I have Phenylade Essentials Vanilla. Vanilla can mix with anything and become new. I don't know how it mixes with other formulas but I'm betting it'll be okay with Bettermilk... wait. I still have a pack from that demo. :) I'm going to have to try it and see for you guys okay??

Okay. Sorry it took me so long to publish. My internet has been wacky lately and I have a lot of posts in mind right now so you aren't going to have to wait long for the next one. :) See you!

Aminosweet IS Aspartame

So I was just reading a facebook post and I found an very interesting article...

http://healthfreedoms.org/2010/02/15/aspartame-has-been-renamed-and-is-now-being-marketed-as-a-natural-sweetener/

It was on the wall of a PKU group and is very important to PKU'ers! One of the deadly chemicals Aspartame has been renamed and reclassified. It's now being called Animosweet, and is classified as a "Natural Sweetner". BUT IT'S STILL THE SAME THING!!!! PKU'ers CANNOT have it! It was created using aspartic acid and PHENYLALANINE! The same chemical we are not allowed to have.

I'm just warning people because I look on the back of labels for Aspartame not Aminosweet. Without reading this article I would've thought it was a totally different thing. Okay... maybe not. "Amino" does give us a clue. I wonder if they'll still put a warning on the back of their products??? (The PKU warning contains Phenylalanine)

And what is the deal with it being reclassified to "Natural Sweeteners"? It was created in a lab!!! That is NOT natural by any stretch of imagination! What happened to all the evidence that Aspartme is actually unhealthy for everybody not just PKU'ers? Doesn't it hurt everyone's brain? Doesn't it cause cancer?? Why on Earth would you eat it then?? Because it's sweet and isn't sugar?? Just my opinion but I'll take sugar any day of the week.

Aspartme is in sugar free gum. That's the reason why I refuse gum when it's offered. Because Aspartme IS Phenylalanine. It will destroy my brain and my life. I have too much to live for, and having one stick of gum full of Aspartme can ruin that.

So in the immortal words of Willy Wonka (as portrayed by Johnny Depp):
Chewing gum is really gross.
Chewing gum I hate the most!

Merry Christmas!

I am American, and I am Christian, and I celebrate Christmas. So once again MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! It's a wonderful time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. This year I went to my Grandparent's house for Christmas eve and we sang songs, ate soup, and played games. It was a lot of fun. Well for Christmas Day dinner (lunch... but we call it dinner) we actually had Buche De Noel Cake. Which is this French cake shaped like a log. My sister made it and it was good. :) She got it from her French Class. But the recipe I'm posting is offline... I hope it's the same one. Serves 6.

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

This recipe's Ingredients were scaled to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 1 Buche de Noel.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners' sugar. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel. Cool for 30 minutes.
4. Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Anyway it was really good. And I was surprised that we could have it! It's a nice holiday treat for the season. Best of Luck!!