Yearly Archives: 2021

Natural sweeteners are a common alternative to refined sugar, like white sugar. These are simply food products that are sweetened naturally when it is harvested and undergoes very minimal processing. Several can compare to white cane sugar nicely because they evoke a similar sweetness. Many people choose to opt for natural sweeteners because consuming too much added sugar can lead to increased blood pressure, weight gain, diabetes, and more, according to Harvard Heart Health.

Natural Sweeteners

You might be familiar with some natural sweeteners, like stevia, honey, and maple syrup. But have you ever used date syrup, coconut sugar, or monk fruit? Natural sweeteners are an easy way to sweeten a dish without the use of white granulated cane sugar. 

Most people are generally aware of the downsides of using regular sugar. Added sugars like liquid sweeteners, corn syrups and sugar syrups are likely to raise blood sugar and lead to conditions like diabetes and heart disease. That’s why natural sweeteners are a helpful alternative. For more information on how refined sugar impacts your body and health, check out this page by Science Direct explaining the science of it all.

Some sweeteners may appear to be natural, like maple syrup and honey. But they are sometimes modified with additions like corn syrup, which is refined sugar. Next time, be sure to read labels carefully and look out for ingredients that you’d rather avoid.

Pure Maple Syrup 

Pure maple syrup is a go-to natural sweetener in many kitchens. That’s because it’s easily accessible, affordable, and familiar to many people. Just be sure to read the ingredients to ensure it’s pure maple syrup without any additions like corn syrup. In addition to a few other varieties, try one of these pure maple syrups at Tacoma Boys:

• Field Day Organic Maple Syrup
• Coombs Family Farms Organic Maple Syrup
• Stonewall Kitchen Maine Maple Syrup
• Natural Value Organic Maple Syrup

Honey

Believe it or not, all honeys are not created equally! Like maple syrup, some cheap honeys may have been altered with sugar syrup or corn syrup. It’s important to read the ingredients and other labels to make sure you’re getting the right honey for you, like one of these at Tacoma Boys:

• GloryBee Honey
• Bandi Foods Raw Honey
• Oregon Growers Blackberry Honey
• Marie’s Honey Oxymel

Dates and Other Fruit 

Dates are a great alternative to refined sugar because they are naturally sweet with subtle flavor. Any fruit is nicely sweet and can be used as a sweetener. But dates are common because they are generally sold dried and don’t taste too strong in any way. Plus, blending dates can result in a nice, thick, caramel-like substance that is easy to use in place of sugar-loaded caramel. Try these date products and fruit at Tacoma Boys:

• Joolies Organic Date Syrup
• Date Lady Date Sugar
• Delreal Organic Coconut Date Rolls 
• Remlinger Farms Frozen Fruit (berries, apples, peaches)

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is often used as an alternative to white sugar. Think of it as a sweetener to coffee, replacement to brown sugar, or in baked goods. You can use it at about a 1:1 ratio to white cane sugar. You can find these coconut sugars at Tacoma Boys:

• Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Sugar
• Madhava Organic Coconut Sugar
• GloryBee Organic Coconut Sugar
• Big Tree Organic Brown Coconut Sugar

Sugar Substitutes

Other sugar substitutes can include:

• Monk fruit: Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener and Lakanto Simple Syrup. Monk fruit is a fruit native to Asia that is incredibly sweet when ripe and has no calories.
• Stevia: SweetLeaf Stevia Syrup. The well-known sugar substitute comes from the leaves of the stevia plant and is significantly sweeter than white cane sugar.
• Erythritol: Swerve Sugar Replacement. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is calorie free and measures just like sugar. 

Sugar Alternatives 

Some people are not sure how to use sugar alternatives instead of white sugar. It’s not much different sometimes. But other sugar alternatives don’t quite work the same way, and have to be adjusted. Research whatever kind you’re using to understand how it works as an alternative to white cane sugar. In general, try using your sugar alternatives in:

• Coffee and tea
• Baking
• Oatmeal
• Jams and jellies
• Sauces, dressings, and marinades
• Smoothies, cocktails, and other drinks

Cooking With Natural Sweeteners

Baking and cooking with natural sweeteners is not much different than white sugar. Most natural sweeteners can’t be used as an equal replacement to white sugar. But it comes quite close! For example, some people recommend using maple syrup instead of sugar in a 0.75:1 ratio in baked goods. That means that for every 1 cup of sugar used in a recipe, you should use ¾ cup of pure maple syrup. To get an idea of how to go about cooking with natural sweeteners, check out these refined sugar free recipes:

• Tacoma Boys’ own Overnight Oats Parfaits.
• Honey Shallot Vinaigrette by The Peppermill with honey.
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies by No Sweat Vegan with coconut sugar and maple syrup.

Refined Sugar Free Treats at Tacoma Boys

Find these refined sugar free goods, plus much more, at your local Tacoma Boys market:

• Keto and Co Chocolate Keto Cake Mix: This cake mix and other mixes by this brand include sugar alternatives like monk fruit.
• Eating Evolved Chocolate Bars and Keto Cups.
• Lily’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.

Swing by Tacoma Boys for a selection of natural sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, monk fruit, dates, and more. And to stay up to date on insider deals and specials, sign up for Tacoma Boys’ text list. Just text (253) 246-1661 to tell Paul you want to be on the list!

Sipping on sparkling wine is a classic component of celebrating the holidays. Whether it’s champagne, sparkling white wine, or even sparkling red, it’s so refreshing and tasty! And Tacoma Boys’ wide selection of sparkling wine at various price points and varieties makes it simple to shop for and choose your favorites. A cold, crisp glass of bubbly at a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner fits right in as part of the cozy holiday celebration. 

Sparkling Wine at Tacoma Boys

Sparkling wine is made fizzy by fermentation during the wine making process. Carbon dioxide is absorbed, creating those pleasant little bubbles. You can enjoy sparkling white wine (including champagne), sparkling rosé, and even sparkling red wine. And while all champagne is sparkling wine, not all sparkling wine is champagne. Champagne is just a type of bubbly white wine that’s produced in a specific region in France. Several varieties of wine like these will fit your holiday celebration— Tacoma Boys’ large assortment to choose from means you can find your favorite and try new things! 

You can browse sparkling wine offerings like these on the shelves at Tacoma Boys:

Champagne

• Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne 
• Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Champagne
• Henriot Brut Souverain Champagne 

Sparkling White Wine

• Dibon Cava Brut Reserve
• Mumm Napa Cuvée
• Villa Maria Bubbly Sauvignon Blanc 2019
• Decoy Brut Cuvée Sparkling
• Mionetto Prosecco Brut

Sparkling Rosé

• Argyle Brut Rosé
• La Marca Prosecco Rosé
• Los Dos Cava Brut Rosé

Sparkling Red

• Treveri Sparkling Syrah Brut
• Castello di Luzzano Sommossa 

Pairing Sparkling Wine

Pairing sparkling wine at your Thanksgiving dinner or other holiday celebration is simple and tasty. Most neutral wine goes well with the robust flavors of celebratory meals in the autumn. There’s really no rules to pairing sparkling wine — it’s all about enjoying the taste of what you’re eating! You can pair champagne with roast turkey, sparkling rosé with mashed potatoes, or anything else that sounds good to you. It’s also common to sip on hard apple cider (the adult, sparkly version of classic apple cider) during this harvest season. You can also shop for some regular or hard apple cider at Tacoma Boys! Read on for some suggested wine and food pairings to try. 

Pasta

Go for cream based sauces, rather than tomato based, to pair with a fizzy dry wine. Or, try sparkling red wine with a red sauce pasta! Both white and red still wine are often incorporated into pasta sauce, too.

Fried Food

Fried mushrooms, artichokes, and battered fish and chips all go great with sparkling wine. Try a fried appetizer like Crispy Fried Zucchini with sweet sparkling white wine for the holidays.

Cheese

Wine and cheese definitely pair well together. Go for a rich, aged cheese like Kerrygold Aged Cheddar with sparkling rosé. Or, try a mild sparkling prosecco with Briette Creamy & Mild Brie Cheese. Read more about Tacoma Boys various specialty cheeses to pair in our blog all about it!

Seafood, Poultry and Pork

White wine and seafood are a timeless pair! And the light flavors of tender chicken, turkey, or pork are simple to pair with bubbly wine. This is perfect as many people enjoy turkey or ham for the holidays, anyway! If you’d like, pair white meat and seafood with white wine, and dark meat with richer wines like red. Tacoma Boys also offers a large selection of fresh seafood to choose from.

Wine Recipes

There are several different types of wine recipes you can try for the holidays! Individual or batch cocktails, like sangria, are great ways to enjoy the taste and fizz of sparkling wine.

Sangria is a drink made with wine, fruit juice, and sometimes sweetener and hard liquor, like brandy. Other wine recipes to try include classics like white wine spritzers and mimosas. Spiked lemonades are also sometimes made with sparkling wine, too: Try a mix of 3 cups lemonade with a full bottle of Sorelle Bronca Extra Dry Prosecco. That dry prosecco is a nice balance to the sweetness of lemonade!

Wine recipes of course can mean wine was used in the cooking process, too. You can use still or bubbly wine when deglazing, in salad dressings, marinades, and more. Cooking with wine can enhance the flavor of the food and add elements of acidity, similar to vinegar. Start with a white wine pasta sauce or something like hearty Wine Braised Beef!

Prep For The Holidays With Tacoma Boys

Don’t forget to stop by Tacoma Boys’ sparkling wine section while you’re shopping for your holiday meals! You’ll find a variety of bubbly white, rosé, and red wine to enjoy with your family. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, just ask and we’ll be happy to help guide you. To stay up to date on insider deals and specials, sign up for Tacoma Boys’ text list. Just text (253) 246-1661 to tell Paul you want to be on the list!

The holiday season has begun again and it’s time to get ready for Thanksgiving turkey! While not everyone enjoys turkey, it’s a seasonal classic that can be prepared in so many ways. The most traditional way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey is probably to roast it in the oven. Turkey is often purchased frozen and thawed for a couple days. Then, let the Thanksgiving turkey cook all day while preparing the rest of your meal. Those savory smells of the turkey cooking will make your stomach grumble in anticipation all day! 

Thanksgiving Turkey

The tradition of preparing Thanksgiving turkey is tasty and rewarding! At Tacoma Boys, you can purchase your turkey in addition to other specialty food items to get ready for your holiday meals. It can seem like a lot of hard work, but most of the time spent cooking Thanksgiving turkey is thawing or cooking time. Thawing your turkey is a simple but important step that has to be done safely. There are a couple ways to thaw your Thanksgiving turkey: In general, most people leave it in the refrigerator to slowly thaw for a couple days. The basic guideline is 24 hours of refrigerator thawing time for every 4-5 lbs of turkey.

When it comes down to preparing the turkey with seasoning, there are so many ways to experiment! Turkey brines, seasoning blends, and marinades can all enhance and add flavor to the turkey. Tacoma Boys Poultry Seasoning with herbs like thyme and rosemary are particularly popular to use during Thanksgiving prep. Try some of these ingredients from Tacoma Boys when preparing your Thanksgiving turkey:

• Butter and olive oil
• Fresh or dried herbs: Thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, and bay leaves
• Spices like smoked paprika, cayenne, and red pepper flakes
• Tacoma Boys Mappe Apple or Traditional Turkey Brine
• Lemon, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots
• Brown sugar, and maple syrup

How to Cook Turkey

Many people who are unsure of how to cook turkey can be overwhelmed by the options. There are seemingly infinite recipes online with different cooking methods and seasonings. If you don’t know how to cook turkey, don’t panic! Everyone tends to have their own way to prepare turkey: But as long as you follow food safety practices and enjoy the taste of your turkey, you can make it any way you like. You can roast the turkey in the oven, slow cooker, air fryer, or more. These are just a couple options to try. 

1. Roast

Perhaps the most common method of cooking turkey is roasting slowly in the oven. This can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours or more, depending on the size of your turkey. It’s generally roasted at 350 degrees Fahrenheit after being thawed and seasoned to your liking.

2. Slow Cooker (Crockpot)

This method takes the longest, as the cooker works slowly. Depending on the size of your turkey or turkey breast, you can cook the whole bird right in your slow cooker. In general, you can simply put your thawed and seasoned turkey into your slow cooker and cook on low for several hours. This recipe by The Little Kitchen is a good guide for slow cooker Thanksgiving turkey with vegetables that is moist and flavorful!

3. Air Fryer

This is one of the newer methods of cooking turkey— Even large air fryers are a bit too small for a whole turkey, though. This method works best with turkey breasts because they’re smaller. Air fry a seasoned turkey breast at about 375 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping halfway, for about 45-60 minutes or until completely cooked though. For more details on how to cook turkey in the air fryer, check out this recipe by Spend With Pennies.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving recipes can include traditional classics as well as new modern twists. It’s fun to mix and match and get creative with what you and your family like to eat! Start out with tasty appetizers, like these homemade dips for the holidays. Then, bond over new and old Thanksgiving recipes like cornbread stuffing with Marie Calendars Organic Cornbread Mix and cheesy Lundberg Organic Wild Rice casserole. For dessert, roast up a butternut or acorn squash with a drizzle of Stonewall Kitchen Maple Syrup. Or, browse our blog all about Thanksgiving dessert! 

Tacoma Boys offers an assortment of spices, seasonings, and specialty food items to flavor your dinner. You can particularly find a variety of gravy mixes like these to make your Thanksgiving recipes that much easier: 

• Tacoma Boys Chicken or Turkey Style Gravy 
• Simply Organic Chicken or Turkey Gravy Mix
• Knorr Roasted Turkey Gravy Mix
• Better Than Bouillon Gravy Mix

Tacoma Boys is here when you’re ready to shop for your Thanksgiving turkey. We also have all the fresh produce and pantry items you’ll need for an ultimate holiday dinner. And you can even check out some of Tacoma Boys top vegan Thanksgiving side dishes here! To stay up to date on insider deals and specials, sign up for Tacoma Boys’ text list. Just text (253) 246-1661 to tell Paul you want to be on the list!

Hosting for the holidays means being prepared for your guests with drinks and food like appetizers. Small plates and snacks are easy to prepare and serve. Think chips and dip, stuffed mushrooms, garlic bread, potato skins, and more! Appetizers are convenient and popular, whether you’re planning on a larger meal later or are simply snacking all afternoon. Some people consider appetizers as only finger food, where you don’t need a knife and a fork. But there are plenty of tasty little dishes to make that can be enjoyed in different ways.

Appetizers

Small plates and snacks like appetizers are great to start out with when hosting. They’re often served in small portions loaded with hearty flavor. It’s a way to welcome your guests and have a little bite to eat while chatting, when dinner isn’t quite ready. While just about any food can be made into an appetizer, there are a few things to keep in mind. Finger foods are often best when appetizers are served away from the table. That means bite-sized foods, dips, and anything without a knife and fork. 

Here at Tacoma Boys, charcuterie boards are easy to shop for and a favorite as an appetizer! They’re a popular snack because they’re customizable and quick to put together. At Tacoma Boys, you’ll find a wide selection of specialty cheeses and cured meats as well as nuts, jams, crackers, fruit, and more. Build your charcuterie to fit the preferences of your guest and set it out as a grazing board. Your guests can snack on it casually as a group, or you can use little plates to serve the spread.

Dip Recipes for Groups

Dip recipes are easy to enjoy when hosting or in groups. Full of flavor and just filling enough, cold or hot dips are usually quick to make and serve. Picture raw veggies with blue cheese dressing or spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips. These types of dip recipes are usually first to go at parties and get-togethers! If you’re looking for some dip recipes to make for the holidays, consider one of these suggestions:

• Tacoma Boys’ Buffalo Chicken Dip: It’s not too late to serve this one in a pumpkin! You’ll find several different types of buffalo sauce at Tacoma Boys. Plus about 5 other ingredients, this dip is quick and easy to cook up for a hungry crowd.
• Tacoma Boys’ Irish Beer Cheese Dip: You’ll need some dark beer and a couple different kinds of cheese for this rich recipe. It’s full of flavor and goes great with fresh cut veggies and pretzels, like Dutch Country Gluten Free Soft Pretzels.
• Spinach Artichoke Dip by Natasha’s Kitchen: Try this savory, cheesy dip with Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts and serve it with Stacy’s Pita Chips. Kids and adults alike can enjoy the extra vegetables snuck in!
• White Cheddar Cranberry Dip by Little Broken: This 4 ingredient dip is a tasty twist on a classic cheese dip. Try it with Tillamook White Cheddar Cheese, Organic Valley Cream Cheese, fresh cranberries, and a Homemade Cranberry Sauce.
• 7 Layer Dip: The popular layered dip is so easy to make with a variety of ingredients of your choosing! It requires very little, if any cooking. For an example, try the dip with layers of Amy’s Organic Vegetarian Refried Beans, Smith Brothers Farm Sour Cream, fresh guacamole, Tacoma Boys Loco Cheese Dip, diced fresh tomatoes, Mrs. Renfro’s Jalapeno Peppers, and your favorite Tacoma Boys Salsa. Then dig in with Tacoma Boys Tortilla Chips!

Holiday Appetizers

Some people get real creative with holiday appetizers! You can make a variety of dishes with Thanksgiving or Christmas themes and seasonal ingredients. For example, snacks made with cranberries, turkey, and stuffing for Thanksgiving. Cranberry and brie puff pastry bites are another example of an appetizer that is so popular for the holidays! Make whatever dishes you want into holiday appetizers by just scaling down a bit: Mini quiche, bite-size meatballs, and just about any food on a mini skewer.

It can also be a good idea to ask your guests to bring appetizers if you’d like. Cooking an entire meal including appetizers and dessert can be a lot to do! And while you’re planning your holiday appetizers and meals, make sure to account for different diets. If you’re expecting guests that are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten free, it’s easy to prepare those dishes. 

Prepare For The Holiday With Tacoma Boys 

Get ready for holiday celebrations and meals with Tacoma Boys! Your local market is stocked with a variety of seasonal produce, meat, and specialty food products. To stay up to date on insider deals and specials, sign up for Tacoma Boys’ text list. Just text (253) 246-1661 to tell Paul you want to be on the list!

While turkey has traditionally been the holiday’s center stage, a vegan Thanksgiving can be just as delicious (if not more!). There is still an entire world of flavor to enjoy without meat, dairy, and other animal products. And plant based foods are becoming more and more popular. That means there are so many new products and ideas to help make your vegan Thanksgiving hearty and tasty! Read on for some vegan inspiration and recipe ideas for the holidays.

Vegan Thanksgiving

Creating a vegan Thanksgiving meal doesn’t have to be complicated or overloaded with vegetables. The idea that vegans eat a lot of vegetables isn’t wrong, but can sometimes be misunderstood: Your vegan Thanksgiving spread doesn’t have to be all salads and roasted squash! In fact, most Thanksgiving staples like bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and even gravy can easily be vegan. This can be a fun chance to get creative and experiment with new ideas for your holiday meal.

As far as vegan Thanksgiving entrees go, there’s a lot of things to cook for center stage! Tacoma Boys’ recipe for Mini Vegetarian Pot Pies can easily be made vegan (and even gluten free with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour and Schar Gluten Free Puff Pastry Dough). Or, try these vegan mains for Thanksgiving:

• Lentil Shepherd’s Pie by Rainbow Plant Life.
• Vegan Stuffed Pumpkin by Vancouver with Love.
• Caramelized Shiitake Mushroom Risotto by Minimalist Baker.

Holiday Side Dishes

Your spread of vegan holiday side dishes can be full of a variety of different delicious flavors and textures. It can also be nice and nutritious as you’re bound to cook up some vegetables! If you’re interested in holiday side dishes that are vegan, you can simply make some swaps with your favorite foods. Tacoma Boys has long offered a variety of vegan staples and alternative food products: This includes nut milks and dairy free butter, sour cream, cheese, and more. If you’re still not sure what to cook this year, consider some of these vegan holiday side dishes.

1. Vegan sausage stuffing: Simply swap out classic stuffing ingredients with animal products for vegan alternatives. Try Earth Balance Dairy Free Butter, Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Broth Base, and even Field Roast Italian Garlic & Fennel Plant Based Sausages. 

2. Mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy: Opt again for vegan butter as well as Almond Breeze Almond Milk and Forager Organic Dairy Free Sour Cream for your creamy mashed potatoes. Then, whip up this recipe for onion mushroom gravy that is just as savory as turkey gravy. You can also go for instant mashed potatoes with Bob’s Red Mill Potato Flakes to make things just a bit more quick and easy.

3. Vegan green bean casserole: There are several recipes for vegan green bean casserole all across the web! You can use cashew cream and alternative milks for the same creamy consistency. Also try it with a sprinkle of Seed Ranch Cheddar Cravings Vegan Cheese or Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Yeast for an added cheesy flavor.

4. Jalapeno cornbread muffins: Slightly spicy and crumbly, jalapeno cornbread muffins are easy to make, too. Try this recipe for a vegan version with fresh jalapenos or for a quick version, with Bob’s Red Mill Cornbread & Muffin Mix.

5. Autumn harvest salad: Place sliced apples, chopped pecans, and Follow Your Heart Dairy Free Feta Crumbles on a bed of spring mix. To add even more depth to the salad, throw in some roasted butternut squash! Then finish with a drizzle of Fody Maple Dijon Dressing for a filling side salad.

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

In addition to those top five vegan thanksgiving recipes, there are so many others to try! Eating plant-based may encourage some people to broaden their scope of what they cook and eat. Different seasonings, aromatics, nuts and seeds, and of course fruit and vegetables can come together into a tasty meal so nicely. To round out your menu of vegan Thanksgiving recipes, you could also try some of these vegan favorites at Tacoma Boys:

• Karine and Jeff Mushroom Soup or Green Lentil and Carrot Soup
• Immaculate Organic Flaky Biscuits
• Deliciou Plant Based Beef
• Coconut Cloud Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa with Soyatoo Soy Whip
• Wholly Wholesome Organic Traditional Pie Dough
• Key Lime or Chocolate Hazelnut Divine Pie

Shop at Tacoma Boys for Vegan Staples

Here at Tacoma Boys, you’ll always find a variety of vegan products and specialty food items. Check out our favorite vegan staples here and then come on by to shop for your favorites! Tacoma Boys has all the food and drink you need for any type of Thanksgiving or holiday celebration in general. To stay up to date on insider deals and specials, sign up for Tacoma Boys’ text list. Just text (253) 246-1661 to tell Paul you want to be on the list!