OT: alternatives to marge when cooking

secretsam

I have a delicious recipe for flapjack type energy bars, have made a batch and very tasty (kids ate loads...)

But I'm concerned that the recipe uses a lot of fat in the form of cooking marge

Is there a lower fat alternative that anyone can recommend?

rower63

The bigger problem (than whether or not they are fattening) with solid-type fats like margerine is that they are more likely to be or contain so-called trans fats, which are extremely bad for various reasons. I'd use olive oil.

cooldad

Butter.

As they are energy bars, the fat shouldn't be a problem.

hopkinb

Butter.

elbowloh

I was hoping this was going to be about the Simpsons.

In that case, there are no alternatives unless Homer is doing BBQ.

Oh and don't forget, you don't make friends with salad.

mrfpb

Lard, Goose fat, butter. It needs to be solid at room temp, and natural rather than artificial. How about bacon and goose fat flapjacks?

More seriously

Oils (liquid at room temp) break down at lower cooking temperatures and release carcinogens into the food. So oils for salads and dressings, solid fats for frying or high heat cooking. When I make flapjacks I tend to boil the sugars and fat together in a pan, so I use a solid fat. as one of my kids is on a dairy free diet I use stork (foil wrapped). If I'm doing a batch for me on the bike I use butter (foil wrapped). Using a spread where fat is reduced by adding water just defeat the object of the exercise. I'd rather reduce sugar content first, as fats satiate the appetite sooner than sugars.

secretsam

cooldad wrote:

Butter.

As they are energy bars, the fat shouldn't be a problem.

cooldad wrote:

Butter.

As they are energy bars, the fat shouldn't be a problem.

hopkinb wrote:

Butter.

Seriously? Butter? I used Stork

hopkinb

Stork margarine has about as much similarity to butter as does mashed up stork the bird. Maybe the colour, but in stork, that yellow is food colouring.

jds_1981

hopkinb wrote:

Stork margarine has about as much similarity to butter as does mashed up stork the bird. Maybe the colour, but in stork, that yellow is food colouring.

My thoughts on the thread is that marge isn't an alternative to anything, so don't know why the OP was using it in the first place.

Wheelspinner

Coconut oil? The solid variety at room temp..

ugo.santalucia

butter is less harmful than margarine... at least it comes from an animal, rather than a chemical plant. Effectively you are eating stuff which evolution has not prepared you for... it's a gamble.

The world is divided about coconut oil... is it superfood or plain junk? Depends who you want to believe... it is pretty much 100% saturated fat... although they are not the same fatty acids you would find in animal fat

tgotb

mrfpb wrote:

I'd rather reduce sugar content first, as fats satiate the appetite sooner than sugars.

Doesn't this depend *why* you're eating the flapjacks?
If you're sat on the sofa and fancy a nibble, fats may be better because they'll stop you feeling hungry. However, if you're riding and eating flapjacks for energy you may not be feeling hungry anyway, and sugar is easier/faster for your body to process.

frogonabike

Wheelspinner wrote:

Coconut oil? The solid variety at room temp..

+1 for coconut oil

I use it for most cooking nowadays as it's full of the good fats and it's solid at room temperature so should work well for flapjacks. You can get a taste/smell free version if you don't want the flavour in everything you eat (but it's very mild and I quite like it!)

ugo.santalucia

frogonabike wrote:

I use it for most cooking nowadays as it's full of the good fat)

Coconut oil is almost 100% saturated fat... they are shorter chains saturated fats, as compared to those you would find in lard or suet, but saturated fats nonetheless.

The jury is still out on coconut oil, whether it's a saint or a sinner. There is not enough research out there to conclude one way or the other.

Mad_Malx

mrfpb wrote:

More seriously

Oils (liquid at room temp) break down at lower cooking temperatures and release carcinogens into the food.

Really?

I'm fine with decent veg oils or butter. As others mention, trans fats are worrying.

ugo.santalucia

mrfpb wrote:

Lard, Goose fat, butter. It needs to be solid at room temp, and natural rather than artificial. How about bacon and goose fat flapjacks?

More seriously

Oils (liquid at room temp) break down at lower cooking temperatures and release carcinogens into the food. So oils for salads and dressings, solid fats for frying or high heat cooking.

The temperature at which an oil decomposes is typically in excess of the boiling point of the oil... the latter is generally around 170-180 degrees depending on composition... you begin to produce carcinogenic acrolein at a higher temperature. You can google smoke point temperature for a more complete guide... typically around the 200 C mark.

frogonabike

ugo.santalucia wrote:

frogonabike wrote:

I use it for most cooking nowadays as it's full of the good fat)

Coconut oil is almost 100% saturated fat... they are shorter chains saturated fats, as compared to those you would find in lard or suet, but saturated fats nonetheless.

The jury is still out on coconut oil, whether it's a saint or a sinner. There is not enough research out there to conclude one way or the other.

My other half is a nutritionist and she said do it so I do... aaand that's the limit of my knowledge! Apart from that it's dairy free and as others have said it's better than other oils

darkhairedlord

Mrs DHL uses goats butter for cooking (pies, cakes, pastries etc) and we use it for sandwiches, toast, whatever and have no margarine in the house; Much better than any pseudo-substitute.
Frying/roasting is done with rape-seed oil.

tgotb

milemuncher1

This is superb IME.

darkhairedlord

TGOTB wrote:

thats the fella,
stick it in a (proper) butter dish and no need to put it in the fridge.

Mad_Malx

Milemuncher1 wrote:

This is superb IME.

Why TF would you want to cook with that instead of proper food? And the op wanted something to harden up his flapjacks.

Ingredients
Vegetable Oils: (Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil (12%)),
Water,
Emulsifier: Sunflower Lecithin,
Alcohol,
Natural Flavourings,
Thickener: Xanthan Gum

jds_1981

darkhairedlord wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

thats the fella,
stick it in a (proper) butter dish and no need to put it in the fridge.

I can't help but suspect it tastes goat like?

hopkinb

Milemuncher1 wrote:

This is superb IME.

You are a clueless censored in so many ways. Unless you have some non-culinary use for this manufactured shite.

darkhairedlord

hopkinb wrote:

Milemuncher1 wrote:

This is superb IME.

You are a clueless censored in so many ways. Unless you have some non-culinary use for this manufactured shite.

Firm but fair

darkhairedlord

jds_1981 wrote:

darkhairedlord wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

thats the fella,
stick it in a (proper) butter dish and no need to put it in the fridge.

I can't help but suspect it tastes goat like?

Nope, and the goats cream is amazing.

ugo.santalucia

frogonabike wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

frogonabike wrote:

I use it for most cooking nowadays as it's full of the good fat)

Coconut oil is almost 100% saturated fat... they are shorter chains saturated fats, as compared to those you would find in lard or suet, but saturated fats nonetheless.

The jury is still out on coconut oil, whether it's a saint or a sinner. There is not enough research out there to conclude one way or the other.

My other half is a nutritionist and she said do it so I do... aaand that's the limit of my knowledge! Apart from that it's dairy free and as others have said it's better than other oils

I like to use it to make currys, but as I said the jury is still out on coconut oil

fixerupper

Yeah I'm in the real food camp , I have loads of our own olive oil so I use it for everything , It makes great pastry ,cake white sauce what ever .I buy butter sometimes Goat sometime Cow , about once a month for the odd slice of toast ...I think margarine is the work of the devil ....

secretsam

jds_1981 wrote:

hopkinb wrote:

Stork margarine has about as much similarity to butter as does mashed up stork the bird. Maybe the colour, but in stork, that yellow is food colouring.

My thoughts on the thread is that marge isn't an alternative to anything, so don't know why the OP was using it in the first place.

Because the recipe from a well-known bike website specified "butter or marge", and I had marge. Didn't realise the Jamie Oliver food police were moderating this board?

pastryboy

Coconut oil without question. Dairy is vile for lots of reasons.

darkhairedlord

pastryboy wrote:

Coconut oil without question. Dairy is vile for lots of reasons.

how much 'nut oil do you get through in a week?
do you whip it to make a cream?