Diaries Magazine

Yum, Cheese?

Posted on the 29 January 2012 by Paige
So my visit with Maya went well. After the first ten awkward minutes we spent standing at the door trying to figure out what to do, it was fun. We played vet just like old times. I was there over two hours but it felt like just a few minutes. Her house, parents and dog look the same as I remember but she is taller and skinnier. We were like old friends.
Yesterday Grandpa came over and brought me fries with cheese and a bean burrito from Taco Bell. I didn't eat all my fries and put them in the fridge. When I went to eat them later the cheese was still soft. That's not normal for cheese! So I 'Googled' the ingredients:
Taco Bell's Nacho Cheese; Nonfat Milk, Cheese Whey, Canola Oil, Corn Starch-Modified, Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt And Enzymes), Maltodextrin, Water, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Jalapeno Puree (Jalapeno Pepper, Water, Acetic Acid, Salt, Calcium Chloride), Dipotassium Phosphate, White Distilled Vinegar, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Lactic Acid, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Caseinate, Sodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Annatto Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cellulose Gum, FD&C YELLOW # 6.
Let me tell you what those weird ingredients actually are:
Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained.
Enzymes are proteins that increase the rates of chemical reactions.
Maltodextrin is produced from starch by partial hydrolysis. 
Calcium Chloride, is a salt of calcium and chlorine.
Dipotassium Phosphate, is a highly water-soluble salt which is often used as a fertilizer or food additive.
Autolyzed Yeast Extract is concentrations of yeast cells that are allowed to die and break up, so that the yeasts’ digestive enzymes break their proteins down into simpler compounds (amino acids and peptides).
Potassium Citrate is used to regulate acidity.
Sodium Caseinate is milk protein.
Annatto Extract is from the achiote trees of tropical regions of the Americas, used to produce a yellow to orange food coloring and also as a flavoring. Its scent is described as "slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg" and flavor as "slightly nutty, sweet and peppery".
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate is a substance (not food) that stabilizes an emulsion.
Cellulose Gum is a thickener, and used to stabilize emulsions (also KY jelly).
FD&C YELLOW # 6 is a synthetic yellow manufactured from aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum.
Yum, cheese?
I am reading Lost Days, Emily the Strange book #1. This is the 3rd Emily the Strange book I've read. I didn't know the first one I read was actually the 2nd in the series when I read it. That would usually make me crazy, to read books out of order!
Today with my sister I was making a Barbie Amusement Park out of card board and coloured paper. We're going to finish it tomorrow after we go to the dollar store and get some Popsicle sticks.
I got the idea to make a meal plan from my mom who got the idea from our neighbor who is trying to stick to a budget.
My meal plan for the week:
Sunday-vegetarian chili
Monday-vegetable stir fry with rice
Tuesday-pasta
Wednesday-vegetable curry with coconut milk and rice
Thursday-potato and egg salad with steamed chard
Friday-baked white fish with lemon and a fancy mixed green salad with nuts and fruit
Saturday-leftovers or lentil soup if there are none
We make enough of each meal to have leftovers for lunch the next day. If there ends up not being any because it was too good we have bagels, wraps, bean salad or tetra pack soups to eat. Lots of fruit, tofu snacks, nuts and cereal bars for snacks.
Breakfast we have cereal with soy or almond milk, oatmeal, fruit or a wrap with peanut butter or banana.

Back to Featured Articles on Logo Paperblog

About the author


Paige 3 shares View Blog

The Author's profile is not complete. The Author's profile is not complete.