Measuring Butter
#294633 - 12/27/06 05:53 AM
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Hello all. Currently, I am trying to adapt a recipe into an IBS friendly recipe but need help with the butter. The recipe calls for 3 tbs of butter. I only smart balance light butter, but that comes in a tub and am not sure how to measure out Tablespoons like you can with stick butter that has the measurements on it. Can I just scoop out 3 tablespoons of butter?
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OK, I've never used smart balance light, but here's what I would do if I had a tub of real butter.
1. Take it out of the fridge for a couple of hours or Microwave it on lowest or 3 out of 10 for a minute 2. Make sure it is soft enough so that if you stick your finget in it, it swallows it 3. Scoop out 3 tablespoons with a measuring tablespoon leveling it with a knife.
I don't know how much you should microwave the smart balance light and if you even can in its tub, but that's what I do with butter to soften it. Or leave it out for like an hour and it's usually ready (however, if it's in a large tub more than an hour might be needed, that's why I said a couple of hours above)
HTH --J
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I use Soy Garden which comes in a tub, and I just scoop it out with a measuring spoon, level it off, and it works fine.
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Nearly all "tub" margarines -- especially when they say "light" -- are not equivalent to the same amount of stick margarine. (The Soy Garden Melissa mentioned is an exception.) Most of the tub margarines are whipped and have a fairly high air content, so 1 T from the tub is maybe half the amount of the stick margarine.
This might not matter for some recipes ... but in some recipes you'll have an unpleasant surprise if you don't replace the lost fat with something else.
(This is why the Blue Bonnet light stick margarine package explicitly says not to use for baking.)
-------------------- jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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Hi all, I have tried, by mistake, to saute using light Smart Balance and also I tried to use it for baking without noticing that on the wrapper it says it is not to be used for those purposes. The results were disastrous. Nothing came out right. Then, of course, I read the instructions and realized light margerine is just for spreading on toast or muffins and not for any kind of cooking or baking. You must use regular Samrt Balance for cooking or baking.Isn't that annoying?
-------------------- Joaniebird
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I use it in the pan so to speak pretty often and also in sauces. But it cannot be baked with -unless you are using it melted to make a struesel topping or something like that. I used melted SBL last night for apple crisp. It does not work in cakes and cookies though.
-------------------- IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Interesting...
What is the reason behind this? What do you mean "doesn't work", do baked goods just come out dry, or burn or somthing like that?
--J
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baking
#294901 - 12/29/06 08:11 PM
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I don't know the chemical reaction, but all light margarines say you cannot bake with them. They are not formulated like regular margarine. They are whipped up and so when baked I think they sort of disappear and don't give the needed lube to the product and yes it probably turns out dry. It is okay in crisps and betties and things like that since it just wets and flavors the struesel. I also use it in pie fillings with fruit since it is again just for flavor.
-------------------- IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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