Peppered Shrimp using Sous Vide

Perfectly cooked shrimp. Fantastic, flavorful dipping sauce. What else could you ask for? These peppered shrimp, cooked using sous vide, didn’t last long at all around here. Nice and peppery, the shrimp are super tasty. The sauce is buttery and herbaceous. You might have a bit of the sauce left over, so serve the shrimp with some grilled or toasted bread for soppin’.

Peppered Shrimp using Sous Vide

I searched and searched my pantry and could not find allspice berries. Then it struck me! There’s allspice berries in pickling spice! Boom! So I just picked a few out and off I went to make my sous vide peppered shrimp. If you don’t have any allspice berries, don’t fret. The shrimp will still be great. And peppery.

I use an Anova sous vide cooker. It’s my immersion circulator workhorse!
Peppered Shrimp using Sous Vide
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Peppered Shrimp using Sous Vide

If you don't have any allspice berries, don't fret. The shrimp will still be great. And peppery.
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword shrimp, sous vide
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Calories 62kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set up your immersion circulator for 140 F.
  • Toss shrimp with the salt in a large bowl.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, basil, oregano and cayenne. Whisk together and bring to a simmer.
  • Add the butter, 1 pat at a time, whisking until melted.
  • Remove from heat and let cool slightly before stirring in the shrimp, bay leaves and allspice.
  • Transfer to a vacuum-sealable bag and spread out evenly. Seal. NOTE: I put the bag into the fridge for 1 hour so that the liquid set up before sealing. This made it much easier to seal the bag.
  • Transfer to the immersion circulator and sous vide for 50 mins.
  • Remove and open bag. Transfer liquid to a bowl for dipping. Serve shrimp garnished with sliced green onion.

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Mango Chile-Lime Potato Chips

The only even remotely tropical-flavored chip I’ve ever had is Maui onion. These quick fix mango chile-lime potato chips put those to shame. These chips are decidedly fruity, with a good hint of heat. They also have just a touch of citrus. They’re different in a very good way. The seasoning I used (from Pepper Palace my favorite hot-sauce store!) was original intended for wings or shrimp, but it is just as amazing on chips.

Quick Fix Mango Chile-Lime Potato Chips

My quick fix mango chile-lime potato chips take only minutes to make. You end up with great-tasting chips that are seasoned YOUR WAY. My goodness, is there nothing worse that getting a bag of “The best chips you’ve ever had!” chips home only to find that half the chips don’t have enough seasoning. Or any seasoning for that matter. Well, you can go right ahead and season the heck out of them now. Any way you want. Do it.

Not that I mean to over-stress it, but I will mention you don’t need any fancy fru-fru chips for this recipe. In fact, I’d stay away from them. You want ruffled chips, preferably. And frankly, you want chips that are a bit oily. Yep. Once heated, the chips will release that oil and that’s what you need to get the seasonings stuck on there good!

Also try my quick fix garlic Parmesan potato chips.

Quick Fix Mango Chile-Lime Potato Chips
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Mango Chile-Lime Potato Chips

You don't need to grab the expensive chips when you make quick fix Mango Chile-Lime potato chips.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword potato chips, quick fix
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 452kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 275 F.
  • Spread chips out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. You should see that the oils in the chips have come to the surface.
  • Gently transfer chips to a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning. Use a spatula to carefully stir to coat.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

If you didn’t think pre-cooked chicken nuggets or popcorn chicken could end up anywhere but dipped in a sauce, these quick fix BBQ chicken sandwiches will change your mind in a single bite. First, they definitely pass my ‘messy test’. Any good sandwich, burger, whatever you pick up to eat, has to be messy. Second, hey, it looks great! And of course last, but not least, it’s packed with delicious flavors. Crunchy slaw, tangy BBQ sauce, vinegary pickles, aged cheese and of course, chicken, all come together in a great, easy sandwich!

Quick Fix BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

I wouldn’t really change anything about these quick fix BBQ chicken sandwiches. I could eat them every day of the week. If I get bored with them (something that seems highly unlikely) I just use a different BBQ sauce. Maybe on Monday I feel like a little sweet. Maybe make it a bit spicier each day. By Friday, I’m all over the super spicy smoked habanero BBQ sauce! But the rest of the ingredients stay untouched, unchanged. As simple as they are, these are great sandwiches.

I recently discovered Blue Plate mayonnaise, which I think is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Also try my smoked BBQ chicken sandwiches. They’re not quite as easy to make, but like these sandwiches, they taste absolutely amazing!

Quick Fix BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
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Quick Fix BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

If you didn’t think pre-cooked chicken nuggets or popcorn chicken could end up anywhere but dipped in a sauce, these quick fix BBQ chicken sandwiches will change your mind in a single bite.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword BBQ, chicken sandwiches, quick fix
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 344kcal

Ingredients

For the sandwiches

For the slaw

Instructions

For the slaw

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.

For the sandwiches

  • Place the heated chicken pieces in a large bowl. Drizzle with the BBQ sauce and toss gently to coat.
  • Toss the heated chicken with the BBQ sauce in a large bowl.
  • Assemble the sandwiches by placing cheese on the bun bottoms. Top with some of the slaw. Add the chicken and then the pickles. Top with the bun top and serve.

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 272IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Sous Vide Grilled Chicken Breast

Salad week was coming. Every few weeks we switch to making salads for a while. Our favorite protein for salad is sous vide grilled chicken breast. My worst fear is that the chicken will not impress. That it’ll be chew and as dry as the desert. Well, no tough, dry chicken here. This chicken comes out crazy juicy, super tender and big-time packed with flavor. Perfect for salads, thanks to a slow cooking process using an immersion circulator. It’s also got a lightly smoky flavor with a great light char. That’s thanks to a few minutes on a hot grill.

Sous Vide Grilled Chicken Breast

I used fresh thyme sprigs when I made this sous vide grilled chicken breast. The thyme flavor isn’t over-powering (I used 2 sprigs per breast). If you want a pronounced herb flavor, add more. You can also use any other fresh herb that you like. You can also leave it out and still have wonderfully tasty chicken. Just don’t be shy with the salt and pepper. This is the time to add flavor, before it’s cooked.

I use an Anova sous vide cooker. It’s my immersion circulator workhorse!

You can use this same recipe for cooking bone-in chicken breasts instead.

Sous Vide Grilled Chicken Breast
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Sous Vide Grilled Chicken Breast

The perfect chicken for sandwiches or salads.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, sous vide
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 534kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fill a container with water. Add your immersion circulator and get the temperature to 146.5 F.
  • Brush the chicken breasts with the oil.
  • Season well with salt and pepper. Get the seasoning on all sides and don't be shy with it.
  • Transfer the chicken to a sealable vacuum bag. Add the sprigs of thyme on top.
  • Seal the bag using a vacuum sealer.
  • Transfer the bag to the heater water and cook for 1 hour.
  • Remove the bag from the water.
  • Remove the chicken. Discard the thyme and pat the chicken dry with the a paper towel.
  • Fire up your grill for direct cooking over high heat. We're not looking to cook the chicken (it's already fully cooked). We just want to get some grill marks on it and add some texture.
  • Lightly spray the chicken with non-stick spray (you could also use more olive oil if desired) and transfer to the grill. Grill for just a minute or two and rotate 90 degrees and cook another minute or two.
  • Flip and repeat on the other sides to get grill marks.
  • Remove and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 96g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 289mg | Sodium: 678mg | Potassium: 1701mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips

I am a big chicken wing fan. I’m always trying out new sauces and seasonings. When I tried Parmesan garlic from Croix Valley on wings, I loved it. And I also knew it’d be great on some quick fix potato chips. And, oh me, was it ever! No lightly-flavored lame-o chips here. Each and every chip is PACKED with flavor. As much flavor as you ever wanted and dreamed of! You own this! Herby. Cheesy. Garlicky. Goodness. Quick fix Parmesan garlic potato chips are a big winner.

Quick Fix Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips

There’s nothing complicated going on here. The ‘hardest’ part of making quick fix Parmesan garlic potato chips is being sure that you are nice and gentle with the chips when you toss them to coat them. Don’t be shy with the seasoning. You aren’t making store-bought, lightly seasoned, barely-tasty chips. Go big.

Not that I mean to over-stress it, but I will mention you don’t need any fancy fru-fru chips for this recipe. In fact, I’d stay away from them. You want ruffled chips, preferably. And frankly, you want chips that are a bit oily. Yep. Once heated, the chips will release that oil and that’s what you need to get the seasonings stuck on there good!

Also try my quick fix desert heat potato chips. And my quick fix mango chile-lime ones too!

Quick Fix Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips

You don't need to grab the expensive chips when you make quick fix Parmesan garlic potato chips.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword potato chips, quick fix
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 452kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 275 F.
  • Spread chips out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. You should see that the oils in the chips have come to the surface.
  • Gently transfer chips to a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning. Use a spatula to carefully stir to coat.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Barbecue Potato Chips

It’s happened to all of us. You buy a big ole bag of BBQ potato chips at the store. You open the bag and dive in and find… sadness. Half the chips aren’t seasoned. And the other half barely taste like BBQ. My quick fix barbecue potato chips solve this problem and will rid you of chip sadness in just 5 minutes. And it really can’t get any easier. Chips. Seasoning (which I picked up from Croix Valley Foods!) . Done. BBQ flavor on every chip. Not in hiding, either. Out front, up front and delicious!

Quick Fix Barbecue Potato Chips

Any time I make quick fix barbecue potato chips I have only one rule about the seasoning step: don’t be shy. Heck, we’re here for BBQ-flavor. Do it. And then add some more. Just be real gently tossing the chips because you don’t want to break them.

Not that I mean to over-stress it, but I will mention you don’t need any fancy fru-fru chips for this recipe. In fact, I’d stay away from them. You want ruffled chips, preferably. Also, and frankly, you want chips that are a bit oily. Yep. Once heated, the chips will release that oil and that’s what you need to get the seasonings stuck on there good!

Also try my quick fix Parmesan garlic potato chips.

Quick Fix Barbecue Potato Chips
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Barbecue Potato Chips

You don't need to grab the expensive chips when you make quick fix barbecue potato chips.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword potato chips, quick fix
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 452kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups potato chips A few good handfuls worth. I recommend ruffled chips, and no need to get the expensive stuff, store brand is fine
  • ½ tablespoon Croix Valley Barbecue wing seasoning more or less, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 275 F.
  • Spread chips out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. You should see that the oils in the chips have come to the surface.
  • Gently transfer chips to a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning. Use a spatula to carefully stir to coat.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Desert Heat Chips

I find myself being un-impressed with most store-bought ‘spicy’ potato chips. Yeah, some are spicy, but they don’t taste good. And some taste great, but they sure aren’t spicy. The solution? Make some quick fix Desert Heat potato chips. Done in minutes, spiced just like I want, these are the chips I was searching for! I owned these chips. I could put as much darned seasoning on there as I want! All I need are some chips and Buffalo Wild Wings Desert Heat Wing Seasoning!

Quick Fix Desert Heat Chips

I prefer to use wavy ruffled chips any time I make my quick fix Desert Heat potato chips. The thick chips hold up to being tossed in the seasoning. And the ridges give the seasoning more and more places to cling to, making sure I get nothing but flavor in each and every bite!

Not that I mean to over-stress it, but I will mention you don’t need any fancy fru-fru chips for this recipe. In fact, I’d stay away from them. You want ruffled chips, preferably. And frankly, you want chips that are a bit oily. Yep. Once heated, the chips will release that oil and that’s what you need to get the seasonings stuck on there good!

Also try my quick fix barbecue chips.

Quick Fix Desert Heat Chips
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Desert Heat Chips

I prefer to use wavy ruffled chips any time I make my quick fix Desert Heat potato chips.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword potato chips, quick fix, spicy
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 452kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 275 F.
  • Spread chips out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. You should see that the oils in the chips have come to the surface.
  • Gently transfer chips to a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning. Use a spatula to carefully stir to coat.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Copycat McRib Sandwich

This isn’t some highfalutin’ food blog. I can barely afford to keep the lights on half of the time. I gotta cut corners wherever I can to keep this site up and running. So that’s why you’re not going to judge me when I say I really, really enjoyed this quick fix copycat of the McRib sandwich. I mean, you know what? It’s actually yummy! It kinda looks like the real thing and it’s fun to eat!

I should probably email the fine folks at On-Cor to apologize for doubting their products. Their BBQ rib patties look like the real McRib deal, sauce and all!

Quick Fix Copycat McRib Sandwich

You can make 6 McRib sandwiches from a package of On-Cor BBQ Rib Patties. I actually prefer 2 patties per sandwich. I wrote the recipe to use only one per sandwich, but ….. well, use your own judgement. Make sure to get some of the sauce on there, too. The ribs actually come with more sauce then you’d think, plenty enough to heap on deep and that’s a good thing. That helps make these quick fix copycat McRib sandwiches double good!

And whatever you do, do not forget the pickles! That vinegary pickle goodness cuts thru the sweetness of the barbecue sauce.

Quick Fix Copycat McRib Sandwich
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Quick Fix Copycat McRib Sandwich

I actually prefer 2 patties per sandwich.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, McRib, quick fix
Prep Time 4 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 797kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare rib patties per package instructions.
  • Toast the sub rolls if desired. If you are baking the rib patties just add the rolls to the oven the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  • Place 1 patty on each sub roll bottom and add 1/3 cup of the sauce from the container the ribs came in. Add 2 pickle chips and the top of the bun and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 797kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 2111mg | Potassium: 711mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 23mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Pizza Tots

I created a ‘quick fix’ category here so I’d have a place to click on for my easiest recipes. A short list of ingredients and a short amount of time is the rule. Something you can throw together and yet still enjoy. Like these quick fix pizza tots. It doesn’t take much to take your standard frozen tater tots (one of my favorite go-to quick sides) and give them a little different flavor. In this case, the flavors of pizza.

Quick Fix Pizza Tots

If I’d found some pepperoni slices in the pantry (trust me, I looked) I would’ve chopped them up and added them to these quick fix pizza tots when I added the cheese. Crumbled cooked Italian sausage would be great too! Just keep it quick, and easy. Canned black olives. Onion. Diced green bell pepper. These are all great ideas for topping this super-simple side dish.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Get the real stuff.

Also try my quick fix seasoned tots. Just as easy, Just as great.

Quick Fix Pizza Tots
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Pizza Tots

I created a ‘quick fix’ category here so I’d have a place to click on for my easiest recipes. A short list of ingredients and a short amount of time is the rule. Like these quick fix pizza tots
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword pizza, tater tots
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 346kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 4 cups tater tots frozen
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup cheese shredded (mozzarella, cheddar, whichever you prefer)
  • cup pizza sauce or ketchup
  • ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 F.
  • Lightly grease a baking sheet. Pour the tots onto the sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the tots with the salt and cheese.
  • Whisk together the pizza sauce and Italian seasoning and drizzle over the tots.
  • Bake another 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with more salt before serving, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 976mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 381IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Bloody Mary Potato Chips

No reason to be locked into only a handful of flavored chips at the store when you can make them taste however you want! Today I made a big batch of my quick fix Bloody Mary potato chips. Potato chips. Bloody Mary seasoning. That’s it! And oh-so-good! They’re the perfect snack to enjoy while you’re enjoying a Bloody Mary! And the best part is I decide how much seasoning I get. No more of those barely-seasoned chips for me (or you!).

Quick Fix Bloody Mary Potato Chips

You don’t need to grab the expensive potato chips when you make quick fix Bloody Mary potato chips. The key here is to warm up the chips just enough that the oils they were cooked in come back to the surface of the chips. That gives the seasoning something to cling to. No big pile of seasoning at the bottom of the bowl with these chips, nope. Nothing but flavor.

Of course, you can make homemade potato chips in a deep-fryer and then toss them in the seasoning too! Just don’t over-drain the chips as they come out of the hot oil or the flavors won’t have anything to adhere to. Make sure you get them good and coated.

Quick Fix Bloody Mary Potato Chips
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Bloody Mary Potato Chips

You don't need to grab the expensive chips when you make quick fix Bloody Mary potato chips.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword potato chips, quick fix
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 452kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 275 F.
  • Spread chips out onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. You should see that the oils in the chips have come to the surface.
  • Gently transfer chips to a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning. Use a spatula to carefully stir to coat.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.