Junk Food Makeover: Goldfish

Emily SimonsIn our column, Junk Food Makeover, we challenge culinary nutritionist Tricia Williams to recreate iconic snacks with more wholesome, better-for-you recipes.

Tricia Williams, Bon Appetit

The Challenge
Ah yes, the snack that smiles back. Moms love them because they're one of the only cheesy snacks that doesn't leave kids' fingers (and consequently, the sofa) orange. But, like other convenient processed foods, they're not the healthiest option. Don't let the sly grin on those cute little marine animals charm you; they're vicious.

"Most people don't know that Goldfish contain MSG, because it's not listed on the label," says our Junk Food Makeover nutritionist, Tricia Williams Yikes. "MSG plays with our sense of satiety, leaving us still hungry. Just put a kid in front of a bag of goldfish and see what happens." To produce a healthier version of the snack, Williams says, "We needed something else to provide the cheesy flavor, so we used Daiya, a vegan cheese made of tapioca and arrowroot that has a meltability you can't find in other non-dairy cheeses. For the dough we used rice flour, which is a slow-burning carb. It helps you feel fuller longer and doesn't cause a blood sugar spike like white flour does, leaving you hungry all over again. We tweaked the orangey color by adding the vegan cheese and smoked paprika. Finally, we got a cute little goldfish cookie cutter to make that iconic shape."

The Result
This challenge was a tough one, especially going up against such a ubiquitous childhood snack. We found that the goldfish were a bit hard to chew and weren't as puffy as the original. That definitely makes them hard to eat by the fistful (which, admittedly, is probably a good thing). The flavor was good, although one tester noticed a "medicinal" taste that gave way to a much more pleasant, saltier flavor. Another tester said that they reminded her of stale pizza pringles. One tester said she would "snack on them all day," noting that she likes "things that taste healthy." We can't say for sure that you could fool your kids with Tricia's version, but everyone agreed that they would work well on tomato soup.

Goldfish Crackers
by Tricia Williams
Makes 120 crackers

Guar gum is a stabilizer and thickening agent that is derived from the guar bean. It can be used in small amounts in gluten-free baking to hold the dough together and can be found at bobsredmill.com. You can find a tiny goldfish cookie cutter at amazon.com.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice flour plus more for dusting
1 tsp. guar gum
3/Tbsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. safflower oil
8 oz. vegan cheddar

Ingredient Info: Rice flour is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and natural foods stores. Smoked paprika is available in most supermarkets.

PREPARATION
Pulse 1 cup rice flour, guar gum, salt, and paprika in a food processor; drizzle in oil and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Pulse in cheese in three additions; add 3 Tbsp. cold water and process until dough comes together. Pinch dough; if it feels too dry, add 1 more Tbsp. water. Transfer dough to a baking sheet. Divide into 2 portions, flatten each into a disk, and cover with parchment paper. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dust a rolling pin and work surface with rice flour. Roll out 1 dough disk until 1/8" thick.

Cut out fish shapes and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough disk. Bake until crackers are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool.

Note: This recipe has not been tested by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen.

Nutritional Comparison

Pepperidge Farms Goldfish:
Serving Size: 55 Goldfish
Calories: 140
Protein: 4g
Fat: 5 g
Sodium: 250 mg
Cholesterol: < 5 mg
Sugar: < 1 g
Total Carb: 20 g

Tricia's Goldfish:
Serving Size: 24 Goldfish*
Calories: 192
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 5.2 g
Sodium: 81 mg
Cholesterol: 0 g
Sugar: 0 g
Total Carb: 24g

*The serving size for Tricia's goldfish is a little less than half of that of the original snack. This is because her goldfish are double the size and much more dense than Pepperidge Farms'. Even 24 fish is a very generous serving for Tricia's goldfish, as they are very filling.

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