Eating Well for Your Wallet and Waistline - The Nutrition Source

Terrific article on the $1.50/day difference of "eating well."(Complete article here.)

When our youngest was maybe six or so we were shopping in the produce aisle and he asked if we could buy some watermelon.  It was the beginning of December in New England and we're not known for our watermelons in or out of season.  All I could think was how long had the melon been sitting on the back of a truck and how mealy the inside would be.  "Not today," I answered, as I glanced at the price per pound.  And then it hit me…am I nuts!  He's not asking for a bag of cookies.  So, we bought the watermelon, and I gave him a huge spoon to scoop it out - he was in heaven.

When my husband (who loves watermelon) came in the door, he commented, "how much did a watermelon in December cost?"

"Less than a box of cookies," and I handed him a spoon.

Your health is your wealth. - Irish proverb.

Tip of the week: My friend's mom from Italy used to stack her
plates in the fridge like this - no need for plastic, covers, etc.

Eating Well for Your Wallet and Waistline - The Nutrition Source

Changes to "Nutrition Facts" Labels

New York Times - Continue reading the main story

                                                                     

CURRENT LABEL

PROPOSED REDESIGN

ALTERNATE PROPOSAL

The redesign would change how serving sizes are calculated and displayed.

Calorie counts would be more prominent, and the existing “Calories from Fat” line would be removed.

Percent daily values would shift to the left, making them easier to read. Some package sizes would be required to show both “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition counts.

The new design would require information about added sugars.

Vitamin D and potassium counts would be required. Vitamins A and C would be optional.

An alternate proposal splits the percent daily values into several different sections.

Source: Food and Drug Administration

Pepsi Board Member becomes President of the Institute of Medicine

Hahahahaha…wait, this is true?

Fooducate Blog - Just Great, A PepsiCo Board Member is Now President of the Institute of Medicine

Ugh!  Does anyone else find it strange that we can't seem to figure out why America has never been fatter or sicker?

My guess is very soon there will be studies released that high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and flavors, chemical additives, genetically modified, highly processed fake food/drink products are all great for our health.

Please excuse me while I go get a box of tissues…. and laugh hysterically at the movie Idiocracy.

Check out Idiocracy: hysterical satire on the state of America's Food Supply

Now, here's a "healthier" fast food choice

This "fast food" has been a family favorite after a baseball practice or volleyball game for a long time.  In and out, always fresh and tastes great for under $5.50/large burrito (adding the awesome guacamole is $1.50 more). 

Family favorites from the simple Mexican menu include: whole wheat, no cheese, black beans, rice, pork, salsa and guacamole - yum! Roasted veggies instead of meat is always a delicious option too. Special treat is the Jarritos Mandarin sodas that are hecho en Mexico - uses 100% natural sugar and not the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) junk. 

Did you know:  Coke is manufactured in Mexico using sugar and not high fructose corn syrup because  the Mexican people refuse to drink it when it is manufactured with HFCS.  That's why American's are now seeing Coke imported from Mexico - I don't drink soda but heard Coke is way…way better in the glass bottles and made with cane sugar.  Go figure!

Best health always….

8,742,700 pounds of meat recalled - "unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce"

Wonder where the "beef lips" were headed?  And, what food products do they end up in? 

Is there a recipe that calls for "beef lips?"

List of recalled "meats"

Baking banana bread on a crisp New England morning* (Repost)

Not a big fan of bananas, but our daughter is.  What to do with the rotten bananas?  (The three pretty nasty looking bananas ended up behind some things on the counter where she couldn't see them so they ripened before she had a chance to eat them.)  Have to say the bread smells sweet baking in the oven on a crisp New England morning.

Hot out of the oven...

True story:  A close family friend from Korea has been practicing acupuncture for over 40 years and is extremely knowledgeable about the mind, body, and spirit connection through diet and told me that if a pregnant mother does not eat a food that she does not like than her child will not like that food either.  So, I tried an experiment.  I detest bananas and when I was pregnant with our daughter I gagged down one bite of a banana.  Yep!  For sure, she is our only child that loves bananas.

Best health always...I now enjoy warm banana bread on a crisp New England morning...and it's even better toasted the next morning.

Substituted Earth Balance* for the butter of course.

Will update with recipe in following post...

Dairy-Free: Banana Bread for those that don't like bananas

(See post above for the banana story.)

BANANA BREAD                                                    

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup Earth Balance - soften by letting sit on counter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 bananas)
1/3 cup (filtered) water
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (to help rise)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 chopped walnuts
Pan sizes: 4 small loaf pans or 9x5x3

Preheat oven to 350º.
Grease bread pan bottoms with Earth Balance
Mix sugar and Earth Balance in large bowl
Stir in eggs until blended
Add bananas and water: beat together for 30 seconds
Stir in remaining ingredients until moist (except walnuts)
Fold in walnuts - try not to over mix
Pour into pan
Spread so the batter is even
Bake until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean
9-inch loaf approximately 55 minutes
4 smaller loaf pans 20- 30 minutes - check back often after 20 minutes

Ingredients insight:
Eggs - cage free, raised naturally without antibiotics, vegetarian feed with no animal by products - a dozen costs (thankfully in our area) less than $1.50 more per dozen than the factory egg farms.

Well, no wonder America (and her children) are so confused about what's "healthy and nutritious"

"Roasted Walnuts"

My husband is a big fan of nuts and the other day purchased this product.   He thought he was buying, well, "roasted walnuts."  (He doesn't read labels*.)

Meanwhile, a study is released last month that eating nuts are great for you.  The part that's left out is  the highly processed food product above.   Now, this is what should be in a package of walnuts...


Seriously, went to take the picture and can't find the walnuts. 
He must have eaten them all.

*"Roasted walnuts" ended up in the trash and the container in recycling.


Too Busy Folding Laundry to Accept Award

This morning the dishwasher was running at 6:08AM and not a clean mug to be found for my tea.  Until, I remembered the gift from my good friend the night before.  Thank you!

Notice the small print

The SuperMom101 Show - Promo

Friday Night Favorite: Sloppy Joes - fast, cheap and easy after a long work week

Friday Night Favorite…
when we don't order out for Chinese Food

This is a quick and easy favorite and a great way to get rid of the leftover (almost) stale hamburger buns that never made it to the freezer.

1 cup tomato sauce from a jar (we enjoy marinara) 

3 hamburger buns - preferably whole wheat

1 lb. ground beef (no steroids, antibiotics or growth hormones here)  

Fry hamburger until thoroughly cooked (drain fat)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  

Place buns in oven - close to top (or toast in toaster) - I prefer the oven to heat up the house by opening the oven door after they are toasted - takes about 10 minutes max - so keep checking up on them.  

Cut up some cucumbers and you have a quick and easy meal in less than 10 minutes for under $9.00 that will feed one hungry teenager after basketball practice.

Add tomato sauce. 
Stir until well mixed over low heat. 
Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

Even Fido isn't safe: Pet Food Recall

Details at www.foodsafetynews.com

New England* Pot Roast - Boneless Chuck Roast

(Born, raised and harvested in USA - no growth hormones, steroids or antibiotics)

2 lb pot roast (bring to room temperature)

1/4 cup flour (or substitute for gluten free)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 medium onion

2 cups of raw potatoes diced - large pieces

Bag of baby carrots (about 2 cups) -  I love cooked carrots

3 cups of chicken broth or water

1/4 up red wine (optional)

2 bay leaves

Coat roast on all four sides with flour.  Heat dutch (cast iron) skillet/pan with olive oil over medium heat.  (Not too hot or the oil will burn).  Brown roast on all sides.  Add onion, diced raw potatoes, baby carrots, chicken broth, red wine and bay leaves.   Roast at 350º for 3 to 4 hours. (Turn roast every 1/2 hour. )

Remove roast and cut/tear in to smaller pieces.  If the broth is not thick enough - you can thicken the broth that remains in the pan (to create a stew) by taking 1/4 flour and 1/2 cup cold water,  shake together in a plastic container until completely mixed - this will prevent lumps and gently stir in to hot broth stirring to thicken.  Add slowly to thicken to your liking.

Whew! Almost finished the Pot Roast
and barely remembered to take a photo
p.s. Not the best photo - but it does taste great

*Because it snowed 10.5 inches yesterday and it's a great way to keep the kitchen warm for four hours.  Plus, the kitchen smells great and it's a hearty meal after shoveling.

Today is World Cancer Day | American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)

"To raise awareness that approximately one-third of cases of the most common cancers in the U.S. – over 374,000 cases every year – could be prevented just by making changes to our diet, weight and physical activity,"  according to the American Institute for Cancer Research who is uniting with World Cancer Research Fund International and other organizations.

 

Check them out: eNews: Today is World Cancer Day | American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)