Peanut Butter Cup & Candy Corn Turkeys (plus a Cookie Pilgrim Hat)

This is a fun and yummy Thanksgving project from Our Best Bites. 

I have copied and pasted in case the post is no longer available. Today is actually June 8, 2011 so I am post dating for Thanksgiving 2011.  I also plan to PIN IT @ Pinterest  :-)

Between now and then I want to kitchen test these and take my own pictures.

 

If you are reading this post it is most probably because of one of he following reasons:

1) I died (I really hope thatis not the case. If it is, please pray hard for me!!)

2) I moved far, far away and do not have Internet access.

3) OR - Sara's post is no longer available and I did not kitchen test so I am using this as a fall-back.  :-)

 These little turkeys are perfect for school parties, family nights, and Thanksgiving place holders.  At the end there’s an easy pilgrim hat as well.  I don’t really know where this idea originated -- I made the turkeys as a kid as I’m sure many of you have and I’ve seen the little hats all over the internet.  Both are Turkey Day classics, so go have some fun!

Ingredients/Supplies

Double Stuff Oreo Cookies
Candy Corn
Whoppers
Peanut butter Cups
Chocolate frosting
Yellow Frosting
Optional: Red frosting
Optional: black sprinkles for eyes

*For these kinds of things I love to use the little pre-filled tubes of colored frosting you can buy in the baking isle.  The chocolate is easy to make, and homemade actually works a little better because you can make it stiff.  However for the colored details like yellow and red, these little tubes are great.  It doesn’t really matter what they taste like and they last forever (which is both cool and disturbing at the same time.) I’m using store-bought tubes for everything here purely for convenience- works great!

First step:  Grab a cookie.  You don’t have to put frosting in there, but I like to because it holds in the candy corn a little better. Just give it a little squeeze of chocolate.

Then stuff in your candy-corn.  If you’re in some sort of candy corn shortage, you can cut off the white tips to use later for your beaks.  I think the candy corn sticks in better with the tip so I leave it on.  Go ahead and do all of the cookies through this step.

Next put a dab of frosting on the opposite end of the cookie and secure it to the “base” cookie.  It helps to place them next to a wall as they dry so they stay put.

While those are drying, unwrap your PB cups.  Take a sharp knife and cut a sliver off of one end.  (I don’t need to tell you what to do with the sliver, do I?)  It helps to gently cut in a sawing motion so you don’t break the PB cup.  (Although I wouldn’t have to tell you what to do with a broken one either, would I?)  Cut it from the bottom like I show here:

Once those are ready, flip your cookies over, but you may find it’s easy to keep them next to the wall.  My frosting was a bit soft, so they needed the extra support.
Place a dab of frosting on the pb cup, and place it on the cookie like so:

Now those little guys will need heads, so glue a whopper on there with frosting as well. I put frosting on the side of the whopper that hits both the cookie and the PB cup.  Wouldn’t want a turkey running around with its head cut off, would we??

While they’re still laying there, use a dab of frosting (I use yellow) and glue on the white tip of a candy corn for a beak.  Put two yellow dots on for eyes, and for the black spots in the eyes you can use a dab of chocolate frosting, or a mini chocolate chip, or a little sprinkle like I’ve used.  A sprinkle is really the perfect size if you have them.

Once the beak stays put you can flip them over and draw on some little yellow feet.  If you have red frosting too (usually comes in a set with the tube of yellow) you can add a little wattle.

And there you go, cute as can be!

These make really cute place card holders too, for either a kid, or adult table!  I just made little name tags with Sara's Silhouette and then I popped them in there on toothpicks.
How cute is my little turkey family?

Stick one on each plate and everyone will say “Awwwwwwe….” If you have kids old enough to handle making them, it’s a fun project for them to be in charge of.

They’re also darling combined with pilgrim hats.

Those are just marshmallows dipped in chocolate and placed on a fudge strip cookie.  Use yellow frosting to make the buckle.  (Pretty much the Thanksgiving version of the Halloween witch hats seen in this post!)

Dirty Dozen & Clean 15

A handy reference!

Comments and Observations 1

"You'd never know this from going to a supermarket, but children are supposed to eat the same foods as their parents."

--Dr. Marion Nestle

(Grocery) Store Wars - May the Farm Be With You!

CLASSIC!

 These are dark times, young Cuke!

Seduced by artificially lower prices, people don't even want to know where their food comes from.

A growing resistance called the Organic Rebellion is fighting back!

Help me, Obi-wan Cannoli, you're my only hope!

Chew-Brocolli!

That's no moon, that's a melon! The Death Melon! That giant fruit threatens us all!

Darth Tator.  He's now more chemical than vegetable.

The Dangers of MSG

by Barbara L. Minton @ Food Matters
see also: The Truth in Food Labeling – Food Additives to Avoid & Hidden Sources of MSG

(NaturalNews) MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate is a salt that is chemically converted into a flavour enhancer. Research has shown that MSG, found in most popular processed foods, causes weight gain and obesity in lab animals by damaging the appetite regulation center in the area of the brain known as the hypothalamus, causing leptin resistence. Leptin is the hormone that controls how much a person feels like eating. The fullness, gratification and satisfaction that come from having eaten is completely lost when MSG is consumed, leading to an urge to eat that never stops. A recent cross-sectional study in China supports the conclusion that what was seen in the animal studies also applies to people.
The best way avoid MSG is by buying whole foods and preparing them at home.

Study finds using MSG can cause weight gain

The study, reported in the August edition of Obesity examined the association between MSG intake and weight gain in humans. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study involving 752 healthy Chinese people ages 40-59. These people were randomly sampled from three rural villages in north and south China. Forty-eight percent were women. The great majority of the participants prepared their foods at home, without use of commercially processed foods. For the study, participants were told to add quantified amounts of MSG when preparing their foods. Eighty-two percent of the participants were MSG users. Their average intake was 330 milligrams per day.

After adjusting for confounders including physical activity and total energy intake, the researchers found that MSG consumption was positively related to increases in body mass index. Weight gain was significantly greater in MSG users than in nonusers. For the third of participants using the highest amount of MSG, the odds of reaching overweight status were between 2.10 and 2.75 greater than for nonusers.

MSG is an excitotoxin that causes brain damage

MSG is a food additive found in almost all commercially prepared and packaged food. It supercharges the taste of food, but not in the way you would think. MSG operates on the brain, fooling it into thinking food tastes really great. MSG is an excitotoxin in the brain, meaning that it over stimulates the brain causing the production of excessive amounts of dopamine. This creates a drug-like rush that provides a brief sensation of well being. It is highly addictive, causing its consumers to keep coming back for more and end up overeating. In the process, brain cells are destroyed.

Because MSG damages the brain and alters the ability of the brain to respond to the signal from the hormone leptin that satiety has occurred, it is a prime culprit in the epidemic of obesity that has everyone scratching their heads as to cause. Several research studies have shown that ingestion of MSG induces obesity in rats. In fact, when researchers want to fatten up lab rats for experiments, they feed them MSG because its effect is so predictable and rats will bulk up with regularity. MSG destroys the hard wiring in the brain of a rat like it does in the brain of a person.

Corporations that sell processed food love MSG because it makes cheap ingredients taste great. The success of their highly addictive branded flavors depends on their ability to stimulate the brain and create a repetitive response to these products. Instead of creating a quality product that tastes good on its own merits, processed food producers just lace a low integrity food product with MSG without regard for the negative effects it will have on the person who eats this product.

One of corporate America's best friends, the FDA, has said for many years that consumption of MSG is safe, and has condoned its use as an additive flavor enhancer in countless processed and branded food products. As obesity has reached epidemic proportions in American society, the FDA has purposefully ignored the steady stream of research showing its obesity producing effects. WHY is the US government OK with MSG in our food, especially when obesity and diabetes appear to be a problems they would like to address? Good question.

MSG also promotes liver inflammation and dysplasia

Chronic inflammation is a common theme in a variety of disease pathways, including autoimmune diseases. It is a concern due to its increasing prevalence in the westernized world and its direct correlation with lifestyle factors, particularly the diet. Diet caused liver damage may lead to liver cancer. In a study reported in the February-March, 2008 edition of the Journal of Autoimmunity, researchers reported that injecting MSG in mice leads to significant liver inflammation along with obesity and type 2 diabetes. To address the long-term consequences of MSG on inflammation, they performed serial analysis of MSG injected mice and focused in particular on liver pathology.

They found that by the age of 6 and 12 months, all MSG treated mice developed liver inflammation and structural change. Lesions were detected in some cases. They concluded that their results take on considerable significance in light of the widespread usage of dietary MSG and suggested that MSG should have its safety profile re-examined and potentially be withdrawn from the food chain.

The FDA condones food producers hiding MSG in their products

When people become aware of the dangers to their health and well being from the use of MSG, they no longer want to buy products that contain it. The producers of processed foods know that people don't want to consume MSG but are unwilling to remove it from their products because without it, people wouldn't want to buy them unless the quality was greatly improved, a task which would raise the cost of production. So they have gone to extremes to hide MSG in their products and this has been allowed by the FDA.

The term MSG is seldom seen listed on a food label, but MSG is most likely contained in the food, in a disguised form. Here are some of its many disguises: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed yeast extract, autolyzed yeast extract, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured whey protein, and textured soy protein. Even the innocuous terms spice and natural flavor can designate the presence of MSG.

The use of MSG is another example of how corporate America has turned its back on the very consumers who buy their products, all in the name of greed. By continuing to pump their products full of MSG after knowing their customers do not want to consume it, food corporations are showing the ultimate in contempt for the food buying public, a contempt which should produce outrage rather than brand loyalty.

MSG is the world's most widely used flavor enhancer

It's very difficult to find any canned or packaged food item that does not contain MSG in one of its hidden forms. It's in canned and boxed soups, dried soup mixes, frozen prepared meals, canned prepared meals, fast food, junk food, snack food, Chinese food, gravy, stew, chili, canned beans, salad dressing, seasoning blends and mixes, bullion, broths, and prepared pasta products. Most restaurant food contains loads of MSG. It's what makes the restaurant experience so compelling. Hot food bars at grocery stores have foods containing MSG. Even high priced prepared foods that market themselves as gourmet are laced with MSG, such as the soup mixes and other non-dessert products at Harry and David's

You won't escape MSG shopping at Whole Foods or other stores that claim to sell healthy food. Many of the bagged, bottled, frozen and canned foods at Whole Foods contain MSG hidden under another name. Some of the deli dishes as well as those on the hot bar and the take-out rack contain hidden MSG.

Most processed food for children also contains high levels of MSG, such as spaghetti O's and other prepared pasta or pasta mixes, alphabet soup and chicken noodle soup, microwavable cups, packaged dinners marketed to kids, and much more. A meal of MSG containing food can raise the blood level of excitotoxin to a value proven in primates to destroy brain cells. A child's brain is four times mores sensitive to damage by excitotoxins than is the brain of an adult.

Chronic MSG ingestion by children may be one reason behind the nation's falling test scores, as well as attention and hyperactivity problems exhibited by children at home and at school.

The best way avoid MSG is by buying whole foods and preparing them at home. The next best thing is to become an expert at label reading and knowing the various disguises under which MSG travels. There are a few packaged prepared items at traditional grocery stores that do not contain MSG. At health food stores there are many more.

When you have managed to avoid MSG for a period of time and adjusted to the delicious taste of food as it was meant to be experienced, you will be shocked when you go out to a restaurant and taste food loaded with MSG again. You will know instantly because the flavor is so intense it is almost eye popping, and you suddenly want to just keep eating and eating.

Study found Red Clover able to block brain damage from MSG

Sometimes you just can't get around having to eat food that contains MSG. Eating at a restaurant with friends, an invitation to the boss' house for dinner, the need to stop for fast food while on a trip and many other situations can crop up where exposure to MSG is inevitable. A recent study found that pre-treating yourself with a supplement of red clover before you dine can nullify the potential for brain damage from MSG.

Phytomedicine, June 5, 2008 edition, reports researchers finding that the natural mixture of phytoestrogenic isoflavones found in red clover can protect the brain from MSG toxicity. They used a human cortical cell line to test the efficacy of a red clover fraction. When the cells were pretreated with red clover isoflavones there was a significant increase in cell survival and a significant decreased in the release of an enzyme indicating cell damage. The pretreatment also prevented the morphological disruption caused by MSG.

Source: www.naturalnews.com

The following foods contain MSG in amounts large enough to cause reactions in those sensitive to it.:

• Taco Bell® - seasoned meat - contains autolyzed yeast - which contains free glutamate
• Other menu items that contain soy sauce, natural flavors, autolyzed yeast or hydrolyzed protein which can contain up to 20% free glutamic acid - the active part of MSG.
• Hamburger Helper Microwave Singles® (targeted towards children)
• Doritos®
• Campbell's® soups - all of them - based on their commitment to add "umami" (read - MSG) to their products
• Pringles® (the flavored varieties)
• Boar's Head® cold cuts and most of their hotdogs
• Progresso® Soups - all of them
• Lipton® Noodles and Sauce
• Lipton® Instant soup mix
• Unilever or Knorr® products - often used in homemade Veggie dips.
• Kraft® products nearly all contain some free glutamate
• Gravy Master®
• Cup-a-soup® or Cup-o-Noodles®
• Planters® salted nuts - most of them
• Accent® -this is nearly pure MSG
• Hodgson Mill Kentucky Kernel Seasoned Flour®
• Tangle extract (seaweed extract) - found in sushi rolls (even at Whole Foods) Seaweed is what MSG was first isolated from.
• Fish extract - made from decomposed fish protein - used now in Japanese sushi dishes - very high in free glutamate.
• sausages - most supermarkets add MSG to theirs
• processed cheese spread
• Marmite®
• supermarket poultry or turkeys that are injected or "self-basting"
• restaurant gravy from food service cans
• flavored ramen noodles
• instant soup mixes
• many salad dressings
• most salty, powdered dry food mixes - read labels
• flavored potato chips
• restaurant soups made from food service soup base or with added MSG
• monopotassium glutamate
• glutamic acid
• gelatin
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein (found in many processed AMERICAN foods, like canned tuna and even hot dogs)
• hydrolyzed plant protein (found in many processed AMERICAN foods, like canned tuna and even hot dogs)
• autolyzed yeast (found in many processed AMERICAN foods, read labels)
• sodium caseinate
• textured protein
• yeast extract
• yeast food or nutrient
• soy protein isolate
• Worcestershire sauce
• Kombu extract
• "natural flavors" - may contain up to 20% MSG
• carageenan
• dough conditioners
• malted barley
• malted barley flour - found in many supermarket breads and all-purpose flours including: King Arthur, Heckers, and Gold Medal flour
• body builder drink powders containing protein
• Parmesan cheese - naturally high in free glutamate
• over-ripe tomatoes - naturally high in free glutamate
• mushrooms - naturally high in free glutamate
• Medications in gelcaps - contain free glutamic acid in the gelatin
• Fresh produce sprayed with Auxigro in the field. (Yes the EPA approved this. It appalled us too.)

 

Mmmm, mmmm, not so good!

Here we have a can of good ol’ fashioned Campbell’s Low Salt Chicken Soup. By all account it would appear to be healthy, in fact notice right on the label how it says ‘No MSG’ and ‘No Artificial Flavors.’ Well, I don’t know how they got away with that one, because if you look right on the ingredients list, you will see Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate, both nasty chemical flavor enhancers.

You will also see Yeast Extract and Soy Protein Concentrate – legally MSG can be hidden in these ingredients and they do not have to report MSG as an additive.

The 6 Most Unhealthy Foods - Avoid These at All Costs!

Some people swear by the mantra "everything in moderation," but the truth is, some foods, no matter how good they taste, are better off left alone.
If you need a little motivation to stay away from these most unhealthy foods, consider that four of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States are related to diet (diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke). And if you're looking to improve yours, cutting back on these six foods is a great place to start. Want to guess first? Read the hints below.

Hints:

#1 is basically liquid candy.
#2 contains acrylamide, a known carcinogen and neurotoxin.
#3 contains nothing more than refined sugar and flour, artificial flavors and partially hydrogenated oil that's loaded with trans fats.
#4 pertains to a store bought version of something . . . it contains high amounts of trans fats and a host of other unsavory additives. Homemade version? A bit better.
#5 has almost 1,000 milligrams of salt in one small serving.

 πππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππ

Ready for the 6 six things you should delete from your diet?  Did you already guess?

1. Soda.
An average can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, artificial food colors and sulphites. Diet sodas have the even-more-unhealthy artificial sweeteners. A major part of the problem is that sodas have become a staple in many people's diets. A study in the journal Pediatrics found that 56 percent to 85 percent of children consume at least one soft drink a day, and 20 percent of adolescent males drink four or more sodas a day.
"Parents and health officials need to recognize soft drinks for what they are -- liquid candy -- and do everything they can to return those beverages to their former role as an occasional treat," says the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a U.S. consumer group. In fact, CSPI has recently petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling for cigarette-style warnings on soft drinks to warn people of their potential health risks (weight gain, diabetes, tooth decay and more).

You knew it was coming ... French fries contain at least two types of cancer-causing compounds.

2. Potato Chips and French Fries.
These popular snack foods contain acrylamide, a known carcinogen and neurotoxin that is formed when foods are baked or fried at high temperatures. "I estimate that acrylamide causes several thousand cancers per year in Americans," said Clark University research professor Dale Hattis.
When CSPI conducted tests on some popular brands of French fries and chips, they found that the acrylamide in a large order of fast food fries was at least 300 times the amount allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a glass of water.
"There has long been reason for Americans to eat less greasy French fries and snack chips," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "Acrylamide is yet another reason to eat less of those foods."

An Up-and-Coming Absolute Worst Food ... Don't Try This at Home This one wasn't popular enough to make the top-six list yet, but it's growing in popularity ... and growing fast. The deep-fried Twinkie, first invented in a Brooklyn restaurant by brothers Clint and Rocky Mullen, is making its rounds to country fairs and carnivals around the country. Here's how they're made: • Twinkies are chilled, rolled in flour, dipped in tempura batter and fried for a minute or two. • The frying process melts the cream center, which becomes infused throughout the cake, giving it a pudding-like texture. • For the finale, they're sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with chocolate or berry sauce. If you're not into Twinkies, don't despair. The Mullen brothers also sell deep-fried candy bars--Snickers, 3 Musketeers and Milky Way--to suit even the most discerning tastes.

But that's not all. These foods also contain trans fats, the artery-clogging fat that's been linked to raising bad cholesterol (and lowering the good kind), and increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer.

Doughnuts: A somehow tasty concoction of refined sugar, flour, trans fats and artificial flavors with zero nutritional value.

3. Doughnuts.
Tasty, yes. But break a doughnut down and you'll find nothing more than refined sugar and flour, artificial flavors and partially hydrogenated oil that's loaded with trans fats. They have no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
"When it comes to health, the only thing good about them is the hole," said Carla Wolper, nutritionist at the New York Obesity Research Center.

4. Skip the Pre-Packaged Baked Goods 
This category actually includes all varieties of baked goods, including packaged cake and biscuit mixes. What makes these foods so bad is that they almost always contain high amounts of trans fats and a host of other unsavory additives including corn syrup, preservatives and artificial flavors and colors. In fact, commercial baked goods typically contain more trans fats than any other food because not only are they often made with hydrogenated oils, they're fried in them too.
If you're not ready to give up your morning treat just yet, opt for baked goods from your local bakery (which is less likely to use hydrogenated oil for a long shelf-life and is likely to use butter instead of margarine, which typically contains trans fat) or . . . . MAKE THEM YOURSELF!

A hot dog now and then can be reasonably healthy if you seek out a nitrite/nitrate-free variety.

5. Luncheon Meats/Hot Dogs.
Processed meats like these (and others including sausages, bacon, pepperoni and other processed meats) contain a carcinogenic precursor ingredient known as sodium nitrite (sodium nitrate is closely related).
"Sodium nitrite is a dangerous, cancer-causing ingredient that has no place in the human food supply," says nutritionist Mike Adams, author of the Grocery Warning Manual.
And, according to a University of Hawaii study that followed nearly 200,000 people for seven years, people who consumed the most processed meats (hot dogs and sausage) showed a 67 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who consumed little or no meat products.
Here's some good news: you can find various varieties of nitrite/nitrate-free meats in any health food store.

6. Canned Soup.
Here we're talking about the traditional, canned soups you find in your grocery store. This may come as a surprise, but most canned (and packaged) soups have high levels of trans fats, sodium and artificial preservatives like MSG. Just one cup of canned soup can have almost 1,000 milligrams of salt (and most people eat more than one cup), which is tons considering dietary guidelines recommend consuming no more than 2,400 milligrams for the entire day.
There are healthy options out there, particularly natural, organic brands, but be sure to read the label. The alternative is, of course, to make your own homemade variety.

 __________________________________________________________________________________

Recommended Reading
The Top 8 Foods People Are Most Sensitive To -- Without Even Knowing It!
High Cholesterol? The TOP 12 Non-Drug Strategies to Increase Your HDL Levels

---

Sources
Original Article

Reuters July 13, 2005
What's Wrong With Trans Fats?
CSPI Newsroom
Doughnuts Get a Big Zero
Organic Consumers Association
CNN: New Junk Food Fad: Deep-Fried Twinkies

Cross posted @ Old Men's Gym  and at  Healthy Mom; Healthy Baby

How Clean ARE Those Bagged Salads?

Packaged salads are not nearly as clean as their "pre-washed" and "triple-washed" labels suggest.

Recent Consumer Reports' tests found bacteria that are "common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination" in many of the packaged salad greens it tested.

The nonprofit group tested 208 containers of salad greens and found that 39 percent of the samples exceeded acceptable levels for coliforms and 23 percent had unsafe levels of enterococcus.
On a positive note, these tests didn't find disease-causing bacteria such as E.coli O157:H7, listeria, or salmonella in any of the samples.
"It's never a good idea to have fecal bacteria in your food or water because it means that untreated waste has gotten into them somehow," says food safety expert Marion Nestle. "But only toxic bacteria make you sick, and the good news in this otherwise queasy-making study is that they didn't find any."
No one is suggesting that you stop eating salad. Just take some of the precautions below to make sure you're eating the safest greens possible:

• Always wash salad greens, even if the bag says "prewashed" or "triple-washed." Rinsing won't remove all the bacteria, according to Consumer Reports, but it may remove residual soil. Washing with plain water works as well as anything else, says Nestle. There's no need to use detergent, vinegar, or special produce washes.
• Buy packaged greens as far from their expiration date as possible. In the tests, Consumer Reports found that many packages with higher bacteria levels were one to five days before their use-by date.
  
  Packages of salad that were six to eight days away from expiration date fared better, according to Consumer Reports. (It's also interesting to note that many of the packages with the highest amounts of bacteria contained spinach.)
• Choose fresh greens over packaged when you can. Bagging changes the environment in ways that might promote bacterial proliferation, says Nestle. A fresh, whole head of lettuce is usually less expensive than a bag of lettuce too.
  
  Buying local may offer extra protection since greens tend to be fresher so their bacteria haven't had as long an opportunity to multiply, Nestle notes, and this ought to reduce the risks of centralized contamination. However, in the Consumer Reports tests, it didn't make a difference if greens were organic or if the greens were packaged in plastic clamshells or bags.

 SOURCES:

1) Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno. 

Lori has written a book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life and it is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

2) The Conscious Consumer blog 

Photo credit Getty Images

No copyright infringement intended. All posts are fully cited for source and author. I have provided links back to the original source whenever possible. This blog is not for profit. It is used for my personal and homeschool referencing.  It is also shared with friends.
I am so very grateful to the authors, website and blog owners for sharing information, commentary, and knowledge.

E Mealz

OK, I have just learned about this . . . .  a blogger friend says she likes it.
Dave Ramsey recommends it.  I am thinking of giving it a whirl.

Here is what I know so far - links provided.

E MEALZ   How Does It Work?
You choose the store. They provide the plan!
Each week you receive a brand new plan AND a complete, aisle-by-aisle grocery list.



This is what one happy subscriber says,

E-Mealz was created by two sisters who were frustrated with their own hodge-podge menu planning systems, but longed to create easy, wholesome meals for their growing families. The goal of E-Mealz, and a core belief that drives these sisters' efforts, is,  Make Time for Family. 

 

So, how does E-Mealz simplify your life? You choose the grocery store you most often visit (if the store you go to is not on their list, you can select the "Any Store" option). 

Each week you will receive a detailed menu plan (complete with side dishes AND instructions) and an itemized, aisle-by-aisle grocery list with ample room to jot down additional items you need to pick up while shopping. 

In addition to the store options, you can further customize your plan by choosing the Family Plan (feeds 4-6) or the Couples' Plan, and either the regular, low-fat, low-carb, vegetarian, or Weight Watchers Points plan.

 

The meals are kid-friendly AND easy to prepare. They do ALL the time-consuming planning, and they base the menus according to what's on sale at your chosen store for the week! They even provide the prices so you can see just what your grocery tab will be before you even walk through the door. For just $1.25/week to sign up for the service, my family has chopped our food-budget in half since using E-Z Mealz!

Woman’s Shattered Life Shows Ground Beef Inspection Flaws

E. Coli Path Shows Flaws in Ground Beef Inspection 

Stephanie Smith, 22, was left paralyzed in 2007 after eating a burger tainted by E. coli. Tracing her burger shows why eating ground beef is still a gamble.

“Ground beef is not a completely safe product,” said Dr. Jeffrey Bender, a food safety expert at the University of Minnesota who helped develop systems for tracing E. coli contamination. He said that while outbreaks had been on the decline, “unfortunately it looks like we are going a bit in the opposite direction.”

Read the full story here.
Source: www.nytimes.com

“Monsanto Bill,” HR 875

Will the so-called “Monsanto bill,” HR 875 take away your access to healthy organic food? Find out the truth behind the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 and what YOU can do to protect your health.

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) and the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) agree that food safety needs to improve. However, both are concerned about whether new control measures would really be effective without severely hurting small, local agriculture.

In the meantime . . . .

Buy organic whenever possible. If you cannot buy organic, it’s important to know that some foods are more likely to be contaminated than others. Here’s a list of foods that are highest in pesticide residues and therefore, especially important to buy organic

• Peaches – Considered the worst! Contain high residues of iprodione, classified as a probable human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and methyl parathion, an insecticide and endocrine disrupter. 3
• Apples
• Bell peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Spinach
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Lemons – especially if zesting!
• Green beans
• Oats & Grains
• Dairy and Eggs
Worth the read:
We Don't Buy It

Surviving the Middle Class Crash

Melange

Leftover Turkey? How About a Fabulous $5.00 Dinner?

I love to share a good find with my friends and readers.

If you know me, you know I am fairly frugal. In fact, I love to find ways to live more simply and be a good steward of our hard earned paychecks. It seems just plain "wrong" to me, to waste money. There are so many people struggling financially --- even $10.00 can make a huge difference in their lives. Imagine what $100 or $1000 can do to help others!

OK I am jumping off of my soap box now. I only meant to give a bit of detail to my mindset . . . .. . . . . . . my frugality framework.

To that end, let me tell you what I have found!! A like-mind . . . but someone who has taken the time and effort to share her strategies of frugality and simplicity and planning when it comes to meals! Check out $5 Dinners and then come tell me what you think!

From my nest to yours! Cheers and Blessings!

Here is a sneak peek at a recipe I found on her site and one that I have been using for years (or some close variation of) --
I just never figured the cost per ingredient before! I changed it from chicken to turkey. This recipe assumes you have some left over turkey and drippings or bones for creating broth.


OLD FASHIONED POT PIE

Pie Crusts for two pies ($1)
4 T. Butter ($.50)
1/4 cup Flour ($.02)
1 tsp. salt ($.05)
1/2 tsp. thyme ($.05)
1/2 tsp. pepper ($.05)
2 c. turkey broth (free)
1/2 c. milk ($.07) or half and half
2 cups turkey, cooked and cubed (free)
3 large potatoes diced and boiled for about 10 minutes ($1)
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables ($1) OR better -- fresh veggies

• Preheat oven to 350 to 400.
• Potatoes should be cooked or cooking now!
• Line 2 pie plates with crust.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat and stir in flour, and seasonings. Cook until smooth and bubbly.
  
• Remove from heat.
  
• Stir in milk and broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly for one minute.
• Stir in chicken and veggies.
  
• Pour half of each mixture into each pie crust. Top with the second pie crust. Pierce tops with fork to allow some steam to escape during baking.
  
• Bake on cookie sheet (I use my stone pizza sheet) 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
  

Price for two large pies $5.74, serves 8
We usually serve our pot pies with a large salad.

Pizzelle Traditions

It is generally believed that pizzelles were originated in a middle region of Italy in ancient times to mark an annual celebration. Initially baked over an open fire with relatively simple but effective irons, the early pizzelles often were proudly embossed with the family crest or some hint of the village of origin.

Over time it became tradition to use pizzelles to celebrate any holiday or festive occasion, but inevitably there were pizzelles for everyone at Christmas and Easter. The modern patterns found on these delicious waffle cookies most commonly are floral on one side and a woven basket-like pattern on the other.

They are waaaaaay too delicious to eat ONLY at holidays. Come and have some pizzelles at The Best Nest. They are great with a glass of cool water or a cup of hot coffee.

French Documentary

This is a must --- please take the time to watch this even if you do it in sections.
This is a documentary aired on French television - a documentary that Americans won’t ever see. The gigantic bio-tech corporation Monsanto is threatening to destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for thousands of years



H/T: Nicene Truth

Dr. Bill Wood's ProFlex Shake (& Diet Plan)

AM
2 scoops of Proflex drink mix with 12 oz liquid (water or skim milk)
add 1 scoop Fiberwise, if desired
add fruit (suggestions: 1 banana, 1/2 cup strawberries or 1/2 cup blueberries)
add ice, if desired, and blend

This provides 30 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber (13 grams w/ Fiberwise, 8 grams w/o)

This can be part of a healthy day!

Drink the shake in the morning.

LUNCH: An Attain shake or meal replacement bar and some fruit or raw veggies on the side

PM: 1 scoop of Fiberwise in 8oz of water about 20 minutes before the meal This helps place gel coating around the stomach so that nutrients absorbed during the meal are absorbed slowly.

Then eat a regular meal with the family (be reasonable, of course)

Dr. Woods says using this regimen may help one lose 4 - 8 pounds per month . . . a healthy weight loss plan.

What's for Dinner?

You input the foods you have on hand and the program spits out the recipes! How cool.

http://supercook.com/

4 Foods for Healthy Skin

from RealSimple.com

Pomegranate
The hundreds of ruby-colored seeds inside pomegranates were once thought to symbolize fertility, and given the fruit's proven powers as a strong antioxidant, it has given birth to a huge number of products, including designer juice and high-end skin-care creams.

The pomegranate's power comes from ellagic acid, a type of polyphenol, which is an antioxidant found in red wine and green tea. Antioxidants seek out and neutralize cell-damaging free radicals that come from the environment (pollution, UV rays) and from the body's natural aging process. Ellagic acid has been shown in some studies to neutralize free radicals more effectively than the other polyphenols found in green tea and red wine. It's also more stable in skin-care products than some other antioxidants, like vitamin C, which can lose potency when exposed to light and air.

Grapefruit
Until the 19th century, grapefruit was grown purely as an ornamental fruit. Rarely eaten, it was known only for its looks - an interesting harbinger of its modern-day promise to improve ours.

A 2005 study by the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, in Chicago, showed that the scent of grapefruit on women made them seem an average of six years younger to men. Grapefruit's main use in skin care, however, is as a citric acid. Like any alpha hydroxy acid, citric acid loosens the bonds between skin cells, allowing dead ones to fall away, revealing smoother, more radiant skin.

Mushroom
No wonder the Super Mario Brothers got a jolt of evil-fighting power whenever they ate a mushroom. Mushrooms have long been used in Asian cultures as remedies for everything from low energy to cancer.

The extract of several Japanese mushrooms has been shown to reduce inflammation, which can affect collagen in the skin and contribute to changes associated with aging, such as the appearance of fine lines. Reducing that inflammation keeps skin cells vital and functioning and also suppresses irritation so that other active ingredients, like antioxidants, can do their jobs.

Shiitake mushrooms have multifaceted benefits for the skin. They contain antioxidants that block proteins known to cause cell breakdown; they provide chemical exfoliation; and they also contain kojic acid, which has a lightening effect on age spots and discoloration, making skin appear brighter over time.

Pumpkin
Despite its prevalence in favorite sweets, such as pies and muffins, pumpkin is quite acidic. And the enzymes in pumpkin act like salicylic acids, chemical exfoliants that encourage skin cells to turn over more rapidly.

Pumpkin is also a carotenoid, a derivative of vitamin A, which is indicated by its orange color, and that makes it an antioxidant in addition to having exfoliating properties.

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc and have been used as a natural remedy for acne. Studies show that zinc has an effect similar to that of the common antibiotic tetracycline.

St. Patrick's Day Shakes (green as shamrocks)

Super, simple and fairly healthy!

~2 cups vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

~1 & 1/4 cups milk (any kind!)

~1/4 teaspoon mint extract (optional)

~8 drops green food coloring
~1 scoop Melaleuca Protein Powder
green sprinkles

Blend all ingredients (except green sprinkles) on ~high speed until smooth. Add those sprinkles!

FFN

Edamame Dip

1 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 T. olive oil
1 T. of plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or fresh garlic)
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 16-ounce cannellini beans (other white beans work, too)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately or cover and chill. Good dippers include toasted pita triangles (cut pita bread into triangles and toast for about 10 minutes at 375º); toasted tortillas (use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes from a flour tortilla for the kiddos and bake 10-12 minutes at 350º); or even pretzels.

H/T: Kate

Fast Food, Obesity's Biggest Culprit

Trend in Fast food Obesity: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools reports dramatic increase in consumption of fast food by children since 1970. Presently, children get 10 percent of their total energy intake from fast foods, compared to 2 percent in the 1970s.

Since fast food adds 6 pounds per child per year and 33% of the children and teens in the US consume fast food, obesity is on the rise.

Fast food obesity

Occurrence of Fast food Obesity: According to a report published in Chicago Tribune, fast-food consumption is more in higher-income households, young boys, older children, African-Americans and children living in the south, whereas fast food consumption is found to be low in youngsters living in the West, rural areas, Hispanics, white women and those aged 4 to 8. Due to the increase in the number of fast food outlets, fast food prevails in virtually every segment of the society, including hospitals and schools, as per a study on fast food & obesity by Harvard School of Public Health.

Relation of fast food to obesity: Fast foods compromise the quality of diet by replacing more healthy foods. Fast foods are known for having high content of saturated and trans-fat, low content of fiber and massive portion sizes, leading to obesity.

Managing Fast food Obesity: The onus lies on parents to educate their children about the ill effects of fast food. Obesity can be prevented in children by allowing fast food in moderation only. Also, both, the big and small fast food players should educate people about the contents of their products.