While grocery shopping on Sunday, I found something else to add to the list of “Ew, why does this exist?”
To quote my sister, “Because who would want to eat a cherry that actually tastes like a cherry?” Duh. Silly me.
What’s the weirdest food product you’ve seen lately?
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Tagged fruit, grocery store, New York, products, shopping, sugar
I don’t know what it is this week, but I’ve had cereal on the brain—cereal monogamy, to be specific. For someone who writes about food so much, sometimes my own living-under-a-rock-ness astounds me. For example, I had no idea there were so many varieties of Cheerios out there. Chocolate? Dulche de Leche? Peanut Butter? I’m intrigued.
Because I’m kind of a nerd, I wanted to check these out online before adding them to my shopping list. I’m glad I did. While I’m all for whole grain cereal, and the nutrition stats and ingredient lists are not completely terrifying, sugar is still one of the first four ingredients for most of these flavors (corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and other sweeteners are also on the list). The artificial coloring is kind of a drag too.
I’m sure I’m not the first to say it seems like there’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing thing going on, with sugary cereals basking in the “healthy glow” shoppers associate with Cheerios. Okay, that’s a little melodramatic, but you know what I mean. It’s only cereal, I know, but it still bugs me to see artificial stuff on the list. Continue reading
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Tagged advertising, breakfast, cereal, ingredients, marketing, peanut butter, products, sugar
In this week’s “About Damn Time” news, the FDA and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said Wednesday that over-the-counter weight loss agents containing human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) are fraudulent and illegal.
You would think that subsisting on a very limited calorie diet (we’re talking 500 calories—a venti drink from Starbucks can have more than that) supplemented with a hormone approved only as an injectable drug for certain forms of female infertility would be kind of unappealing, but this stuff has been very popular over the past few years.
Said Elizabeth Miller, acting director of the FDA’s fraud unit for OTC products, ”There is no substantial evidence HCG increases weight loss beyond that resulting from the recommended caloric restriction.”
Miller also cited malnutrition risk, electrolyte imbalance, cardiac arrhythmias, and gallstone formation as concerns about such a low-calorie diet.
Companies sent warning letters by the FDA have 15 days to get it together and inform the agency what they’ve done to address the new ruling. You can read more about it here or visit the FDA online.
Like many people, I go through phases with different foods. One thing I tend to get on the weirdest jags with is salad. Just to illustrate that point, I’ve had a massaged kale salad with lemony miso-tahini dressing at least once a week since last spring. Often these jags begin with needing to use up a certain ingredient. This fall’s phase of salads with kabocha squash, goat cheese and pumpkin seeds began when my sister made a hugebatch of pumpkin seeds.
This almost became a post about relearning how to cook for one person, but the honest truth is that I’ve been eating most of my meals alone for the past year anyway, so it’s really nothing new. One thing that is new, though, is getting used to buying groceries in smaller quantities.
So the other day, I bough a pack of tempeh bacon, just to try something different. In order to use it up within the 5-7 days recommended on the package, I’ve been throwing it into salads. I think I might have to buy more in the near future: this combo is a little bit addictive..
This is just a standard massaged kale salad in the dressing mentioned above, with tomato, roasted red pepper, avocado, and 3 slices of pan-fried, crumbled tempeh bacon. It’s a bit like cobb salad—only better. At least in my opinion. I’m a sucker for green stuff with a little crispy-salty-savory thrown in there.
What’s one of your current favorite food combinations? Have you ever tried tempeh bacon?
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Tagged cooking, products, salad, veganism, vegetables, vegetarianism
Suddenly, the holiday season is here. Um, how did that happen? As someone who is self-employed and in grad school, I spend far more nights at home working than I do bar-hopping with my fabulously-dressed BFFs or whatever, but even I have a few extra things to look forward to this month. And by “things,” I mean events at which I want to look good. Or okay, who are we kidding—awesome.
A balanced diet, adequate sleep and exercise go a long way in ensuring we look and feel our best, but a little help never hurts. When the folks at Make Up For Ever sent me a few products to try, I was excited to play around.
Left to right: Moulin Rouge Lipstick in Rouge Artist Intense; Star Powder; Aqua Liner
This year, apparently, it’s all about shimmer and bright red lips. Now, I am a year-round red lip devotee, and this shade totally did it for me. It appeals to both my bold and my no-nonsense sides. It goes on smoothly and stays put. Yes, I know I sound like an infomercial, but this stuff rocks. It took me through 4 hours of class the other night, including a huge-ass presentation I was quaking in my boots over.
Blurry red lipstick smirk
I dug how easy the aqua liner was to use as well. I love liquid black eyeliner (it’s one of my daily habits), so this was another no-brainer for me. The one area in which I was a little intimidated was the Star Powder eye shadow. I’m sure this would be fantastic to do a smoky eye look with. Unfortunately, I lack skills when it comes to the smoky eye thing, so I opted for a look that was a little more “afternoon walk through Central Park with that guy who makes you smile a lot” than “You. Here. Now.” 
However, a girl can dream a little. Let’s pretend this walk is an after-morning-after-brunch stroll through the park, and that you didn’t even need all those fancy makeup tricks in the first place to find yourself in good company (regardless of whether you used them anyway)—because it’s all about the inner beauty, right? Or, you know, products that make you feel like the best version of your naturally-beautiful self. *
What makeup or fashion looks are you planning to rock this holiday season?
*disclaimer: these photos are not a particularly great representation of the best version of my “naturally beautiful self,” as I suck at photography, but hey…
Over the weekend, I woke up one morning to find this waiting for me on my desk at my parents’ house. 
I find it hilarious that my mother snuck into my bedroom to leave a jar of cookie-flavored spread there. Like it couldn’t wait a few hours.
Anyway, I’ve been seeing Biscoff all over the blog world for quite some time now, and my sister loves it, but I’m a bit stumped as to what to do with it. Yeah, I can eat it with apple slices or oatmeal, but I’m sure that gets old. I’m wondering if anyone has any holiday dessert recipes or other Biscoff-containing concoctions they’d like to share…
I’m sorry but this just doesn’t make sense to me. I saw these at the market the other day and was really grossed out. I don’t even want to think about all the chemicals in here. 
What do you think of “calorie-free” sauces and dressings?
A beer designed for specifically for women? Yep, that’s what a new drink called Chick beer is calling itself.
From the Chick Beer website:
“Chick Beer finally gives women a beer choice that suits their tastes and their style. The bottle is designed to reflect the beautiful shape of a woman in a little black dress. The six-pack looks like you are carrying your beer in a hip stylish, purse. Chick’s unique reflective bottle blings you up! It’s fun, fabulous, and female!”
Sure this one has only 97 calories and 3.5 g carbs per bottle and appreciate the promise of a less gassy product, but I’m not so sure about the “less bitter” taste. Um, gee, can’t I just drink real beer? Also, I really don’t need (or want) to look like I’m carrying my bling-y beer in a pink cardboard purse. While it’s nice that five percent of the profits will go to charities that “empower women,” I can’t help rolling my eyes.
What are your thoughts on Chick Beer?
Talk about things you never knew you needed…my friend Alex sent me an article about 7-Eleven’s new Hot Dog-Flavored Potato Chips. Oh dear, why do these exist? Supposedly, they taste really good, but I can’t help cringing a little.
What do you think? Would you try them?
I’m pretty hooked on Food for Life’s Ezekiel sprouted grain products—their English muffins and breads have become staples. It’s the texture that I like so much. It would be hard to go back to plain old wheat bread.
For breakfast on Saturday morning, we tried a new (to me) Ezekiel cereal.
Not only was this sprouted grain almond cereal perfect with vanilla soy milk and sliced banana, the nutrition profile was pretty damn good. Consider yourself warned about the fiber content, however.
“It’s biblically delicious!” Chris joked.
Indeed. You can read more about ingredients and the like here.
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