Three Cheese Spinach & Egg

I, personally, do not like omelets. I usually only like cheese or bacon on my eggs and i don't like to eat it unless it's on bread. I really wanted to find an egg combination that I could enjoy without bread or meat. So, the other day, I looked my fridge to see what I had to throw together for breakfast. I'll be hapy to share what I came up with.

 You will need:
 1 egg
about 1/2c fresh or frozen spinach
cheddar cheese
mozzarella cheese
pecorino romano cheese
slice of butter
cheese grater
pan

1. Melt the butter in the pan and spread evenly.
 (I keep the burner a tiny bit higher than low)
2. Break the egg into pan and break the yolk.
3. Pour spinach over the egg.

4. Grate all cheeses over egg and spinach
5. Let cook for a minute, then fold egg to enclose fillings
6. Cook until cheese is melted, flipping occasionally so egg is even on both sides.

Note: No salt needed. The cheese provides that flavor.

 I used string mozzarella cheese (just as good as a block or shredded). If you don't have these ingredients and plan to get them, I highly encourage buying organic. I am still transitioning so in this recipe the organic ingredients I used were the egg, mozzarella string cheese and spinach. When I run out of the other ingredients, I will only be replacing them with organic. Although Locatelli is my favorite brand for pecorino romano so I might have a hard time finding a tasty replacement.


                        Enjoy with some yummy organic coffee :)

GMO's in Places You Never Knew!

How do you know your buying produce that's not genetically modified? One option is to always buy organic. If organic doesn't work for your lifestyle, there is another sneaky way to find out. Check the PLU code on the sticker of whatever fruit or veggie your buying. It should show a sequence of either 4 or 5 numbers. If you see a 4 digit number then it is conventionally grown. This means that it is not genetically modified but the farmers do use chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides that can stick on it all the way into your stomach. Here's where it gets kind of important to remember detail. If you see a 5 digit number beginning with the number 9 it is organically grown (safest option). But if you see a 5 digit number starting with an 8 it is a GMO food.

That seems simple enough to choose the right produce. But what if you buy processed food? Snacks, cereals, juice, bread, seasonings, dressings and even milk can be the result of a laboratory experiment. Do you read the labels on the foods your buy? I have been trying very hard to strictly buy organic. I'm realizing more and more than most food can't be trusted. I'd like to share some details about organic foods and some tips on how to identify if your buying Genetically Modified (GMO) foods.

Some GMO or GE (Genetically Engineered) foods are made in a lab by injecting genes from different species. And keep in mind that if its a tomato that's being modified, chances are the genes are coming from something other than a tomato, probably not even a vegetable. What if a peanut has a trait that a scientist thinks would work well in a cucumber? That scientist will extract that gene, attach it to a virus or bacteria and inject it into the cucumber. Now that seed is sold to the farmers who don't give a crap about us and sold in food stores. Not only am I totally uninterested in eating a modified food, but what if a person with a peanut allergy eats the modified cucumber? I'm sure it's not good.

Now that I've (hopefully) grossed everyone out a little bit, let me help you identify a GMO product so it's a little easier to avoid. Corn, sugar beets, soybeans, canola, cotton,  sugar cane, tomato, hawaiian papaya, potatoes, rice and even commercial milk are some of the highest modified crops.

Keep in mind while continuing to read that organic is the way to go to avoid the modified foods that I will be talking about.

96% of corn grown today is biotech corn (GMO). It has been modified to handle lethal amounts of pesticides (and no the pesticides don't wash off by the time they get to the food store). Some ingredients to look out for that are made from modified corn are:

Citric acid and absorbic acid (can be found in juice and a number of other things)
Baking powder (contains corn starch. not to be confused with baking soda, sodium bicarbonate)
Caramel
Confectioners sugar (table sugar made with corn starch) (Trader Joe's uses tapioca starch)
Dextrin/maltodextrin
Dextrose/glucose/fructose (fried foods, cookies, ice cream and sports drinks like Gatorade)
Invert sugar/invert syrup
Anything with the word "corn", even popcorn
Malt, malt syrup, malt extract (if it doesn't clearly state barley malt, then it's GMO corn or rice)
Monoglycerides/ Diglycerides (improves texture of dressings, ice creams and sauces)
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG-instant soups, chinese food...)
Sorbitol (vit C, toothpaste, mouthwash)
Starch, food starch, modified food starch
Vanilla extract
Vegetable anything (doesn't specify the vegetable, then its corn. Veg oil, veg broth, veg protein, veg shortening)
Xanthan gum

Tomatoes were first modified in 1994 but quickly taken off the market because of cancerous effects. Now tomatoes are modified in different ways. 93% of cotton, 50% of papaya, 10% of potatoes and 75% of canola (rapeseed) are modified.

Rice was injected with 3different genes to make it higher in vitamin A. Two of the genes come from daffodils and one from bacterium.

Commercial milk farmers inject the cows with recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) which is a genetically modified hormone created to increase each cow's milk production. This hormone is present in the milk that comes from these cows. Not only does it sicken the cows in great numbers, it is linked to cancer in human beings.

I'm pretty disgusted with this information and will be avoiding these at all costs. 



Resources: Vishniac.com, healthy-eating-politics.com

Stevia, A plant cloned for higher production...

Stevia is a plant with naturally sweet tasting leaves. Unfortunately, when you plant the stevia seeds, only a few will sprout so our wonderful world of technology (sarcasm) decided to start modifying and cloning this plant to meet the needs of the world against real sugar. Some countries have restricted the use of Stevia as a sweetener. Stevia sweeteners also contain erythritol and rebiana.

Although I didn't do a ton of research on Erythritol,what I did find that it is very difficult for the intestinal bacteria to digest.

Rebiana is also the main ingredient in Truvia. Coca Cola's patent describes a 42-step procedure to derive Rebiana from the stevia leaves, using such country chemicals as acetone, methanol, acetonitrile, isopropanol, tert-butanol and "mixtures thereof". Truvia calling their product "natural" seems to be false advertisement.

The extraction process of the stevia plant includes using ethanol or methanol. Studies in 1985 show the components of stevia sweetener causing DNA mutations in the liver (mutagens). Mutations cause cancer which makes mutagens likely to be carcinogens. Although the majority (but not all) of more recent studies show minimal negative effects as well as implying possible benefits of reversing diabetes.

In 1991, the FDA labels stevia as an unsafe food additive. In 2008 (after years of stress from organizations and companies), the FDA finally gave a "no objection" approval for Truvia (made by CocaCola) and PureVia (developed by PepsiCo). Both companies use rebaudioside A, derived from the stevia plant.

 I'm here to give my opinion on the information I find. I say, if it was found to be dangerous to your health once, how could it be beneficial now? I think it's only a matter of time before this gets put on par with aspartame. Don't risk it.


Resources: Wikipedia.com

Agave, Bad For You?

I was asked to research Agave nectar. This is what I found...

(Please feel free to add anything in comments because I was very torn with the safety of this product.)


Agave: A sweetener derived from agave plant sap. It is commercially produced by extracting the juice from the center of the plant then heated to hydrolyze polysaccharides into simple sugars. The juice is then concentrated into a syrup. The shade of color depends on how much it is processed.

The United States patented a method to process the agave juice without using heat. The process uses enzymes from mold to hydrolyze. This method is "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA. Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) can mean one of three things...

1. Self-Affirmed means the manufacturer has performed necessary research with "experts" (if you ask me, they probably pay off people to say their product is safe).

2. FDA-pending means the product tests were submitted but not approved yet.

3. No comment - FDA reviews the claim and answers with a "no comment", meaning they are not requiring any further action on the product.

Agave is made up, mostly, of fructose and glucose. It has a lower glycemic index than table sugar (sucrose) but when (fructose) is consumed in large amounts can cause several health problems (too much to go into, would have to be its own blog). In my research, I found that most of your body can't break down fructose, only the liver. So, I guess if you have liver problems you should stay away from this product. It is such a concentrated product so it's hard to (for me) say how much your consuming in a small amount. I wouldn't say this product is terrible but I wouldn't give it to children because their bodies are so much smaller and the fructose would be even more difficult for their bodies to digest.

It's hard for me to understand if this product is really healthy or not. The U.S. is the one who patented the process using mold so it's tough to say if they are sneaking in their commercial way. Usually, a product with an USDA certified organic label should be trusted.  It would be expected that the certified organic product would use the heat method to hydrolyze. Is there a certified organic product that's not made in the U.S.? If so, that probably your safest bet.

I personally do not use this product. If I must use a sweetener, I just use raw sugar or organic sugar. Even that, I pretty much only use in my coffee. For baking, I no longer plan to use sugar (yes I am guilty of over using sugar and junk ingredients, but I've changed my ways). A pureed fruit sweetens just as well.

Everything in moderation,I suppose. I hope this information was helpful.



Resources: Wikipedia.com

What Makes Soy So Bad For You

Yesterday, I was looking for an organic version of Oreo's. I told my toddler we could get them because she went the whole night accident free (potty training is going so well). Of course, I went to 2 food stores which didn't have them. Poor kid. I felt terrible for not being able to live up to my word. Even if it is just about cookies. But she deserved them.

Tonight, hubby asked me to pick him ice cream on my way home from my appointment. My good mother instincts told me to go to a different food store than the other day. I was please to see several options in the healthy cookie section. Avoiding brown rice syrup cut out several options. It would have been nice to find a gluten free, organic oreo but it was one or the other. I ended up buying 2 different brands that seemed OK, but they both contain soy lecithin which I'm so confused. When I was doing my research on GMO's, this was one of the ingredients that was said to use caution with. I needed to dig deeper to know exactly what my daughter (and myself) would be eating.

Soy Lecithin is extracted chemically (with toxic hexane) or mechanically from soy beans. I encourage you to learn more detail about Lecithin.
  
Soy contains higher amounts of phytoestrogens than almost all other foods.
Phytoestrogens are plant-based estrogens that mimic estrogen in our bodies.
High estrogen (estrogen dominance,unopposed estrogen) is the leading cause of breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infertility, and low libido.

Infants who consume a day's worth of soy formula are eating the equivalent of FOUR birth control pills! Shall we say this is the reason for girls reaching puberty younger and even getting their period at the age of 6 or 7?

Soy is also the top food that causes thyroid depression (goitrogenic). Goitrogenics limit the amount of iodine to the thyroid. When your thyroid fails, you gain weight, difficulty controlling moods, you get cold easy, more fatigued, unable to concentrate or remember details and many others. (Come to think of it, I should probably get my thyroid checked, haha.)

All grains, seeds, nuts and legumes contain phytates, soy containing the most.. Phytates block mineral absorption in the digestive tract.  Soy contains such high amounts of phytates that it's almost impossible for us to digest them. I enjoy grains, seeds, nuts and legumes, so its helpful to know how to eat grains. Also, suggestible to avoid soy. Or at least only choose fermented products like miso, tempeh, natto or naturally fermented soy sauce (tamari). Fermented tofu could be named "stinky tofu" or "pickled tofu".

The last bash of soy is trypsin inhibitors. Trypsin is an enzyme than we need to digest protein. Without it, you can have digestive problems like cramps, diarrhea and bleeding. You also risk the chance of pancreatic problems.

MSG is formed during the processing of soy. So when you drink soy milk, keep in mind your drinking MSG (natural and man-made), along with sugar, oil and other additives. Imitation soy foods are produced with man-made MSG which causes migraines and brain cancer.

Coconut milk is a good alternative to soy milk, although, most are sold in packaging lined with BPA. One known BPA free brand is Native Forrest.

I'd like to quote one of my references now:

"Soy foods aren’t real food. They aren’t traditional. They aren’t old. They’re industrial waste products dressed up in pretty clothes and marketed to an ignorant public.”

So to conclude my original intention: I plan on eating the 2 packages I bought today, but I will be learning how to make my own organic homemade oreo's from now on. My kids deserve to be rewarded but it's not much of a reward if it's so unhealthy for them.

References: foodrenegade.com, Wikipedia.com

This Is Me. And This Is Why I Am How I Am.

Tonight on the news, i watched a story about the Serva family. It brought back some painful memories. I encourage everyone could take a minute to read this story.

I've been told that I'm a neurotic mom. Overprotective, overcautious and crazy. I've been told my blog topics are stupid and that no body will read them. Comments like this do not change how I feel.
I thought maybe If I explained my life a little bit, it might help people understand me a little better. So, here you go...

My name is Krystal. I'm 25 years old with 2 daughters. In March of 1992, just before I turned 6, my little sister Madison was born. She was in and out of Stony Brook hospital with several health issues. In 1995, shortly after her 3rd birthday, my mom was trying to get her to bed ( in our home) and the phone rang. Since Madison was crying so much, my mom took the call in the kitchen. I was only 9 years old but I remember this scary night. Madison, crying, dizzy, throwing up, was rushed to Stony Brook ER. They rushed her in and as those doors closed in front of me, that was the last I'd see of the somewhat normal, loud, bossy, but deeply loving little sister that I had once known. Fluid filled her brain and caused a lot of damage. She stopped breathing. Lucky for the current technology, she was able to survive on life support. Three years old, completely paralyzed, with a respirator and feeding tube, but still alive. My mother put her soul into caring for her baby. Madison spent some time in Stony Brook pediatric ICU, then was sent to Delaware for a summer to receive special care at a children's hospital. I spent that summer living with my grandma so my parents could be at my sister's side. After her time in Delaware, she came to live at home. My parents had a room renovated to fit her needs and learned what they needed to, to care for her. With 24 hour nursing, physical and speech therapy, teachers and my parents to fill in when needed, my sister's needs were met. Although my parents ended up divorcing, my mother never gave up. On December 29th, 2010, when Madison was 18, she caught a pneumonia that took her life. Now, having kids of my own, I will always have a severe fear of the same thing happening to them.

I hope this gives an awareness as to why I am so supporting of an organic lifestyle and so against this chemical world that is being created.

Kale Chips Experience

Continuing to make a healthier lifestyle change, I am determined to find a healthy alternative to all the things I loved before. Being a lover of chips and dip doesn't comply with healthy eating. I always loved ridgies potato chips with green onion sour cream dip. Main problem is I would end up eating a whole bag of chips and a whole bowl of dip.

Just for fun, I decided to put some kale in a bouquet. Good for a picture?

 While food shopping, I came across Kale chips. Something I've heard of before but didn't put too much thought into. There were several different flavors to choose from but the price seemed a little high for a tiny bag of chips. So, I figured I would try to make them myself.

I bought the green curly kale but there were several choices, although i don't know what the others are called.

I cut the leafy part off of the thicker stem and tore into chip size pieces. Rinsed well and ran it through the salad spinner.

Tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper and flaxseed.

I totally over salt and peppered expecting these to not taste great.

Next time I'll skip the pepper and barely add any salt. But I'll definately keep the flax. :)

Baked at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes was perfect.

Crispy, light, and quite comparable to potato chips!

Smoothie of the Day

These are the ingredients I put in my smoothie today.  For 3 servings, I used 3cups of spinach, 1/4 of that bag of carrots, 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt, 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, 1 kiwi, 2 bananas,1 avocado, 1/2 and orange and about 5 frozen peach slices. All was organic except the yogurt.

 I peeled and pitted what I needed to and put it all in my food processor (which I use as a blender because it's awesome).

 Started up the blending and realized I needed a bit more liquid...

 So I added about 1/2 cup of Northland cranberry raspberry juice and a bunch of ice cubes. This is a common juice in my house because we've cut out apple and grape (due to arsenic levels) and this one is my husband's favorite.

We always only buy 100% juice, no sugar added.

 The flavor of this smoothie wasn't one of my best but far better than my worst, haha.

If I were to change anything in this one, I would have used organic vanilla yogurt and maybe waited until my bananas were a bit more ripe. I would also have like it a bit colder, so next time i'll use more ice.

Other than that, It was very nutritious and my husband and I both drank a whole glass. And my toddler, as always, was asking for more.

Better Bacon?

 Unfortunately, all this time I have not been so aware that bacon was loaded with nitrates and most even have added chemicals to minimize splattering. I'm a huge bacon lover and even through hardcore dieting, it's one thing I have a hard time giving up. I've tried turkey bacon but the flavor and texture just doesn't quite do it for me.

 I wanted to find a healthier alternative, not just for me but for my family too. I was please that Whole Foods sells uncured, nitrate free bacon. I've been told that it does not compare to the chemical filled product, but that didn't stop me from wanting to try it.

Looks like bacon...

         Smells like bacon...

Sure does taste like bacon!
(Minus the excessive salt)









 I had said to myself before trying this, that if it wasn't at least close, I would be cutting bacon out of my diet (along will the hundreds of other things I've boycotted recently). I was pleasantly surprised that it is exactly like bacon, just less salty. The price ranges from $4.99 to something like $6.99, depending on brand and some other minor differences. I'm pretty sure that the chemical bacon is about the same in price. My mind is made up on this one, no question. I'll be buying the uncured,nitrate free version from now on.

The Cloth Diaper Experience

 So far, my cloth diapering experience has been..... I'd say, enjoyable.  Yeah, there are some con's but I think I will work those out with experience. I find it very comforting knowing that the amount of chemicals touching my baby's skin is as minimal as humanly possible. Especially since that is such a sensitive area. Although, I've noticed that the smell of cloth is much different than disposables and not in a good way, hahaha.

 I've set up a small pale that I fill halfway with water and a squirt of laundry detergent. This way, as soon as the diaper comes off, it immediately gets to soak. I think this has helped a lot with minimizing stains and I think it's decreased the strange smell. I've read that I can add a few drops of lavender essential oil to freshen everything up, so I plan to try that. Each day I dump the dirty pale into the washer and run it on hot then dry it for about 30 minutes on medium or high.

I started using washable wipes too. I bought 100% certified organic cotton flannel wipes and I love them! I keep a small battle with water and a tiny bit of baby body wash. I feel kind of proud that I took an empty Babyganics bottle and re-purposed it for hiney cleaner. I have become a fan of Babyganics products and really hope that nothing bad comes of them. I use their foaming hair and body wash or the creamy wash in my hiney cleaner mixture. I think the creamy one is better to avoid diaper rash because it contains oatmeal which is soothing to the skin and naturally cleansing. I really enjoy these reusable wipes and I can't emphasize that enough. One wipe goes as far as four disposables.

I've also noticed that cloth diapers can be a bit bulkier but I think I need to just learn the best way to fold and place everything. I am enjoying this challenge and plan to stick to it, with my all, until I establish a good system.  :)

Baby's Only Formula

I feel that I need to apologize for a previous post. I had mention Baby's Only Formula was a safe bet because of their method of DHA/ARA extraction being water based instead of toxic hexane.

Recently, there has been a big deal made over brown rice syrup and mainly that it's the main ingredient in some infant and toddler formula's. The brown rice syrup contains higher levels of arsenic which is being exposed in dangerous amounts to baby's.

While watching this story on the news yesterday, I noticed that the only formula brand that was mention was Baby's Only. This was difficult for me to hear because that is the brand that I use and of course I just opened the first can of my most recent 3pack order.

I find this information disturbing. I feel that I put in a decent effort to keep my kids healthy and it's really upsetting when I think I'm using a safe product and it's basically been poisoning my girls this whole time. Against what is "advised by the experts", I have completely discontinued the use of any formula and put my 10 month old on organic whole milk. I have also thrown away my baby cereals containing DHA/ARA because of the toxic hexane method used for extraction. I also plan to make more baby food from scratch as I did with my first born.

I don't know what else there is to do to protect our children. I wish there were better answers and better efforts made from these manufacturers.

Basil

While at Whole Foods today, my mother-in-law needed basil and found this beautiful organic basil plant. I saw hers in the cart and it smelled so pretty. I know I already have basil growing in my garden but if you've read my past posts, I'm very impatient and my basil is still so tiny. I mean, the plants were 2 for $5 and what kind of daughter-in-law would I be if I made her pay $3.99 when she could pay $2.50? :) So I picked one out of from the refreshing display. I based my whole dinner plan around the basil leaves and before I thought to take a picture to share, I pulled off all the big leaves. I think it still looks good though and more will bloom.

I was starting to get worried that my basil wasn't growing, maybe because of overcrowding. But when I took a closer look today, I noticed that the 2nd leaves were growing. These are the first true leaves and clearly look like basil. So now I feel better about my plants chance of success. And I am also happy that I brought home a quick basil fix to hold me over. :)

  I was also excited to see that my chamomile had sprouted! I also saw tiny mint, scallion and yellow pear tomato sprouts. 

Here is an update on the Mesclun lettuce mix that I planted about 4 days ago. The seed pack said 30 days to maturity so I'm looking forward to seeing that soon.
I think this indoor gardening project will really turn out to be a great thing. Assuming all of my plants produce, this will relieve a lot of my stresses of what the big corporations and manufacturers are putting in the food I need to give to my kids. Doesn't get any better than growing it organic yourself. I know all elements that my plants are coming into contact with. That's comfort. :)

Organic Brown Rice Syrup is the new High Fructose Corn Syrup. And It Gets Worse...

I'm not going to start cursing on my blog, but this makes me mad. It was a hard enough decision to stop nursing at 9 months for my first baby and 7 months for my second. Then a stressful task finding a healthy formula that I was comfortable with, only to find out it had toxic hexane with it. So I finally find an organic formula that doesn't use chemical to extract DHA and I thought I really found the best thing. Now I find out that this so called perfect formula contains organic brown rice syrup, which is the new high fructose corn syrup!

Brown rice soaks up high levels of arsenic. Arsenic has been linked to multiple types of cancer.  One brand of formula containing this brown rice syrup was found to have twice as much arsenic than the levels considered safe in drinking water. An energy bar had 12x the safe amount and high-energy foods were found to have 8-17 times the amount considered safe.

The levels of arsenic  considered safe are based on a full sized adult. There were 17 infant formulas, 29 cereal bars and 3 energy shots tested. Two of the infant formulas, containing organic brown rice syrup,  contained TWENTY times the amount of arsenic than formulas made without the ingredient.

This is a case where buying organic doesn't save you. Brown rice is just one of those things that suck of a lot of arsenic from the earth. Don't forget about the apple and grape juice mentioned last year.  It's so unfair that companies don't put in the absolute most love and care for the products that our innocent little babies are consuming. It makes me sick that I need to trust these strangers with the well being of my children and they aren't doing a better job.

Karmally, an associate research scientist at the Columbia University Medical Center stated “I’m very concerned about the idea of babies on formula that is laced with arsenic. I wish the researchers had told us which of the formulas tested high in arsenic so they could be taken off the market.”.

Rice; another thing on the list of foods I am too disgusted with to eat.  How about you?

 Resources: todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com

"Naked" Juice Has Hidden GMO's

Lawsuits have been made against the juice brand "Naked", owned by PepsiCo  The company, who advertises as all natural, has been hiding GMO's (genetically modified organisms) in their products.  Their labels state the juice to be non-GMO but they contain synthetic and genetically modified ingredients. The lawsuit states that the synthetic ingredients question include:
 Fibersol-2 which is a proprietary synthetic digestion-resistant  fiber produced by Archer Daniels Midland and developed by a Japanese chemical company.
Fructooligosaccharides which is a synthetic fiber and sweetener.
Inulin which is an artificial and invisible fiber added to foods to artificially increase fiber content with the typical fiber mouth-feel.
Genetically Modified is defined as creating something that would not occur naturally in the organism, says the World Health Organization.

Lawsuits have also been made against Wesson vegetable oil for advertising as all natural but secretly containing genetically modified ingredients.

Several, so called, healthy cereals have also been found to have genetically modified ingredients. Testing found that as much as 100% of the samples were GM ingredients.
 Kashi was sued for using ingredients such as prescription drugs, irradiated substances, pesticides that are a by-product of uranium mining, and federally declared hazardous substances in products that it claimed were “All-Natural” and contained “Nothing Artificial”.

To avoid eating products with hidden synthetic or GMO ingredients, always buy certified organic foods. Packaging that says natural just isn't enough. Unfortunately, we live in a world with greedy people who will do anything to get rich.
 

Resources: Organicauthority.com, livingmaxwell.com

Indoor Gardening

My indoor garden area was looking a bit sloppy with re-purposed milk jugs and random trays to catch the draining water so I needed a fix and my plants needed more space. My husband, the kids and I went to Home Depot to get some bigger and nicer looking flower pots.

 I found these in numerous sizes. They are inexpensive, nice looking and have an attached saucer. The size you see here was about $3-$4. This one has a ten inch diameter.
 I also bought a few smaller ones (8in) for herbs and one larger (12in).  I expect to have to buy more, larger ones but these should hold me over for awhile.

There are several color options. I chose this one because I hope to keep most of these plants indoors and this color seemed to best match the decor of my house.

 This is a cherry tomato plant. I planted these about 3-4 weeks ago. I am not really a huge tomato fan but my daughter loves them so they are pretty much hers. Maybe I will just use some for sauce. :)

This is a cucumber plant.  I gave it some support because it seems that the leaves are a bit heavy for the stem. Its amazing when you replant them and smell the roots. They smell like a fresh cut cucumber. Very refreshing.

This is a brussels sprout plant. I am well aware that these get huge and will eventually need to be outside. For now, they seem happy though.
Its pretty amazing how thick the stem gets though. I can already feel the strength in it. So exciting!

 This is where I planted some mesclun lettuce. I was impressed to read that they reach maturity at 30 days which is fast than anything I have (except wheatgrass).  If you look closely at the dirt you can see little white sprouts. This is a very colorful lettuce mix and with the fast growing time it's a good choice for salad lovers.

This is celery. They seem to be growing quite well but I'll still need to spread this out in a bigger container.

Here is basil. This one can tolerate a fairly small growing space which makes it perfect to grow inside.

I found it interesting that they only give off an aroma if you first gently disturb the plant.





I also bought this long, more narrow flower pot with attached saucer for about $5. This one was perfect for planting the kaleidoscope carrots that I had. These organic carrots grow in a variety of pretty colors. I plan to buy some more of this type of pot because I it will be good for romaine lettuce, celery and spinach.

I don't have enough direct sunlight in my house so I have several florescent daylight bulbs on during the day. On sunny days, I open the shades so the real sun can shine in on the plants, even if it's only for a short time.
Growing this organic garden from seed had been very exciting. It's nice to see everything continue to grow.

What Exactly Are GMO's?

"GMO" stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. This means that an organism has been changed by injecting it with material from another species. The new genes could be added by attaching it to a virus before injecting.  Some ingredients to look out for that fall under this category are corn syrup, soy lecithin, sugar, vegetable oil and cottonseed oil.  Other words for GMO's are GE (genetically engineered), HT (herbicide tolerant) and Bt crops. Several examples of genetically modified plants include corn, soybeans, cotton, sugar beets, canola, alfalfa, papaya, sweet potato and kiwi.

Herbicicide Tolerant crops (aka Roundup Ready) are genetically engineered to handle herbicide treatments which would normally kill them. Bt crops are modified to produce toxins that will kill off insects.
Other countries have restrictions on this process because it is unnatural and not proven to be safe.

Animals are also being modified. Farmers inject with new genes until they produce the ideal, flawless species. Pigs, cows and fish such as salmon, carp and tilapia are some of the animals subjected to this.
I remember, about a year ago, I was telling my grandma about this lemon pepper tilapia that I had made. She told me that she doesn't trust it because this fish didn't exist when she was younger. Now, learning all about GMO's, I've been lead to believe that tilapia is a man made fish established through genetic modification and when ideal traits were reached, they renamed it. Knowing this makes me never want to eat tilapia again.

All the hard work these plants and animals have put in to evolve over millions of years and man has to go and change it. Why can't we appreciate the natural product?

The best way to avoid this is to buy organic which have strict laws ensuring your getting the healthiest, most natural product.

Resources: organicitsworthit.org, wikipedia.org

What Does "Persnickety" Mean?

Trying to find the perfect name for my blog wasn't too difficult. I came up with a few fairly good options but when I Googled them, several links came up and I was really looking for something original. My mother-in-law suggested "Persnickety Parenting" but I didn't know what persnickety meant. She told me to look it up and I did.
-Placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy.
-Overparticular.
-Requiring great precision; strict attention to detail.

Other words for persnickety are: careful, finicky, picky, choosy, demanding, particular.
(They also associate this word with snobby. I do not feel that this branch of the definition applies.)


At first I wasn't sure if  "Placing too much emphasis..." was a good explanation of the goal of my blog. My mother-in-law said "That's you.". She made a good point. My intentions are to be overly cautious with what my kids eat and what touches their skin.  I do read ingredients in pretty much everything and I do intend to raise them as chemical free as possible. There is nothing wrong with caring too much. In this world, there are so many toxins hidden and if we don't dig deeper, we may never know. 


I'm here to share the details of what I learn so you can spread the word to everyone you know. And hopefully we can outsmart the cancers and diseases that are taking so many young lives. <3



 

What's in Fast Food Chicken Nuggets, Besides Chicken?

How often do your kids eat fast food nuggets? Realistically, we are parents. We don't know everything. We make mistakes and that's OK. Now is the time to better ourselves and learn what to keep our kids (and ourselves) away from. The more we know, the more we can do to protect ourselves, kids, grandkids, ect..

Alright, lets get to the point now. When I fry up chicken, I use chicken breast, breadcrumbs, eggs and olive oil. Not that frying food is necessarily the healthiest choice but it's quite an improvement than what the fast food industry has to offer.

Only half of a fat food chicken nugget is actually chicken. The other half is a large percentage of corn derivatives, sugars, leavening agents and other completely synthetic ingredients. These unnecessary ingredients include:
  
Dimethylpolysiloxane, which is an anti-foaming agent made of silicone that is also used in Silly Putty and cosmetics.

Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), which is a chemical preservative and a form of butane.
Symptoms of just one gram of this are nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, delirium, a sense of suffocation, and collapse. Five grams of TBHQ can kill you.

And pulverized chicken skin and mechanically reclaimed meat.

You should be aware that parts of the nugget do not come from a field or farm at all! In fact, they come from a petroleum plant. And the word "plant", does not mean the pretty green stuff that provides us with food and clean air.

These ingredients effect your health and your length of life.

Will you think twice before letting your kids eat another happy meal?

Resources: organicauthority.com

Carcinogenic Ingredients to Watch Out For!

To the best of my knowledge, here is a list of ingredients to avoid. They can be found in everything from household cleaners to cosmetics, soaps, lotions, hair products and toothpaste to foods. And just because a product is made for a baby or child does not mean it won't contain carcinogenic ingredients! This is not a complete list but it's a good start.

Petroleum
Petrolatum
Formaldehyde
Quaternium
Polyquaternium
Dimethyl
Methylthiomethane
Methanol (aka methyl alcohol)
Titanium Dioxide
Paradichlorobenzene (found in toilet bowl cleaners)
Perchloroethylene (found in dry cleaning fluid, spot removers and carpet cleaners)
Sodium 2 (pesticide)
4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (pesticide)
Tobacco and tobacco smoke
FD&C Red 40 (in hair dyes)
Diaminoanisole (in hair dyes)
Saccharin (found in toothpaste)
Phenol fluoride (found in toothpaste)
Talc (ex: Talcum powder. Can cause ovarian cancer) (use corn starch instead)
BHA
Triethanolamine
Trisodium Nitrilotriacetate
Allethrin
Dioxin (found in Lysol)
Propoxur (flea collars. Trader Joe's makes a safer alternative)
Pesticides (flea collars, termite control) Insecticides and Herbicides- increased risk of childhood brain cancer
Lanolin ( because its contaminated with pesticides and DDT, aka dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)
Acetone
Acid Blue 9
Crystalline Silica (cat litter)
Diethanolamine (aka DEA - found in cleaning products)



Found in food products 

Acrylamides (found by frying starchy foods)
Tannins (can be found in tea, coffee and cocoa)
Safrol (sassafras tea, cinnamon, cocoa, nutmeg and other herbs and spices)
Nitrates (found in hot dogs, bacon and ham) (buy uncured, nitrate free meats)
Benzene hexachloride
Black pepper
Food coloring and preservatives
Dacthal
Dieldrin (hot dogs and non organic milk containers)
DDT (hot dogs and non organic milk containers)
Heptachlor (hot dogs and non organic milk containers)
Hexachlorobenzene (hot dogs and non organic milk containers)
Llindane
Recombinant bovine growth hormone (non organic milk)
Igf-1 (non organic milk)
Artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose, alitame and neotame.
Smoked foods
Butter yellow food coloring (N,N-dimethyl-4-amino-azobenzene)
perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA (food packaging material)
Trans Fats



~ Avoid all cakes, cookies and biscuits that list saturated fats in their ingredients
~ Eat organic
~ Grapes, carrots, tomatoes, citrus fruits and mushrooms are good anti-cancer foods







Resources: Wikicancer.org, cancerIQ.org, preventcancer.com, copperwiki.org

Wheatgrass Juicing

 Getting ready to start juicing!

                 This is so pretty.


     Green is definitely my favorite color!

                               

                            Go Green!

Starting to go through!

                                                                                             

                       The waste...

Underestimated
the amount
of grass I
would
need  :)

           2.5 oz of pure nutrition

Already getting used to the taste.

Before this, I had juiced some pineapple to mix with the wheatgrass but I didn't think to take a picture. Next time :)

Formaldehyde On Your Skin!

A lot of personal care products contain formaldehyde. They can be masked by preservatives that release formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is used to prevent bacteria from growing in products. It can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin and is linked to skin allergies and cancer.
It is used to preserve biological specimens, to process photography, glues for cabinet making and manufacture of vehicles ( transmission, electrical system, engine block, door panels, axles, brake shoes).
It is also used to kill unwanted virus' and bacteria during vaccine production and to dry the skin in treatments for warts.

This carcinogenic chemical is used to make fabrics crease-resistant (even in baby and kids clothing) therefor proving the importance of washing clothes before wearing them!

This is the chemical used for embalming for the temporary preservation of human and animal remains.

Other countries have restricted the use of this chemical but the United States continues to use it in production.
Labels don't usually say "formaldehyde" on their label but there are other words you can look for such as; Quaternium and Dimethyl. These are preservatives that slowly release formaldehyde over time.

Ingesting as little as 1oz of a solution containing 37% formaldehyde can cause death in an adult. Because this is used in so many construction materials, it is one of the more common indoor air pollutants.
At concentrations above 0.1 ppm in air formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and mucous membranes, resulting in watery eyes. Formaldehyde inhaled at this concentration may cause headaches, a burning sensation in the throat, and difficulty breathing, as well as triggering or aggravating asthma symptoms.
Exposure can even cause reproductive problems in women. It is associated with nasal sinus cancer and leukemia. It can come from pressed wood, paints, varnishes, floor finishes and cigarette smoke with the highest emitting levels in plywood, particle board and medium density fiberboard.

China illegally uses formaldehyde in the preservation of food.
Cosmetics containing formaldehyde can cause dermatitis.

Remember to read ALL ingredients before purchasing or using products. If you are unsure about anything, I would gladly do the research for you. :)

Resources: Organicauthority.com, Wikipedia.com

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Even though this smoothie contains spinach and avocado, the banana and cocoa powder hide the green flavor so it tastes just like a chocolate banana smoothie. A little indulgence with a ton of nutrition!



Ingredients

2 ripe bananas
1/2 ripe avocado
2-3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup milk
2 tsp cocoa powder
6 ice cubes

Blend until smooth. Serves 2.

Hint: To avoid wasting avocado or bananas, put any extra in a bag or container and freeze it for next time. This will keep the leftovers from turning brown and provides for an even colder shake next time!

How Does YOUR Garden Grow?

Several weeks ago, I got this determination to grow my own organic garden. With all I've been learning lately about what companies do to the food we eat, I thought "What better way to know my food is safe, than by growing it myself!?". Problem is, living in New York, it can be quite cold around this time of year.

For those of you that don't know me, I suppose I should tell you that I don't have the patience to wait for anything.

That being said, I did a small amount of research about gardening indoors (Probably should have done a bit more). Then I went to Home Depot to get some supplies.

After reading the back of almost everything plant related, I decided to get this eco-friendly kit. It came with a tray with individual slots for each plant, drip tray, germination sheets and these compressed starter "cells" that you add water to expand right before planting. The seeds were separate and I pretty much got one of everything they sold. I also got some daylight bulbs since I don't have too much direct sunlight in my house.

The next morning, after the morning routine with the kids (brushing teeth, changing, breakfast, coffee, ect..), my daughter, Alexa, (2 1/2 yrs) and I started our garden. She was very helpful with soaking the cells and planting the seeds. Then we covered them with the germination sheet and kept it under the light for warmth. All that was left to do was wait.

Of course, I didn't have high expectations for the seeds and ended up planting 5 times what the directions said to. And, of course ALL of them sprouted, most within the first 24hrs. While this is very exciting, it was kind of sad to have to trash so many. Although, I'm assuming it's normal not to have the space for 700 plants.  :)

I did a lot more research on successful indoor gardening after all my plants had sprouted and I replanted them into bigger containers. Even with all the thinning Alexa and I have done, I believe I'm still a bit over my head for having them indoors. I think I should have looked up pictures and dimensions of full grown plants before planting seeds intended to stay indoors. Some I'm hoping I can keep alive indoors until the weather warms up, some I know for sure can stay inside and I guess the rest I shall have to just wait and see about.  I think the phrase "Live and Learn" applies quite well to my situation but I'm not at all regretting my choices. I've continued to take care of my vegetable plants and they are all growing nicely.

I plan to continue what I'm doing and really look forward to the day I get to eat these vegetables that I've been putting so much effort into. Alexa asks me (almost every time we water them) if she can eat one so I'm sure she will be just as excited as me when its finally time to try everything. She loves smelling them too. I suppose this experience is quite educating for her, which makes me happy. The one I'm most anxious to harvest is spinach. Since I consume this nutritious leafy vegetable everyday, I'm hoping it is the most successful. Also, I'm really looking forward to juicing some wheatgrass because of it's soaring nutritional value.


I've very recently learned that all this time, I've been saying brussel sprouts when actually they are called brussels sprout.

Petroleum Causes Cancer

Have you checked your child's diaper rash cream? Or the lotion you use? Chances are, it contains petroleum or petrolatum.

Petroleum (aka petrolatum) is naturally formed from crude oil. It is flammable and  recovered mostly through oil drilling. Don't be fooled by that word "naturally". Although it provides faster healing to cuts and scrapes, this stuff is toxic!

It is found in one of every 14 products with no limitations to the amount used.

READ LABELS BEFORE BUYING!

I've found this ingredient in baby lotions, Vicks, Chapstick, Aquaphor, Triple Paste, Desitin, Vaseline products, Triple Antibiotic Ointment, Gold Bond Lotion and even nipple creams used to sooth nursing mothers!

One in every 8 girls, born today, is expected to get breast cancer. One in 30 is expected to die from it. Breast tissue is more sensitive, to carcinogens, than any other tissue in the body. (And they put petroleum in creams meant to go on your breasts!?!?)

Petroleum/Petrolatum is a carcinogen. Why put yourself and your family at risk when it can be avoided?

I've made the switch to Babyganics products. They make all natural products such as; shampoo, lotion, dish soap, highchair and toy cleaner, tub cleaner, floor cleaner, dish detergent, diaper rash cream, laundry detergent, glass cleaner, ect..I've most recently purchased a non-petroleum protective ointment by Babyganics. Made from plant-based ingredients. No fragrance, no parabens, no sulfates, no phthalates and no toxins. (This is not the only healthy option. It's just the one that I use)

Non organic companies can put absolutely anything in their products and put it under the title "fragrance". So, avoid buying products with that word in their ingredients. Instead, look for real scents such as, lavender, vanilla or cucumber.

Will You Make The Switch?

Almost BLT dip

I feel like I some how manage to put avocado and spinach in EVERYTHING, especially my smoothies! I've been doing so good now with eating healthier and losing some weight, but tonight I really wanted a BLT (not so bad if you use healthy bread and limit your mayo and bacon). My husband, Dan, happened to be going to the food store so I sent him with my list.

Instead of the Bagel Thins I asked for, he brought me these bagel crisps (better than nothing, right?). This made me decide to turn my BLT craving into a dip, which actually turned out pretty good! I realize, in order to call it a BLT dip, it should probably contain lettuce. Instead, I used chopped spinach and an avocado. I am really not a guacamole lover but you can hardly taste the avocado in this dip. :)

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
1 tomato
1 package frozen chopped spinach
6 strips bacon
1 Tbsp mayo (or a little less)
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

 Instructions

1. Cook bacon (nice and crispy so it crumbles well).
2. Thaw and drain spinach.
3. Skin, pit and mash avocado.
4. Dice tomato.
5. In a bowl, mix together spinach, avocado, tomato, mayo, salt and pepper.
6. Grate or finely chop garlic into mix
7. Crumble bacon into mix

Serving suggestion: Tostitos scoops or bite size bagel crisps.

Organic Formula Does WHAT!?

I'm sure it's obvious by now that I'm a fan of organic. When it came time to stop nursing my babies, I had to find a formula. But, what's the best choice?
For me, organic was the only way to go.  I gave both my girls Earth's Best Organic. DHA and ARA, no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Sounds like a good choice, right? WRONG!

About 3 weeks ago, it was time to get more. At $30 a can (can only lasting about a week and a half), my husband looked into buying it cheaper. He found it on Amazon.com. To buy a 4 pack at $99 would save us about $20! Almost ready to place the order, he decided to scroll down to user reviews. To our great disappointment, there were several negative reviews.

The one that really caught our eye was the explanation of how the extract DHA for their products. This, so called, organic company uses HEXANE for this procedure. (As do most companies)

Hexanes are significant constituents of GASOLINE! Used in the formulation of glues for shoes, leather products and roofing. This highly toxic chemical can persist in the final food product created.

All this time I thought I was giving my girls the best formula but they were ingesting this toxic chemical.
How do companies get away with this? Don't they realize how precious and sensitive our little babies are?

In the same user review, this person (thankfully) gave the brand of an organic formula that uses a water based process to extract their DHA/ARA. So, we made the switch to Baby's Only Organic Formula, which actually comes out to be a little cheaper. This formula tastes better and my baby has been sleeping better since she stated drinking it.

In my husbands words;

" I'd sleep better too if I weren't drinking gasoline".

Wheatgrass

In my great attempt to live a more healthy lifestyle, I felt I needed a garden of my own. 

Being that it's winter time, I read up on indoor container gardening. I've planted quite a selection of veggies. There are a lot of positives to growing plants indoors. No bugs or animals to eat them, climate control, doesn't matter what the season and of course, you can be sure they are organic!

Here is a picture of my wheatgrass on day 7 from planting.

Benefits of Wheatgrass

 Increases red blood cells and lowers blood pressure

Stimulates metabolism and detoxifies the body

Stimulates the thyroid, correcting obesity and indigestion

Can relieve internal pains and protect the body from carcinogens

Can relieve sunburned skin and act as a disinfectant

When rubbed on scalp, before shampooing, can help itchy, scaly scalp

Soothes cuts, burns, rashes, poison ivy, boils, athletes foot, insect bites, ect.

Gargling it sweetens breath and tightens gums

Promotes clearer thinking

Restores fertility

Rejuvenates aging cells, slowing down the aging process and tightens loose, saggy skin

ALL GREAT REASONS TO USE WHEATGRASS!

When wheatgrass is about 6-8 inches, you run it through a wheatgrass juicer. Mine is about 4 inches here.

Using a juicer designed to press is the ideal way to obtain the juice. Using a blender, food processor or heavy duty juicer can result in oxidation of the enzymes which decreases the nutrients.

 Just 1 oz of wheatgrass juice contains the nutrients of 2.5-3lbs of vegetables!

It can be consumed as a shot, by itself or mixed in with other juices.

For some, wheatgrass may not be tolerable to drink alone so mixing would be ideal. 

(Suggestion: Pineapple Wheatgrass)

I bought my ORGANIC hydroponic (soil free) wheatgrass kit on Amazon.com
(I use Amazon for just about everything)

Cocotek kit included 

5lbs of  Certified Organic Wheatgrass seed, 5 Organic Cocotek mats, 5 trays,
Trace Minerals Azomite and Info Book.

I bought a manual powered juicer for about $45 (the electric ones range from $150-$900!)

I am happy with the manual one because it is easy to use and can really juice anything.

 I am beyond excited for my wheatgrass to mature so I can begin juicing!

Serving size:
Babies and Toddlers - 1/2 oz.
Kids and Tweens - 1 oz.
Adults under 40 - 1-2 oz.
Adults over 40 - 2-4 oz

Wait, Healthy AND Delicious?

I made this smoothie this morning. It came out so yummy, I had to share!

Green Monster Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1 ripe organic banana
3 cups fresh organic baby spinach leaves
1/2 organic avocado
10 organic strawberries
1/3 cup of organic yogurt ( I used a strawberry banana yogurt but vanilla is just as tasty)
3/4 cup of organic milk ( I usually use 2%)
about 6 ice cubes

Throw it all in a blender or food processor 'til smooth!

(I use a 12cup Cuisinart food processor for everything)

My Toddler loved this AND because it was all organic, my 9 month old was able to enjoy too!

The Secrets Behind Cloth Diapering

Although my oldest child is almost out of diapers and my little one is already 9 months, I made the decision to switch over to cloth diapers. Not only to save money, but to spare my kids the risk of chemicals seeping into their tiny little bodies. Better late than never, right?

Wanting nothing but the best, I spent about 2 weeks researching cloth diapers. I looked at every option on Diapers.com, Amazon.com and a few organic and green websites. I read all ingredients, user reviews, and of course Googled what I wasn't sure about.

I was quite surprised at how stressful it was picking a chemical free diaper. Products advertised as environmentally friendly but then later stating that their diapers were not biodegradable. I suppose in a weird way it made sense because instead of throwing away 10 diapers a day, you would reuse it until it wore out. But what really caught my eye was the way that they make the diapers.

Lets keep in mind that I'm no mathematician and my percentage use is not so exact but more of an educated guess.

Several companies didn't explain at all what their diapers were made with. Some gave details but somehow made it sound amazing and some gave such details in explaining the bad things that they don't use.

I, personally, am for the companies that are proud of their products not containing toxic chemicals and aren't afraid to give you every detail.
Of course it's easy to sell your product when the main things you say are "environmentally friendly" or "organic". People love to hear that products are healthy for their kids, but are they really healthy or is someone just trying to make money?

I found that like 90% of companies used this PUL method.  This is about the time where parents say "What's PUL?".  Well, fortunately for anyone reading this, I saw PUL and I needed to know exactly what it was.

PUL, by definition is polyurethane laminated fabric and non-biodegradable. Want me to go further?
Polyurethane contains compounds of hydrogen and isocyanate.
Hydrogen (used in the production of ammonia, coolant, and margarine!)  poses several hazards to humans, such as being flammable when mixed with air. Mostly man made.
Also, a common way to test food packaging for leaks. (Hmm.)
"Isocyanates are potentially dangerous irritants to the eyes and respiratory tract." (this is a direct quote from Wikipedia)

Is this what you thought you were putting on your child's hiney?

I found a handful of companies that do not use this method. Their diapers are made strictly with organic cotton, hemp, bamboo and/or wool. Most of these, while super healthy, did not provide the leak free coverage that consumers are looking for. (I found this info by reading the user reviews).

So, through all my determination, I finally found ONE company (OsoCozy) that makes diapers and liners that is made of 100% unbleached cotton. And went with the 100% certified organic cotton flannel washable wipes made by Punkin Butt. I hope I am satisfied with my choice. :)

<3

Clean Fifteen

The Clean Fifteen is a list of foods that were found with the least amount of pesticide residue, therefor being the safest to buy conventional. (This does not explain what foods are most commonly subjected to genetic modification)

1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mango
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen is a list of foods that have the most pesticide residue. This list tests fresh, frozen and canned foods and is updated annually. If you can not afford a strictly organic lifestyle (which most of us can't) then this list is for you! 

Apples:  More than 40 pesticides found. This includes apple juice and apple sauce. Highly advised to buy strictly organic when it comes to all apple products.

It's been suggested to just peel the skin off the apple before eating it (which I used to do myself). This sounds like a great idea to save money on the conventional items but, by using this method, you are stripping the fruit of beneficial nutrients. Cant we say this kind of negates the point of eating apple in the first place?

Celery: USDA testing found 60+ pesticides on this one.

Strawberries: Almost 60 different pesticides found on these. Although less were found on frozen strawberries.

Peaches: Over 60 pesticides on this tree fruit. Almost as much found in single serve packs. But less in canned peaches. 

(I will have to explain the dangers of canned foods in its own segment.)

Spinach: One of my personal favorites was found to have almost 50 pesticides. Frozen spinach with close to the same. Canned   spinach having fewer. 

Nectarines (Imported): 33 pesticides. Domestic proving to be better but still not great.

Grapes (Imported); Can have over 30 pesticides. This includes raisins AND wine!

Sweet Bell Peppers; On all colors, close to 50 pesticides found.

Potatoes; 35+ pesticides. Sweet potatoes are a much safer alternative if your not interested in buying organic.

Blueberries; A common berry on the Dirty Dozen list, containing over 50 pesticides. Frozen berries were found to be less contaminated.  Cranberries and cherries are also pretty contaminated.

Lettuce: More than 50 pesticides!

Kale: Though rarely bothered by insects and disease, this leafy vegetable was found with high amounts of pesticides over the past 2 years.

Collard Greens: 45+ pesticides

Fatty Meats: About a dozen pesticides detected in the fats of beef, chicken and pork. Lean meats come up clean for pesticides but hormones are an entirely different topic.

Milk: Pesticides and man-made chemicals found in all non organic milks and dairy products. Since this is such a crucial part of a child's diet, I would advise this as the most important to buy organic.

Coffee: Most of our coffee is grown is countries that lack regulation on chemicals. Go organic to be sure your not drinking beans grown or processed with harsh chemicals. Fair Trade Certified or Rain Forest Alliance labels show that they support farmers who are paid and treated well.

Chocolate: Same as coffee, cocoa beans are grown in countries without regulations. Buy organic to be sure your food isn't harming the environment or workers.

Whats your cracker of choice?

 The story behind the story...

We had gotten our family of four fed, dressed, bundled and buckled to go food shopping together. This can be quite an ordeal with a two small children. On our drive, our 2 1/2 year old (Alexa) was acting impatient (nothing out of the ordinary), saying she wants to get out of the car. Almost to the food store, she said she wanted daddy to stop. Coincidentally he wanted coffee so we made a pit stop at Dunkin Donuts but only he ran in. It was a short wait but Alexa seemed unhappy so I offered her a binky in exchange for improved behavior. The mature toddler that she is, she took the binky in compliance.

As we pull into Whole Foods parking lot (me, in sheer excitement having arrived at my favorite place to go food shopping), Alexa says "mommy.." and proceeds to vomit all over herself,  her carseat, and anything in her surroundings. The overprotective mother that I am, I practically jump in the back with her while my husband pulls into the closest parking spot. Tears in my eyes, I jump out of the car and run around to her side to comfort her. This was our first throw up encounter so it was a quite a mess of emotions. Heartbroken that my sweet little first born ever had to feel the wrath of a stomach bug, but also feeling sick myself from the smell. Frantic and unsure what I'm supposed to do first. Wanting to just hold her but not wanting to touch puke. I tell her its ok while grabbing the package of baby wipes ready to tackle what I never thought I could.

My husband (Dan) hands me some paper towels and a bag while I start wiping. Unbuckling, getting her coat and shoes off, taking her out of the car and getting off the slimy sweatpants. Finally cleaned up, I placed her in the drivers seat and my coat over her legs. She laughs that shes in daddy's seat and asks if she could drive. I think that lightened the mood a bit. Dan put a hoodieover the mess on the car seat just so we could get home. Our 9 month old (Marley) was aware but thankfully quiet as a mouse through the whole ordeal.We get home, wash up and get into jammies, had some soup and set Alexa upon the couch with the last few Ritz crackers we had.

After the car was clean, kids fed and in their pajamas, Dan decided it was probably best to run up to closest store for some pedialyte and more crackers The wonderful father that he is, brought home THREE different cracker brands to be sure his baby would be happy. Telling me not to read the ingredients because they were all pretty much the same and probably knowing how in depth I would get if I was unsure about something. Thus leading us to the purpose of my long story.


The crackers he bought were Whole Grain Wheat thins, Ritz and bite size Saltines


Wheat thins uses something called BHT in their packaging to preserve freshness. Of course I looked this up wondering why they use it but Saltines and Ritz doesnt.... this is what I found...
from my understanding, I can best explain it like this...

(direct quote from Wikipedia)...
"BHT is prepared by the reaction of p-cresol (4-methylphenol) with isobutylene (2-methylpropene) catalysed by sulfuric acid: ^[3]"

I dug deeper to try to understand this...

Methylphenol is used to make insect killer
Methylpropene is a highly flammable gas that when released could cause an oxygen-deficient atmosphere
Sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive strong mineral acid. some uses are making lead-acid batteries for cars, fertilizer production...

Definition of "Catalysed"  is to cause or accelerate a reaction

I am forever not understanding why companies would use such toxic chemicals in our FOOD!!!
I hope this information was helpful :)