GMO HFCS Organic and Bullshit…OH MY!

Proud to say I have detached myself from the mommy blog cancer that explodes rather cyclically with the mud slinging and pettiness. I admit that every now and I again I will hop on Twitter anxious to maintain connections I have made only because I have had the opportunity to interact with some truly amazing women.

But when I log on and see women, acting like little girls, and encompassing their family in their small-minded attacks on trivial life items. The title should tell you what situation I refer. Come on ladies…first it was stay at home versus the working mom…now this?

I suppose a scattered number of posts have gone up on blogs recently regarding HFCS – High Fructose Corn Syrup. Then I saw the attacks go up with women who are stoutly against this food dominating additive.

Then I did some research….and then I had my last laugh.

In particular, I saw a mom try to laden her entire Twitter stream with #organic hash tags and Â minutiae and just laughed harder. Why?

Do you see where my bus is rolling? Oh yes, right over the top of the bullshit I caught a whiff of, where a mom and “influencer” made a weak attempt to state that she feeds her family NOTHING but organic. Really?

Let’s take a gander at the ingredients of the new PF Chang’s Home Menu haute cuisine that was overlooked in the organic revolution:

Holy heart stopper Batman! Can you read this? If not I can send you some phonics that spells out nothing in this package suggests “organic,” furthermore can you NOT see the sodium levels in just ONE, yes ONE serving of dim sum. Over 65% of your daily allowance in that tasty treat. Excuse me….I must go hurl over the bullshit ingested in that. Oh and the fact that this qualifies under “pre-packaged and boxed meals” only makes me want to shove my wrist in my throat to induce MORE vomiting. Add the ogenated, preservatives, gluten and other miscellaneous non-organic and non-natural items. Hurl-a-licious baby. Makes me want to run out, buy it, eat it, and then lie that I never bought it, ate it, and gained some extra poundage to my weight loss venture. Gag me with a spoon Valley Girl. Seriously that meal could make me bulimic reading the ingredients.

Moving on now to the whip cream in a can. I love this topic, because the same mom boasting #organic like the Dems and their “ObamaCare” had NO IDEA, or maybe she did and she was too much the beguiler. Which yes, I used that word from my mostly online university education you whoreson. Ah, I digress. Task at hand, yes the ingredients of the CANNED whip cream.

So the cream is generally sweetened by…wait for it…wait for it….corn syrup. Please refer back to the first picture so you can see the canned goodness derived from cream and corn syrup.

Copyright of Reddi Whip — Proof is in the…err…cream. Copyright of ReddiWhip

There I said it. Now this mother was let me state again, a STOUT Boswell, or better a beguiling backer. She supports without merit. For those still in the 10 year undergraduate program, this is an unsupported citation. Citing information with no merit or with fault. Again, I digress. Regardless, she is pushing the fact that she ONLY, Â yes ONLY goes organic. How can you say you ONLY do organic in your home but then post a picture of your shopping cart that supports high fructose corn syrup in your diet? Because you are full of shit, that is why.

So I beg the question? Why the hell if you are such a strong opponent to high fructose corn syrup and GMO (genetically modified) foods are you eating the strongest offenders of shit in your diet?

Oh did I mention the heart stopping sodium which also leads to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure which also leads to kidney failure among other health issues? Oh and alcohol consumption…did you know there are over 760 calories in oneÂ margarita? Drink on ass wipe. It’s not high fructose corn syrup making you fat you fuck, its the margarita and canned whip cream. Why are you going on the offense to attack other mothers who are embracing capitalism at it’s finest by agreeing to sponsored posts on behalf of the Corn Refiners and Mom Central?

Because you think you have a soap box, so let me show you some critically acclaimed information for your soap box next time you get on a rant.Â WhichÂ is clear your Twitter stream of posts about eating junk food, drinking high calorie alcoholic beverages, clear the fact you are a high school drop out, haven’t held a real job in years, and that your real job is as an amateur blogger..yes…I said amateur. Because when you ramble on and contradict yourself, you are a dumb fuck. Period.

If you want to know more about genetically modified foods, organic (which is merely a matter of marketing because at the base of the matter, everything is organic, everything is “organic” matter. In closing, next time you try to step up onto a soap box and preach your higher living be sure to check your soap box is not a steaming pile of bullshit.

April 19, 2010December 9, 2014

Fennel Herb Chicken Recipe

When I was taking part in my CSA this last fall and winter my kids and I had a BLAST picking out all of our foods and figuring out what they were. Honestly I was not introduced to a lot of foods as a child. My mother is a very picky woman as for tastes in foods. She likes asparagus but we were never fed this wonderful delicacy, nor artichokes (which are a personal favorite with drawn butter and capers), nor any family of squash that I can recall offhand, and my list can go on.

But in our CSA basket we received fennel, and I searched for recipes that would be fabulous for my entire family. My search was a failure. So I resorted to the old melon above my shoulders and came up with this FABS meal that your kids, husband, and you will LOVE!

4-5 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless are preferred)
sea salt and fresh ground peppercorn (regular pepper is also fine)
fresh grated lemon zest (the rind of a lemon)
fennelÂ bulb, sliced thinly (reserve stalks to be frozen or used later)
2 T olive oil (or butter)
1/4 c. chicken stock
1 t. corn starch
4 T herb seasoning (I like Frontier Coop, but you can use the Mrs. Dash equivalent)

Wash off chicken and pat try. Cut into bite size chunks, set aside. Mix together all dry spice ingredients, salt, pepper and herb seasoning in a bowl with the corn starch. Add chicken to dry spice mix making sure the chicken is dry to be coated well with the spices.

Add olive oil to med-high pan toÂ sautÃ© slicedÂ fennelÂ and to begin to cook chicken. Quickly toss the fennel for a minute or two and add the chicken. Cook thoroughly and be sure the chicken is completely coated and again cooked through (170 degrees if you use a meat thermometer). Slowly add the chicken stock as a reduction to really boost the citrus bite of the fennel and enhance the flavor of the chicken.

The fennel will have a crisp yet tender taste and flavor, citrus and pepper based taste, the chicken will be tender and juicy.

Serve over a bed of rice or fresh spinach greens.

April 4, 2010April 15, 2018

Organic Home Pest Control

As the weather begins to warm up and the family gets out and about to play, our insect friends are doing the same. They too are enjoying the warmth and unfortunately at our expense. Invading our homes, yards, and causing annoyances and grief to keep them at bay.

I am a firm believer in not using chemicals in and around my home because my kids can get into them, the residuals can get on their skin, and even my dog can get sick from the chemicals used inÂ home pest control.

So I sought out non-toxic, alternative, safe methods, for the most part, an organic ant killer. I tried cinnamon, I still use diatomaceous earth (for my pool mostly) but also to ward off scorpions, fleas, and other exoskeleton buggers. I even found that corn meal can get rid of ants, but did not repel them.

EcoSMART is my savior. When I received the package I immediately surveyed the ingredients. How in the world could an insecticide, ant killer, andÂ repellentÂ be organic? Non-toxic? The answer? The ingredients are all natural oils, like peppermint oil, thyme oil, water, the ingredients are easy to understand and read.

I noticed as well after I received the package that our back patio is acquiring ants again. I went to work onÂ eradicatingÂ the buggers so I did not and do not have to worry about my any of my kids being bit by the ants and my bulldog being besieged. I sprayed the ant killer around my back door, and where the ants were congregating and watched as they died on contact and as others came within any distance of the spray they immediately hauled off.

The scent was also completely tolerable. No smell of chemicals, just a fresh minty smell and as my kids were walking in and out of the back door, I did not have to worry about them coming into contact with the spray. While I did wash their hands and feet, I felt safe knowing that them coming in contact would not require me to take IMMEDIATE action or fear calling poison control.

Fact is that children are more often hurt in their own homes by products that we use everyday and assume to be “safe.” Additionally, bugs and pests are becoming more and moreÂ resilientÂ to synthetic pesticides and as the formula’s change and the insects evolve combating the problem is only a band-aid and causes further harm to our children, pets, home, and family as we spray over and over and over again.

With EcoSMART you can spray over and over without the worry of residual effects of a synthetic pesticide to harm Â your family. If you would like a safe, alternative to ward off pests be sure to check out EcoSMART which is available at Home Depot and other home improvement stores. Or you can enter my giveaway which ends April 15th, 2010. *I received product in exchange for a review and giveaway promotion.

March 31, 2010October 14, 2014

Ward off Spring Pests with Organic Insecticides

Now that Spring has officially sprung and the warmer weather is well on her way, the dormant and pesky pests of summer begin to creep out. Where I live in Arizona, insects, bugs, ants, and the all despised mosquito run rampant in the spring and summer. I despise bugs. With a wrath of passion I cannot stand bugs. Especially ants.

I searched the net high and low for a natural ant killer and the best I could find was cornmeal. Even then, the little buggers were back. I tried cinnamon, water, whatever I could find that was non toxic.

Why non-toxic you ask? Well with my kids running around everywhere, since this is their home too, and an English Bulldog, I needed pest control that I felt comfortable using around them, but effective enough to eliminate myÂ exoskeletonÂ enemy.

EcoSMART is a fabulous company that prides itself in making organic insecticides, among other products, that are safe to use Â in and around your home, children, and pets. Not only do they pride themselves in their non-toxic product, it really works!

You too can have this wonderful product in your home to use around your children, animals, everything, without fear of calling poison control! Visit EcoSMART and tell me what products you could use in your home?

Extra Entry

Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect
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Tweet this giveaway as much as you want without having a double entry: #organic alternative to eliminate bugs http://bit.ly/cl3Q5zÂ Â @KariewithaK Ends 4/15
Read more entry options (which you can blog, Stumble, whatever!)

CONTEST ENDS APRIL 15TH

March 30, 2010August 2, 2015

Boost Your Immunity and get Gut Happy with Bio Gaia

Healthy diets result in overall health. I know, I am queen of the obvious. But our on the go lifestyles often times mean that our meals and or snacks are the on the go as well. Which can result in adverse affects on our stomachs. Add to that our indulgences in rich, spicy, and decadent foods and our stomach is calling for disaster. Now our children on the other hand are an even more delicate situation.

All of my children were breast fed, however, I had to put Grant on formula as he got a little older because my supply could not keep up when I returned to work full time. The formula would often wreak havoc on his poor little tummy as he transitioned.Â We do what we can to maintain our digestive and stomach health, but our lifestyles are not always conducive for “happy” digestive processing, including babies and children.

Now add Bio Gaia to your daily digestive routine as a supplement. Bio Gaia is a probiotic supplement to help boost your immune system as well as promote a healthy digestive track. Lactobacillus reuteri is one of the worldâ€™s most studied probiotic strains. To date more than 60 clinical studies have been done proving its health promoting effects.

Safe enough for the entire family which is a HUGE plus, Bio Gaia offers infant drops, a 30-count pack of straws, and a 30-count pack of chewable tablets. A lot of probiotics are only offered to adults only, whereas the Bio Gaia line is almost universal for the entire family. The drops, shown to significantly reduce symptoms of colic, are ideal for infants and toddlers because they can be added to a liquid like juice or water. The chewable tablets or straws work well for older children and are effective in preventing common tummy upsets and all three forms support overall gut health.

Our family has fairly decent gut health, The Chad suffers a bit due to chronic back pain, which often results in a crabby tummy (to say the least). He has been taking these daily and is amazed at how well he feels in addition to how happy his “tummy” feels as well. Needless to say “the deuce” is a topic of big conversation in our home. My kids love the chewables and the straws and I even have put the drops in the twins milk or juice if they seem a bit “off.”

You can win a package of Bio Gaia to up your topics of conversation in your home as well as promote a happy healthy digestive track and boost your immune system.

Main Entry

Just tell me a fact about probiotics and which product would be best for your child in your home (drops, straws or theÂ chew-ableÂ tablets).

Extra Entries:

You can:

Follow this blog publicly through Google Friend Connect
Follow me on Twitter
Fan The Fish on Facebook (2 Entries)
Subscribe to my feed (it changed if you subscribed to me when I was with blogger, so please resubscribe) Worth 3 entries
Fan Bio Gaia and Everdis Health Sciences on Facebook for more updates
Tweet this giveaway for unlimited entries, as long as another comment separates your tweets (no double entry): #giveaway Win a customizable BioGaia probiotic pack from @KariewithaK Ends 4/10 Unltd Entry http://bit.ly/brxLFH
Enter any other ongoing giveaway for additional chance to win, just tell me which giveaway you entered here on The Five Fish

Open to CAN residents.

CONTEST ENDS APRIL 10TH

March 16, 2010October 14, 2014

Yo Baby Organics

My life is no secret. No secrets on my blog, Twitter, Facebook; I profess my love and adoration for all things green. No…not the fungus among us but you know. Going green. USDA Certified Organic. I am a crunchy green mama and I love it. I feel that a lot of consumers are misinformed on what foods mean to be “organic” and most importantly certified organic. By the basic definition everything is organic, we are from the Earth, carbon based, I will spare you the specifics in science.

However, I will tell you that I FIRMLY believe that organics will save our planet, our families, and help prevent disease. Now I am no doctor, but my belief is that foods that are not certified organic are chock full of the harmful chemicals that we have been told are “perfectly safe for consumption” and furthermore my belief is that when you genetically modify a food…the nature of the food is destroyed. I look at genetically modifying something as inbreeding…the chromosomes and DNA is just not right.

So with my crusade to stuff my kids full of as much organics as possible I was THRILLED tohave the opportunity to review the “Yo Baby” line of yogurt meals from Stonyfield Farm. My kids love yogurt and finding an organic brand can be like hunting down an heirloom tomato in a potato farm. Stonyfield is fabulous!

Not because I reviewed their yogurts silly, but the flavor is true, mild, rich, and tasty. Most yogurts have that sweetened, half Jello taste to them. Almost like a pudding. Stonyfield is creamy with no sugary taste and not thick and like Jello. I also love that you can read the ingredients:

Cultured pasteurized organic nonfat milk, naturally milled organic sugar, organic cocoa, organic natural vanilla flavor, pectin, vitamin D3

Easy as pie! Others I am left calling my friend who has an environmental science degree and can help me decipher the names of the ingredients…but generally when I have to resort to those measures I just avoid buying the stuff. But Yo Baby and Stonyfield are much more than just organic. The Yo Baby line offers a product that helps your baby grow, provides key nutrients to a healthy diet, and the active cultures to keep their digestive track healthy and happy. Just look at this happy face!

Actually I had one of Little Bitty licking the table where she dribbled her yogurt….but I thought I might be accused of being a suck up.

Anyway, I want to share all the goodness of organic and baby loving that the Stonyfield family of foods offers by offering you this Stonyfield Yo Baby Organics prize pack:

1 Yobaby travel bowl with lid
1 Yobaby organic cotton bib
1 Eric Carle growth chart
3 free Yobaby Meals coupons

Here is how you can win Yo Baby for your baby!

Tell me in a comment for each of these but first tell me: Yo Baby I want some!

Entry options (including multiple entry options for blogging, etc.) But here are some:

Let’s be friends on Google Friend Connect or tell me we already are!
Subscribe to my feed (3 entries for resubscribing and new subscriptions)
Tweet this giveaway with unlimited entries as long as you have no double entries for tweets: Yo Baby I want to win some @Stonyfield from @KariewithaK Â http://bit.ly/c0zgSE Ends 3/27
Fan Stonyfield, YoBaby, and Oikos on Facebook and receive an entry for each fan…don’t forget to fan The Fish too!

CONTEST ENDS MARCH 27 @ 11:59PM

March 15, 2010August 2, 2015

Pom Wonderful

Have you heard of free radicals? In case you have not or are unsure, free radicals are molecules that float around until they bond to something. Free radicals are pollution, sun rays, anything in the air that cause premature aging, tissue damage, and some believe diseases are causes from free radicals.

Science and research are showing that many of our foods are POTENT in anti-oxidants and vitamin C which have been suggested to fight free radicals, improve skin and health. But I won’t bore you with all the great facts about POM Wonderful as a daily beverage to provide you with wonderful health benefits.

And….the beverage tastes WONDERFUL (really….it does), makes for great additions to food recipes, and as the research suggests, good for you.

Our family has been fans of POM for some time and they even have a hybrid tea/juice and is superb! My twins are hooked on POM, 100% pure Pomegranate juice. So much so that I had to restock the fridge as we drank all of our samples rather quickly.

However, before we guzzled all the anti-oxidant goodness that is POM. I made a few spritzers for the kids with POM and Diet Sierra Mist. No caffeine, no sugary hype, and the kids loved it. I also made a wonderful POM reduction glaze for my fruit salad that we served over pound cake. Of course we drank POM Wonderful straight up too….why wouldn’t we?

POM Wonderful is a U.S. product, the orchards are located in California. Whereas other pomegranate juices are a mix of import products from pomegranates from Iran, Turkey, India and are mixed with fillers and other unhealthy additives. As a lot of you may know I am ALL about buying as much domestic and organic products as possible. I want my kids to enjoy every bit of “fruitful” benefits without all the fillers and harsh chemicals.

Not to mention that POM Wonderful pomegranates are like grape varieties, the breeds with wonderful health benefits and the other breeds that just have great flavor. To read more about how POM Wonderful can make a difference in your life and how your family can enjoy it’s many healthful qualities be sure to check out the website. There you can find lots of recipes and find out more information on health matters as well.

February 27, 2010May 8, 2019

General Mills Grains of Goodness

CLOSED

Every year the weight loss resolutions begin and you hear some odd diet tips, tricks, and suggestions. But the diet science and studies suggest that diets rich in whole grain help maintain a healthy heart, help manage weight, reduce the risk for diabetes and other health issues.

In a national survey, 91 percent of Americans said they want to incorporate more whole grain foods into their diets. In fact, nine out of 10 people in the U.S. still do not eat the minimum recommended daily amount of whole grain (at least three servings, or 48 grams). General Mills is the only leading cereal company to guarantee whole grain in every box, 8 grams of whole grain per serving to be exact. Every day, General MillsÂ´ Big G Cereals – which include Cheerios, Fiber One, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Chex, Total and Lucky Charms – deliver 35 million servings of whole grain to Americans. Additionally General Mills is reducing the amount of sugar in all of their cereals to provide the same great taste without all the unnecessary extras.

My house is a HUGE fan of Cheerios and most recently Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We love these two because you can eat them as a breakfast cereal or you can snack on them dry which makes for great snacks for the kids anytime during the day. When our house was provided with the General Mills Grains of Goodness prize pack we went and bought a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (since we already had LOTS of Cheerios on hand) and we wanted to try a new flavor of Total from General Mills. We got the Total Blueberry Pomegranate and can I just say, DEE LISH! Absolutely yummy.

So to promote General Mills promise to bring you whole grain in every box of cereal and reduced sugar, The Five Fish and General Mills on behalf of My Blog Spark are giving away this great prize pack for you!

TWO (2) VIP Coupons for Big G cereal products, a breakfast chiller, large cereal mug, & tote bag

Here is how you can win. Tell me how you are adding more whole grain to your diet? Do you know how much whole grain you need daily? Or tell me your favorite General Mills cereal.

(Please leave me your email address if your blogger profile is not public, no email, no winnings.)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog Â (3 extra entries for GFC until the contest ends!)
Fan The Fish (please re-fan as the previous fan page was all wonky)
Follow me on Twitter
Tweet this giveaway, unlimited tweet option as long as you do not double comment on this blog for your unlimited tweets: Win General Mills cereal prize pack with @KariewithaK #giveaway http://goo.gl/zM5h Ends 3/6
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Blog this Giveaway with a link back (Worth 5 entries)
Grab my button
Add my blog to your text blog roll

CONTEST ENDS MARCH 6TH @ 11:59PM

Best of Luck!

*The Five Fish received the above pictured prize pack and in no way are we making any health claims regarding whole grain, in no way was our opinion influenced by the product and we make no claims regarding the product other than the facts stated on the Nutritional Values chart on the product.

February 17, 2010May 8, 2019

Oral Health Giveaway

Tis the cold season for cold sores chapped lips canker sores and dry mouth. Did you know that “60 million people get cold sores annually” (Lip Clear, 2010)? “Canker sores can last anywhere from seven to 21 days” (Canker Cover, 2010)? Staggering right!? I also read that if you take more than three medications you are more than likely to suffer from dry mouth which can result in poor oral health due to lack of moisture.

Well here are three products to help improve your overall oral health and you can win them right here!

Cold Sore Treatment – Lip Clear Lysine +

LIP CLEAR Lysine+ is said to reduce the duration of cold sores by 50% and the average healing time was roughly four days. Even though there is no cure for cold sores, (herpes simplex virus) you definitely want to be able to treat them and make life a little less irritating. You can even wear this product under your favorite chap stick and lipstick and does not burn; where other products burn to tell you it is working.

Canker Cover

Canker Cover Canker Sore Patch helps to relieve the pain inside your mouth from those pesky sores. Canker sores can be caused from various factors such as stress, lowered immunity, (due to illness or otherwise) trauma, vitamin deficiencies, hormones, and more. So to ease the pain and increase the heal time the folks at Quantum Health bring you Canker Cover. Apply the gel, allow to set, and if needed reapply in 24 hours. Canker Cover is edible and safe to use while protecting from the elements (food, teeth, tongue) that may further agitate the sore.

OraMoist Dry Mouth Patch

Living in Arizona everything is VERY dry. Dry heat. Dry skin. Your clothes and hair are dry in a matter of minutes in the summer. So a dry mouth is also a problem. A problem also for those who suffer from taking prescription medication which can reduce your saliva and moisture. The dry mouth patch is easy to use too, just place on the roof of your mouth and you are set for increased moisture. I will have to say that the OraMoist patch did have a strong, sour taste almost as if I was eating a lemon drop which did cause my salivary glands to go into overtime to which I had to spit the thing out. But I also don’t suffer from dry mouth so this was a bit of overload for me.

WIN IT!! Win all three or win one or win all three by telling me if you suffer from any of these three, know anyone that does and how they could help you or would be worth a try since you have tried everything.

Extra Entries:

Fan Healthy Mouth on Facebook to get all sorts of oral questions answered as well as helpful hints and oral care ideas for you and your family.
Follow my blog and tell me you do
Follow me on Twitter
Tweet the giveaway using @KariewithaK and #oralhealth as your hashtag. Tweets abound too as long as you have a comment separating your last comment for the tweet.
Subscribe to my feed
Grab my button
Blog this giveaway (Worth 5 entries)
Fan The Fish

CONTEST ENDS FEBRUARY 24TH @ 11:59PM

Best of luck!

*The Five Fish did receive all three products to review and I do not suffer from canker sores and or cold sores I made and will make no claims to the product and the effectiveness, but provided informational verbiage and the product in no way swayed my view.

February 15, 2010May 8, 2019

Fancy Grilled Cheese Recipe with Green Chile

I love this dish. Simple. Exquisite. Full flavor and with a bit of flair and panache! Sounds like me minus the bad language. As you know I am an Arizona native but Arizona is not known for her food. So with this recipe I bring the flavor of New Mexico. Who doesn’t love grilled cheese sndwiches right? Great comfort food and just perfect for rainy days with a bowl of tomato soup. Here is my spin on an old favorite; I call her….The New Mexican.

2 slices Jewish Rye bread (marbled is my favorite)
2 slices sharp cheddar cheese or enough to cover the bread
1/2 of a 4oz can of green chiles (diced or whole works)
1T butter for bread
1 avocado sliced
1 tomato sliced

Butter each slice of bread as if making a traditional grilled cheese. Adding cheese and then add green chile on top of cheese and place final slice of bread for grilling. Slice an avocado and tomato to be served with the sandwich.

VOILA!

Jewish Rye bread has about 60 calories per slice* and less than 9g of carbs* per slice as well making the bread a healthier alternative to traditional white. I also love the flavor of rye coupled with the cheddar.

*May vary per baker and ingredients. My bakery claims these on their nutritional information.