Local Finds

I can't hardly stand it. My grocery bags are not even unpacked as I am writing this. I need an outlet, short of calling everybody I know to spread the word. There are good deals to be had! I come upon them by happenstance and they are oh, so sweet. I want to get the word out and most of the time it needs to be FAST. I am not going to assume anyone checks my blog daily, and not going to bore the out-of-towners with local finds. I also have a phobia of emailing people stuff they don’t want. So…

I am doing a mailing list, you have to contact me to be on it; a comment, email (TasteisTrump@gmail.com), phone call, message, in person. Just request to be on my “Local Finds” email list. Here is the first installment:

Superstition Ranch Market has ORGANIC fresh blueberries 3-6oz packages for $1.00 and they are in perfect condition. That is less than $1.00 per lb! I went the the one on Meridian and Apache Trail, but the other one usually has the same stuff.

They also have nice red and yellow peppers 6 for $1.00

While you are there grab a golden honeydew and some limes for less than $1.00-DIVINE

Deprivation

Remember those orange sherbert push-ups from the Schwan’s Man? In an effort from keeping my kids from feeling deprived, we have been making these treats from sugar free spinach and fruit smoothies (this one has blueberries in place of the banana and kiwi). The kids are ga-ga for them. I found the little contraptions at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Living a healthy lifestyle is a process that takes effort. It all starts with our desire, a personal conversion so deep that change is inevitable. Then we must dive into knowledge. Unlearning our bad habits and misinformation and replacing it with sound principles, our own discernment and truth. This learning seems to never stop but does become less overwhelming.

Now we are putting what we learn into practice. Little by little we apply more and more. Finally, we have gone so far past where our society lies and we are frustrated. The constant candy rewards, unhealthy refreshments at the end of events, party after party with nothing to eat but pizza, pop, cake and ice cream and the endless snack foods that are dished out all-you-can-eat style at every turn of the head.

Deprivation leads to rebellion from that which you are deprived. This is especially true for kids who haven’t had the chance to work it all out for themselves yet. This week we are attending a family reunion, which means lots of kids with parents throwing food (and I use that term lightly) at them to keep them happy. We will be going with a bag full of vegetables to off set the toxins they call food and a bag full of healthy snacks to set a good example. Wish me luck.

Health Food Store Deceptions

You think you are safe, but you're not. Even health food stores carry very unhealthy foods. UGH! You have to, have to, have to read labels...INGREDIENT LABELS that is. Even I get fooled. Take this week, for example. I have been wanting to make homemade english muffins for some time and just have not gotten around to it. So they have been on my mind lately and when I saw a bag of SPROUTS HONEY WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS in their bakery section, I tossed them in. They looked brownish with darker fiber flecks and the label was so generic (often a sign of fresh from the in-store bakery), Sprouts is known for health food. It's not like the bag had a big Wonder Bread sticker on it--then I would be suspicious. Well, I got home and took the time to take a lookie. YIKES!

Ingredients: ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, IRON, NIACIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, YEAST, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WHEAT BRAN, CRACKLED WHEAT, RYE MEAL, WHEAT GLUTEN, HONEY, MOLASSES, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, DOUGH CONDITONERS (CALCIUM SULFATE, CALCIUM PEROXIDE, MONOCACIUM PHOSPHATE, ENZYMES, ADA, ABSORBIC ACID, CITRIC CARBONATE, AMMONIUM SULFATE, CALCIUM SULFATE),FUMARIC ACID CORNMEAL, CALCIUM PROPIONATE.

So when did honey become high fructose corn syrup?? I know white flour is refined WHEAT, but adding molasses for coloring and bran to give the fiber a boost, that is just trying to deceive consumers. Shame on you, health food stores of America.

The facts are, a vast majority of grain products being sold today are NOT whole-grain products. Even products targeted at the health food market are usually made mostly or only with enriched wheat rather than with whole-grain flour. Foods labeled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products। Color is also not an indication of a whole grain. Brown does not necessary mean whole wheat or whole grain! When determining if a packaged food product contains whole grain or not, look for the word "whole" in the ingredient list, preferable first on the list. Also look for the Whole Grain Stamp A "good source" stamp contains at least 1/2 serving of whole grains while an "excellent source" contains at least 1 serving of whole grains. Or better yet, make it yourself.

Store to Store

When Fresh and Easy Market's popped up all over the place I was very excited. I heard it was like Trader Joe's so my expectations were high. My first experience was a huge letdown. I left without buying a thing, I was revolted by their packaging and the "cafeteria food" look everything had. Their produce was expensive and the grocery section was VERY limited, I've seen gas stations with better selections. It was all very ordinary from Heinz Ketchup to Honeycombs Cereal.

I thought I would never be back, but then I started hearing things like $2.99 for a case of 24 water bottles - that's cheap! And cans of beans for a great price with nothing added- not even salt! I heard about their discounted produce and was a little skeptical because I am a freshness freak and didn't want wilted lettuce and brown bananas. But I found things like pears and avocados that were perfectly ripe. Why not let them ripen on the store shelf instead of my counter?

The best part are the coupons that are EVERYWHERE. Most of them end up being twenty percent off if you spend the right amount. This makes each water bottle only ten cents a piece and perfect for food storage. Now that I go back fairly regularly I have learned to accept the store's quirks and embrace the good deals. My latest find is their organic heavy cream. I love to whip fresh cream for waffles and the only kind I liked was at Trader Joe's- a ways away for me to skip on by. The Shamrock Farms and store brands all have a nasty plastic taste to me. Fresh and Easy has pint sized carton of cream that tastes great and is comparable in price to the plastic kind.

Please leave a comment if there is anything else I should be checking out at this green market chain. If there is a place where you have come across some great finds, shoot me and email, I will check them out and report back.