Baby Gourmet Giveaway {Winner!!}

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A big congrats to Julia of Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body who won the Baby Gourmet samples!  Email me so I can get your address and discuss your review post!  CupcakesAndCutlery@gmail.com! 

Thank you, everyone for entering!!!  And if you haven't entered yet I am giving away some custom party goods from For Your Party!  You can enter that giveaway here. 

Sharon

photo is mine

Baby Gourmet Organic Baby Food {and Giveaway!}

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There are all kinds of reasons that reviewing this baby food appealed to me.  While I don't have baby food eaters at home any more, I am in love with this product and company and wanted to share it with all of you.  Baby Gourmet is a new baby food product that has launched in Walmart stores nationwide and I can't wait to tell you why I love it.  

GIVEAWAY:  I will be sending samples to one commenter (see more details at the bottom of the post)!

With our first son, I was still working and the idea of making my own baby food made me want to cry. I didn't know about "whole" cooking and quite frankly didn't care.  But when we were diagnosed with food allergies at 1 years old, I became very aware of all the harmful stuff we were introducing to our bodies, whether it was from pesticides or even just preservatives.  When my second son was born, I did make a lot of his baby food.  But the volume of produce I had to buy, prepare and smoosh was a total time sucker.  I felt like I was trapped in the kitchen.  And when we left the house, I always used jarred foods because I couldn't wrap my head around having to thaw the food somewhere or if I was keeping it at the right temperature.  If these pouches were around when the kids were little, I would have absolutely tracked them down.  And while my second son doesn't have any food allergies, I knew that a whole foods diet is what I wanted to give the kids.  I know the top right picture is a little small but basically the packages show everything you could want to know and want in a baby food:  organic, unsweetened, no dairy, egg or lactose, no nuts, BPA free packaging, gluten free.

The company was started by Jennifer Broe because she wanted something better for her kids than she was finding in stores.  Aside from the quality of ingredients she wanted to feed her kids, she actually wanted it to taste good also.  She tastes every batch to make sure she likes it and understands the variance in flavor that vegetables can have.  This product is straight from her heart to our homes.  She began selling her baby foods at local Farmer's Markets but the demand grew and so did her business.  The growth led her to the shelf-stable packaging which actually helps to create a healthier product.  The flash cooking process is quicker and maintains more of the great nutrients in the food itself. 

The re-closable spout makes feeding on the go a snap.  For smaller babies, just squeeze directly on to a spoon.  For older kids, they can squeeze it right in to their mouths.  I asked a couple of the cutest babies I know to give these a try so I could review them. 

Our first taste tester is little baby C.  This adorable guy is my neighbor and he is just about 5 months old.  How darling is his face! 

Baby C's mom loved the idea of this food.  She loved that it tasted good and that the packaging was super easy to use.  Since it has been a while since I have fed anyone baby food I asked her how it compared.  She said this consistency was thicker than the standard food on the market and that you could tell it was made with real fruit (he tasted the apple cobbler flavor).  I am pretty sure he really liked what he was eating as his little feet never stopped kicking.    

Next up is my buddy, D (why, yes, that is his older sister in a wrestling mask in the background).  He is about 10 months old and he likes to eat.  

D took to the Roasted Squash and Fruit Medley like a champ.  I didn't taste this one but from the content looks and how much he ate, I think he really dug it. 

My 2 1/2 year old has been riding me since these arrived at my house to let him try them.  So finally, I relented.  I gave him the stage 1 Juicy Pear and Garden Greens.  I quickly tasted it before handing over the package found it was sweet, with just the right amount of tartness, and although you could taste the "greens" when it hit your tongue, by the time it got to the back of you mouth, they were completely blended with the pears and made a delicious bite.  My son does not eat.  I mean, I'm sure he does but almost always, I take away a plate from meal time that looks very similar in size to the one I put down in front of him.  I am going to go find these to supplement his meals with.  He thought it was a snack but what he was getting was pure wholesomeness.  While I am not trying to revert my son to baby food, I am trying to get him to eat a more well balanced diet.  

So the final consensus for Baby Gourmet...a toddler thumbs up!  Although their store locator info doesn't seem to be completely input yet, these meals are available in Walmart now.  Go find them!  There are 3 flavor options for each of the 3 stages of food.  

If you are interested in trying these out with your own child leave a comment telling me why you want to give them a try.  I will choose one person to receive samples and and write a review for the blog.  (You do not need to be a blogger or professional photog to win - the post will be sent via email with photo attachments).   Must live in the United States.  Will take comments until midnight, Tuesday, October 18, 2011.  

"Like" Baby Gourmet on Facebook

Follow Baby Gourmet on Twitter

Sharon

all photos (except photo of Jennifer Broe) by me

*I was sent samples of the baby food to try but the opinions are mine, my son's, the babies and toddlers featured as well as their mothers.  We can not be bought.  At least not with baby food.  Will accept other inquiries. :) 

The Healthy Cowboy Kitchen - Tasty, healthy food

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I'm so excited for my friend, Katie!  She started her own company, The Healthy Cowboy Kitchen, making, healthy, unprocessed and totally yummy foods and you can now find her at Farmer's Markets all over Orange County!  We tried her popsicles for the first time today and you HAVE to try them!  They are coconut milk based and amazing!  Miles tried the Summer Peach with pieces of raspberry and cinnamon (which added the most subtle and perfect flavor!).  I tried the Cantaloupe Mojito (no rum, darn :).  So here is the deal.  It was simply phenomenal.  It was refreshing, and because it is made from nothing but ripe, REAL fruit, the flavor was out of this world.  The fresh mint added the most pleasant herbyness and I think I could have stood there and eaten them all day long.  Except that they were starting to melt and Miles was totally sticky and I have an aversion to messes.  But seriously if you have kids, you need to take them to get these popsicles.  Delicious and a great way to introduce them to natural foods.  She also sell Spicy Bean Burger Patties which I don't know too much about so you should probably track her down and ask her about them.  

Her Roasted Corn Salsa was crazy good.  It was seasoned just perfectly and was really flavorful.  She has the magic touch with cumin, which can easily go from "Oh, hello there.  I'm cumin.  Pleased to make your acquaintance" to "Come here.  I'm about to punch you in your throat."  I finished this container and immediately got sad that I didn't buy more for the rest of the week.  It was THAT good.  

She also sells 3 kinds of energy bars.  RAW energy bars.  I'm not a follower of the raw diet.  It frightens me a little.  But I really wanted to try these.  She makes a sort of Orange/Cranberry version, a Lemon/Ginger version which I am kicking myself for not sampling and this Lime/Coconut version that I would marry if it was legal.  While I try not to have nuts in the house due to food allergies, I just had to try this.  Lime might be my all time favorite flavor (sorry basil) and you could see the lime zest throughout this bar.  The flavor was amazing (totally running out of adjectives, I know!  And I don't think sounds will translate well via type so I'll add an extra exclamation point to drive my point home)!!  Forget Luna bars, these are the thing for me.  I'm not sure what the shelf life is but if I can just get enough to get me through to the next Farmer's Market, I'll be okay.  

Find Katie and her Healthy Cowboy Kitchen at these Farmer's Markets:

{Tuesdays}  Irvine Farmer's Market at Irvine Historic Park 

{Fridays}  Rancho Santa Margarita 

{Saturday}  Laguna Beach (may not be there every day as she fills in when people can't make it)

(sorry these are the best links I could find!)

Katie works from a kitchen out of Laguna Canyon and I'm so impressed with her whole operation.  These popsicles would be a perfect treat for your next kid's party!  I love to support small, local businesses and this one is for such a great cause, YOUR health!  Read Katie's story here and become inspired.  She'll be updating her blog again as soon as she gets in to the swing of things but you can check out a post she did for me {here}.

Way to go, Katie!!!  So proud of you and all that you stand for.  

Sharon

all photos are mine. 

Easy Cinnamon Honey Apple Dip - Perfect for Back to School!

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I didn't start liking honey until this year.  But my kids, I'm sure most kids, love it.  It wasn't until I had a bowl of Greek yogurt with honey swirled through at King's Highway that put me totally on board.  And lately I have been absolutely craving it.  I found this recipe in my recipe file and decided to give it a shot.  DELICIOUS!!! And like most things that I make, super easy!  I think this is best when eaten with green apples, but I'm sure any color would work.  

This recipe was from a Woman's World Magazine dated 5/3/10.  Yes, I realize this may not seem like a magazine that I would normally read but sometimes I am privy to my husband's 90 year old grandmother's discards.  And remember I am really 80 years old on the inside...

Here are the ingredientses.  Sorry, I'm totally into Real Housewives of New Jersey right now.  Does anyone else freaking love that show like I do?  I pray that Teresa will say ingredientses every episode.  It makes me so happy.  My youngest son was all up in my program.  He loves lemons and was trying to slow my roll by stealing it.  Aside from the lemon, the recipe is made up of pantry items that you should pretty much always be able to have on hand.  This would be a great dip for drop in visitors, providing you have the apples (you could probably even get away with not having the lemon).  And it takes about a minute to make. 

Recipe:

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. cardamom

pinch of ground sugar

apple slices

Combine honey, zest, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.  Serve with apple slices.  Boom. Done. 

The first time I made this I used the full amount of cardamom.  The boys weren't thrilled.  It was a little too "spicey" so this time I used about 1/2 that amount.  Much better.  The boys LOVE it now!  We may or may not have had this twice today.  It's got to be better for you than caramel, right? {note to caramel:  Please don't be afraid that I will no longer enjoy your sugary goodness on my green apples, I just need a break for a little bit.  It's not you, it's me.  And my thighs.}

Go make it.  Right now.  So yummy!  I think this would also be awesome over some homemade vanilla bean ice cream.  Or maybe even used to sweeten tea or apple cider.  Hmmm, kind of seems like it might be the perfect treat for fall.  

Sharon

all photos are mine, yo

Breast Cancer survivors are radical

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This story was shared with me by Jen of Blush Printables and is truly encouraging and inspiring.

photo by photojournalist Lynn Johnson

It is about a group of women who looked breast cancer in the face and said, I've got more to do, stop wasting my time.  Read the article here on Blush Printables. Jen's mother in law is a member of this group.  

And last October (October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, you know) Jen offered these free printables on her website for 'thank you' note cards (scroll down to below the Pink Steel story).  These would be awesome to send out to anyone who makes a donation at your dinner party (because I know you all are going to throw them...)

Don't forget to enter GEORGENE VEHE'S SWEETS FOR TEATS.  I KNOW you want to win the pink KitchenAid hand mixer sponsored by Del Webb.

Sharon  

Breast Cancer Survivor Guest Post - Wendy from Wendy Will Blog

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Wendy is a local blogger that I "met" online.  I will finally get to meet her in person at Blogher and I couldn't be more excited.  Her blog is fairly new but it is amazing.  Not only does she blog about things that every woman/mom would be interested in but she also talks a lot about what it was like to live with and beat breast cancer.  She is SO young.  And has a young family.  When I decided to do host this contest for Del Webb, I asked her to share some thoughts on how we can best help and support those we know fighting the disease.  

Wendy and her family.  How cute are they!!!!

As told by Wendy:

I was beyond honored when asked by Sharon to guest post on a topic near and dear to my heart.  As a breast cancer survivor, many people have come to me asking what they can do for someone going through chemotherapy or radiation treatment.  I've put together my favorite ideas with some suggestions to keep in mind. 

-Does he/she have small children that require babysitting?  Knowing that you're child is well taken care of in your absence is worth its weight in gold.  When I was going through radiation treatment, I had to be  at the hospital daily for a matter of twenty minutes:  get undressed, get zapped, get dressed and go home.  But I couldn't take my child with me. She couldn't be in the treatment room and I obviously couldn't leave her alone in the waiting room.  Offer up your babysitting services!

-Meals are a biggie.  I wasn't so much concerned with eating but I worried about my husband and child going without.  There are several routes to ensure your friend and their family is taken care of.  1) drop off prepared meals from places like Dream Dinners that can be frozen and served later.  2) recruit other friends and family to bring homemade meals during treatments.  Care Calendar is a web-based system to help organize this effort!  

-It was really important to stay hydrated during chemo.  I guzzled drinks like Gatorade and bottled water mixed with Emergen-C.  A cute little care package with a reusable bottle and a box of Emergen-C is a great gift idea and would cost less than $10.  But be sure to ask about specific taste changes.  Chemotherapy drugs temporarily alter taste buds and not everyone can tolerate the same flavors, ingredients, or specific brands of water. 

-Both treatments can really wipe a person out physically.  Walking a flight of stairs can really make a cancer patient want to take a nap!  Offer to vacuum their house, fold the laundry or take the dog for a walk.  Everyday chores can be quite overwhelming.

-A simple, well-written card is always welcomed!  Don't know what to say?  Tell them they are strong, that they are fighters and that their hair coming out means the drugs are working!  Encourage them to believe in their treatments and the education of their doctors.  Remind them of their support system and the love that surrounds them.  Cheer them on, as they get closer to finishing treatment.  Tell them that having a positive mental attitude makes a difference.  These words work wonders! 

-Still tongue-tied?  Hallmark stores have cancer specific cards.  Serious, religious, and funny ones.  Believe it or not, there is one that suits your needs. 

-Lower your expectations.  Sadly, I had a falling out with a good friend during my time during treatment.  I wasn't keeping up with emails or returning phone calls and she became frustrated and angry with me.  But I wasn't the same "me" during that time.  I didn't have the brainpower to care about anything else other than my survival and my family.  Don't feel offended that he/she doesn't make the effort they have in the past. 

-Offer to go to chemo sessions with them.  I didn't always engage in conversation during treatment but it was always great to know I had someone there by my side.  Especially the first time...it was the scariest.  And the last because it should be a celebration! 

-Encourage them to find a support group of patients also being treated for cancer.  There are tons of online support groups and many hospitals offer group services.  It helps immensely to discuss thoughts, feelings and experiences with someone also going through the same thing. 

-A phone call or email just letting them know you are thinking of them is better than anything! 

On a personal note:  While I was going through treatment I insisted to everyone, including my closest friends and loved ones, that everything was fine and that I was managing.  This was a lie.  I didn't want to burden others with my needs.  I didn't want to make them feel uncomfortable with my disease.  If you find that the one you want to help is telling you everything is OK and that they don't need help, think twice. 

Thanks again to Sharon for allowing me to share my experiences.  I hope this list helps! 

THANK YOU so much Wendy!!!  I am so thankful that you shared this with us.  

Wendy has some other amazing posts on her blog that you should check out:

A look back at her cancer through her hair diary

Cancer cards at Hallmark Stores

And since this is all in support of my GEORGENE VEHE'S SWEETS FOR TEATS CONTEST sponsored by Del Webb, click here to find out more details and enter to win a pink KitchenAid Hand Mixer. 

Sharon

All images via Wendy Will Blog

Do those "produce-life-extending" bags REALLY work?

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You guys! I'm not sure if you know this about me but I totally strive to be healthy.  No really.  (I hear the laughing.)  Yes, I like junk food with artificial colors and flavors (Cheeto fingers don't just happen in nature, people, it takes science) but I am conscious of the junk as I eat it.  I also worry about things like "off-gases," BPA's, and hormones in my meat.  BUT I'm not ready to make the total switch over to a brand new lifestyle.  I'm "flirting" with it (see that reference totally comes from Alicia Silverstone's book 'The Kind Diet' which I read parts of...)  And while this post isn't party related, I am always looking for new ways to keep my produce longer and thought you might be too.

My friend Katie, recently started a blog, How to Heal a Cowboy, about all this natural stuff (read more about why she started the blog here, its a compelling story).  She's totally awesome.  I asked her to review these Clearly Fresh Bags for me as I KNOW that her kitchen looks like a farmer's market with all her fruits and veggies.  I love her writing style and how she can give all kinds of info without it being too dry or above my head.  If you want to read more about how to have a healthy life style, check out her blog,

And now, Katie's review of the bags:


My assignment:  find out if the life-extending bags made for fresh produce really do what they claim: 

"...to keep fresh fruits and vegetables deliciously fresh - longer!"

Being that I have two over-loaded produce drawers in my fridge every week, I went in hopeful, longing to rid myself of ever having to throw away another vegetable that had been bought with good intentions (of course I'll eat one whole head of broccoli each day??).

I read the directions: "put fresh, dry, un-cooked produce into the bag....gently push out some of the air from the bag....zip the top closed....store your produce as usual." Simple enough.

Then I opened the package and took out a bag. Issue number one: the smell. Being that I blog about health, I'm always on the look-out for what I would describe as "not-so-natural" things to avoid. So when I smelled the chemical-like scent coming from the bag my first thought was that there was no way I would let my food come in direct contact with this bag - I paid good money for organic, why toxify now?

Enter bananas (with thick skin).

I bought two bunches of bananas with the same level of ripeness and put one bunch into the Clearly Fresh bag. I examined the sticker on the outside of the bag and thought, "oh technology, do your thing." I hoped. I waited. And seven days later, with a camera in one hand and my banana bread recipe in the other...

...the sticker had apparently worked and the bagged banana bunch had its 'yellow' intact. (I did have a short fantasy of wearing the bag over my face while I slept to slow down the "ripening" of my skin, but decided against the idea. Lawyer disclaimer : the previous line was meant to get a cheap laugh and in no way should anyone even attempt to prevent wrinkles with Clearly Fresh bags over their face).

Issue number two: when I picked up the bagged bananas to photograph the results, they felt rather, squishy. Hmmm. I double checked the directions to make sure I didn't miss anything...nope. Seems that the bag prevented the oxidation (browning) of the banana, but (in my case) sped-up the ripening process! So much so that I couldn't even make banana bread with them and they had to be thrown away.

What a bummer. To give Clearly Fresh Bags some credit I did only test bananas and I'm sure (kind of) that they may work for other fruits and vegetables better. But as stated before, I would never let my produce touch the bags directly anyway (maybe avocados?). Are they at least BPA-free, you ask?? Not that I can find on their website or on their packaging.

Conclusion:

• Save your money by not buying bags that can extend the outside of your produce- no head of romaine lettuce is asking to be the "Joan Rivers" of your vegetable community
• I would avoid exposing your produce to toxic-smelling plastics
• Is our fresh produce meant to have an extended shelf-life? I think the closer you eat it from the time you cut it from its root or source, the better. Nature has told us in a lot of other ways not to mess with its design. If peaches last five days, I'm cool with that, because that's what they're designed to do.

Care to experiment?  Clearly Fresh Bags can be purchased (in packs of 10 one gallon bags) for $3.99.

In the meantime, I'll be eating this from my banana bunch that was "au-natural."

-Katie












I planned on testing these bags out myself as well.  But I keep forgetting to put the fruit in the bag when I buy it.  Lame.  I don't remember the toxic smell that Katie found but then again, I just may be immune to it because I am sure it is all around me.  I, 100%, agree with Katie's assessment that maybe we aren't meant to stretch out the life of things.  I know that the BreatheWay technology is often found on bagged vegetables found in the stores where business and money come in to play so an extended life is desirable.  I emailed the company and asked them about some of Katie's questions.  Here is their answer:

Regarding the membrane - it is comprised of a several polymers.  BreatheWay (or the square sticker on each bag) is much like a very porous film with a specialized coating that allows for specific permeability.  This technology is a passive modified atmosphere technology meaning that it acts as a selective screen for oxygen and carbon dioxide – introducing nothing of it’s own to the package environment (i.e.: the membrane is not designed to release chemicals into the bag – merely rate the natural flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of the bag).  

Clearly Fresh re-closeable bags nor BreatheWay technology contain BPA’s.

So there you have it.  Many of us are not as committed to the healthy way of life like Katie, and I would entertain giving these bags a shot.  Make up your own mind based on where you fall on the healthy living spectrum.  I would be curious to hear your thoughts on this subject.  

And if you have a minute hop over to Katie's blog and give her some encouragement.  I appreciate her helping me out with this post! 

Sharon

Images are Katie's