Deirdre Younglove Engl 121

[youchew]

Black Bean & Corn Bread Panzanella

1 batch of cornbread, cut into cubes 12 ounces of baby romaine lettuce 1 cup of black beans

1 cup of chipotle corn salsa  1 avocado, cubed 1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved salt + pepper

chile lime vinaigrette 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoons rice vinegar 1/2 tablespoon red pepper or chile oil 2 teaspoons honey the juice of 2 limes a pinch of salt + pepper

[abrietzke121]

Eating salad is very important to maintaining a healthy diet. It provides a well balanced meal in many cases ingredient permitting. However, if u are trying to lose weight and feel great after salad is a good meal choice for you. To begin with lettuce is very low in calories which is also filling. This helps one lose weight rather quickly as they begin to lower their calorie intake. Adding extras like fruits and grilled lean meats can lead to the perfect balanced meal. Only Downside is if you drown the salad in dressing as it adds significant calories.

[deirdrey121-blog]

This looks delicious

[samantham121]

Alright guys I think that this is probably the best news I have heard all day. People always say that you need to eat healthy before a test, so this is almost mind boggling. I’m sure that their not saying that you can just bing eat chocolate but its just interesting because everybody thinks of chocolate as so unhealthy. I know that there are extreme diets that involve eating a ton of chocolate, and dark chocolate is full of antioxidants. Point is this is the best thing I have ever heard.      

[deirdrey121-blog]

Beautiful.

[deirdrey121-blog]

The idea of spending an entire semester on food seemed the most ridiculous idea when it was first put forth to me.  I remember reading the list of the memos and short papers, wondering to myself how I would ever make it through four months of such nonsense.  I mean, it’s food, right?  I like to cook and eat as much as the next person, but I’d never contemplated spending so much of my life learning about wheat, corn, meat, and what it can do to my body.   That was all before I watched the movie Food Inc.  Everything changed with that.

Having one child with minor food allergies, one lactose intolerant, and another with OCD, Food Inc. made me realize there might be an easier way to help my children.  I wouldn’t have the time to do the research I did over the past four months on my free time.  Before this class I didn’t know that probiotic health might influence OCD, or that organic food held more nutrients and filled the tummy faster so a person ate less overall. 

I have learned the benefits of not just eating healthy but eating the right foods that are healthy.  I had no idea about what was happening to the cows and chickens.  I’m now buying a cow from a farmer who treats the animals ethically without hormones and feeds the animal grass.  Oddly, it’s going to cost less than going to a local butcher and buying the other kind of beef.  I now buy hormone and antibiotic free chicken, farm fresh eggs from free range chickens, organic milk supplies, more whole foods, and less junk.  All in all, I think Professor Montgomery did us all a favor.  I know my husband and kids think the same.  They didn’t know the junk they were putting into their bodies.  And they smile over the taste of organic foods.  They say is has a better flavor to it.  So everyone is happy.

[deirdrey121-blog]

Red Robin^® was founded on four core values: Honor, Integrity, Continually Seeking Knowledge and Having Fun. Learn more about Red Robin^®.

I know this semester has been about buying organic, healthy, properly grown food, but one thing that hasn't been discussed too much is going out to eat.  Above is a link to Red Robin restaurants.  Please, if you like to go out to eat, take a moment to look at this website.  Scroll down to the bottom and look for "Supply Chain Integrity".  There are three options to click one involving animal treatment, farming, and the quality of their foods.  It's all good information but the  "Quality of food" really gives you an idea what you're eating, or not eating as the case may be.  You are NOT eating antibiotics, hormones, preservatives, or trans fat.  It was actually by accident that I discovered this information.  I was browsing through the menu, trying to decide what burger to get (a difficult choice since I love cheeseburgers) and I noticed some information about the quality of their meat at the bottom of the page.  While I'm not saying everyone should rush out to Red Robin and consume beef, I'm just saying if you're into cheeseburgers, this is a good restaurant of choice. 

[deirdrey121-blog]

Hormones In Food: Should You Worry?

A salmon that grows to market size twice as fast as normal.

I wanted to post this to play devil's advocate to this entire semester.  It's difficult to believe that everything we've learned these past four months could be misguiding, but the article does make a strong case.  I will say this, I read it because it was on a liberal internet site.  I typically think of republicans as being the ones who support big business and to be honest most of my democrat friends are more the organic types.  They shop at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, buy portions of cows or don't eat mean in general, buy organic and preach about it.  I don't fall into either category and this certainly isn't something that should be political at all, but it does make one wonder whose side is anyone in government on?  It would be easy to fall into believing this article if I hadn't already conducted my own research.

[deirdrey121-blog]

Eat Wild - The clearinghouse for information about pasture-based farming.

This is an excellent website.  I've been looking around for different places that sell organic food.  I've done well at gathering information when it comes to stores.  In my research essay I looked at Whole Foods specifically but also took note of Kroger, Meijer, and Trader Joe's selections.  I conquered looking for beef as well, finding brands there were grass fed and a farm nearby that sells beef by the cow.  This actually led to my family purchasing a quarter of cow with plans to make a bigger purchase next time. We found coworkers who sell eggs and are looking forward to looking at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market soon.  I wanted to see what else was out there by local farmers.  Free range chicken, pork, etc.  This website does not have stores that I've been able to find, but it lists all the farms in Michigan that deal with either meat or produce of some sort.  The places are listed in alphabetically order, explain a little about who they feed and grow, as well give location and longevity of business.  I would definitely recommending taking a look at the site and passing it along to anyone you know who is interesting in buying healthy meat. 

[deirdrey121-blog]

Keep your skin glowing and youthful with these healthy diet tips from dermatologist Dr Stefanie Williams

This article was so interesting because it goes with and against much of the stuff we learn in life.  I like that it suggests we eat more fat but it also says less grains and starches.  I do agree with less starch.  I was surprised I didn't see anything specific about berries and foods rich in antioxidants.  Lots of vegetables.  There wasn't much stress on water either.  I think it goes to show that a person should research thoroughly what foods they are going to eat and why.  It's best to get multiple sources of information when deciding what foods are the ones to eat. 

[deirdrey121-blog]

Memo on the CSW

            Winter is the worst season in my opinion, and I’m never truly warmed up until the end of May.  However, walking into the Student Center ballroom for the CSW, led me to think summer had arrived early.  The air was stifling, and there were so many people.  Packed in like little sardines, college students and professors walked the aisles between tables, dressed in spring and summer styled clothing.  The room was a constant source of heat.

            Grabbing a notebook and pen, I decided to make my way through the crowd.  Our table was not in the midst of chaos, but tucked off to the side against one of the walls.  This offered some escape from the stale air, but also kept us “secluded”.  Looking at the people swarming our table, I knew my ventures into the thick of the displays would be met with multiple “excuse me” and some twisting and turning to make it through the menagerie of people.  Taking a deep breath, I started to follow the crowds. 

            My goal was to find an interesting display and interview the researcher.  It was going to be difficult to find just one interesting project.  There were so many, and had I ventured to a CSW before this one, I might have had better ideas for my own project.  Televisions were on display for various purposes, some for videos, simple use of the screen, or slide shows.  Another group was calling out to the public, making their message known.  It was a good message against rape and female violence.  It grabbed my attention.  Music blared from one corner of the room.  It was actually descent music.  I fought the urge to hum while I continued the search for that project that would grab me.

            I found that project near a simple display of student made books.  There weren’t too many students huddled around the table, so I was able to take a few minutes and read the displays.  One book was about the two paths a child could take from little girl to grown woman.  A father was depicted bringing home dolls for a girl who wanted trucks, and she grows up to be a stay at home mom, feeling as though her potential was not met.  The other path is a little girl who receives trucks from her father, encouraged to play them, and becomes an engineer.  This was a great idea.  The second book was a scrapbook.  This was all part of the groups assignments, to take their research and put it in a book form.  While the first student choose to do a story, the second student decided to use the idea of a scrapbook with pictures of children to the elderly with stuffed animals.  Once I noticed the small book, my attention was ensnared.

            The author of the small book was Cassandra, a fellow English 121 student with Professor Bromley.  I asked a few question about her research, which she graciously answered.  Her professor requested that all her students create a book based on their research.  What a clever idea.  Cassandra chose to do her work on the therapeutic value of stuffed animals.  Her interest was sparked because of alzheimer's disease and the positive effects of having a stuffed animal or doll.  She explained that in her research she learned of an elderly woman suffering from alzheimer’s who at the touch of a plush dog remembered the farm from her youth. 

            The student was filled with excitement and confidence as she explained her research through articles, reading about elderly, teens, and children.  I was surprised to hear how effective one little toy could be at stemming the tide of depression in teenagers and preteens.  Cassandra obviously put a lot of thought and time into her research essay.  Through her words and with her mannerisms, she came across as a very well versed and educated individual.  She was definitely enjoying herself at the CSW.  And surprisingly so was I. 

            Although the aisles were crowded, and I felt myself struggling against claustrophobic desires to bolt, I learned a lot about ways to display one’s work.  There were so many different genres on display that it would be difficult to walk away from the event without feeling some sort of appreciation for creativity.  I also learned an interesting fact about stuffed animals.  It was time well spent.   

[deirdrey121-blog]

6 Disgusting Things You're Eating (And You Don't Even Know It!)

Do you REALLY know what you eat?

This article was fabulous.  I actually cringed once or twice.  Something I do not eat so I'm ok, but other things... disgusting.  I hate mushrooms and have for a long time, but if I still liked them this article would have ruined it for me.  The shredded cheese wasn't too terrible of a reason to stop eating cheese, but I'll say that I often wonder why pre-shredded cheese has that chalky look to it.  Now, I know.  I shred my own cheese and have for sometime because I thought the coloring was odd.  Vanilla ice cream!  That was perhaps the saddest one on the list.  I love vanilla ice cream, especially with peanut butter.  But how can I enjoy that ice cream without thinking about a porcupine's behind.  Not too appetizing.  Of course I'm saved by the fact that we have two places close by that make their own ice cream and they list the ingredients for all too see.  I'm definitely beginning to see why it's sad and helpful to know what's in our food. 

[deirdrey121-blog]

Ask the Diet Doctor: Is Full-Fat or Lowfat Cheese Better for Me?

Q: I hate the taste of lowfat cheese. Is the real, full-fat stuff that bad for me? A: Not only is regular cheese not that bad for you, the reduced-fat stuff has several drawbacks to it. Lowfat cheese

I often wonder if the food we think is good for us, really is. If it doesn't taste good, why eat it?  And what ingredients are added to make us want to eat the light stuff?  I remember when low fat cookies became popular and people were buying fad diet cookies off the shelves.  I wasn't so quick to react.  Even now I have to think twice about buying something that is "low fat".  I decided to ask a friend of mine who is a nurse practitioner what she recommended.  I was surprised she had a lot of similar thoughts as did I but she also shed new light on reasons NOT to buy low fat.  Skim milk wouldn't even be drinkable with the exception of all the sugar they put in the milk to sell it.  Still low in fat, but high in sugar.  The same goes true for lots of foods.  Obviously, according to the article, we have similar problems with sodium in our food.  I guess it is true what they say: all things in moderation.  I'd rather park farther in the parking lot, take the stairs, or walk around the block a couple of times to make up for the extra calories.  It's best to read all labels and don't' assume something is healthy because it reads low sugar or low fat. 

[deirdrey121-blog]

8 Foods We Eat That Other Countries Ban, Artificial Food Additives

There are chemicals and additives we allow in our snacks, drinks and packaged foods that other countries consider so unhealthy, they’ve banned them. What are we talking about? Here’s just one example: Fake coloring that gives those eerie bright hues to boxed mac and cheese, breakfast cereal, candy and soft drinks. Linked to behavioral changes in children, allergies, migraines and possibly cancer, those dyes are banned in several countries plus the United Kingdom — but not in the United States. …

This was a great article.  My daughter who is in 7th grade came home from school one afternoon talking about the dangers of BVO, brominated vegetable oil.  This is banned in many countries, and although PepciCo is taking it out of Gatorade (thank God) it will continue to be a part of Mountain Dew.  Thankfully I do not drink MD, however, still upsetting.  I think what bothers me the most is that these companies (Kraft example) will make a safe product to sell in countries where certain substances are illegal, but make the safe product with the dangerous substance to see in the US just because they can.  This goes for potassium bromate as well.  The more I read, the better my arsenal of weaponry against such chemical.  Knowledge is power.  I'm learning what not to eat, not to drink, and what not to use on my body.  It amazes me that the 7th grader insists on using organic deodorant.  The fact that the label read "does not contain aluminum" made me cringe and now the entire household is using organic deodorant.  I'm happy that PepsiCo is caving under pressure and changing Gatorade, especially considering my 2nd grader runs cross country and one way we get her to jump to the front of the racing pack is with the allure of Gatorade when she finishes.  It's terrifying to think what was once in the drink.

[sarahm121-deactivated20140418]

Food pyramid is out, MyPlate in as nutrition guide

The Obama administration replaced it Thursday with a new icon - a plate half filled with fruits and vegetables, the other half with grains and protein, with a smaller plate representing dairy - touting the symbol’s clear and concise message. Instead of trying to decipher food labels, harried shoppers can stick to the basics by dedicating half the plate to produce; a quarter to protein, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, soy and beans; and a quarter to grains such as rice, bread and cereal. The United Fresh Produce Association called MyPlate a “tipping point” that may help to persuade people to eat the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables. “Given the nutrient density of meat and poultry, it requires less space on the plate to offer great nutrition,” James Hodges, president of the foundation, said in a news release. The MyPlate logo comes more than four months after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new dietary guidelines, promoting more fruits and vegetables and a diet rich in nutrients. The plate is one more step in carrying out the message, said officials, who plan to roll out more of the campaign in later phases, including encouraging people to eat less, switch to fat-free or low-fat milk, choose foods lower in sodium and drink water instead of sugary drinks.

I think that a plate food chart is better than a food pyramid because the pyramid doesn’t exactly show how much what food to eat like the plate. i feel more comfortable with the MyPlate because I understand how much veggies, fruits, grains, dairy, and fats i am allowed to have. i was very pleased to see that nutritionists came up with this explain because of how easy and simple the set up was to eat certain foods at certain amounts. i teach at a daycare and i show the kids there where their foods go on the MyPlate when they pull out their lunches. they enjoy to know that their food that they are eating is healthy and that they can visually see it on the MyPlate.

[shaynew121]

I also agree I believe this approach is much better than the food pyramid as the pyramid never gave any portion control. This plate food chart is making sure that you get all your necessary food groups while keeping everything in proportion. That is one of the biggest problems with eating is portion control. You can have “junk food” (ice cream, candy, etc.) every once in a while as long as it is in the right amount. This is one of the United States’ biggest problem. We feel the need to go big with everything. This plate food chart also reminds me of the change they are making in school lunches. I did a lot of research on school lunches last year and the First Lady created a movement. Every lunch has to have so many different things in it and meet certain requirements. For example, at my school last year if you didn’t have a fruit or vegetable on your plate they wouldn’t let you buy the lunch.

[deirdrey121-blog]

I think this is an amazing concept.  Written information is always helpful, filled with detail and allows a person to gather as much knowledge on a subject that is presented in the articles, but it's time consuming.  Considering how busy people are today and how many people have an easier time committing images to memory over words, this will help many people understand exactly what they should be eating and how much.  Having children who are picky eaters, trying to explain a silly food pyramid to them was exhausting.  I was getting bombarded with so many questions.  What's a serving?   The concept was whatever it took to make one full.  What are grains?  Why can't I have three cookies?  That's a serving, because McDonald's packages them that way.  I'm going to show them this plate and let them figure it out on their own.  I think once a person really takes the time to study the plate and digest the image, it's very easy to see the recommendations. 

[deirdrey121-blog]

 Memo #5

For my CSW project, I have decided I would like to put together a “portfolio” that highlights the important information in my research paper.  I am going to purchase a binder with several packages of the clear sleeves.  Using some colorful ink, I will pick some of the highlights of my reports.  Since it was on additives and preservatives and their impact on autistic spectrum disorders, I decided to open with a few introductory sentences, short and to the point.  Second, I want to display a few select additives and preservatives and their known side effects.  After that, I’ll explain ways to avoid the additives and preservatives. 

I do not want to have long paragraphs or lengthy explanations, those are the purpose of the paper, but I want something simple and colorful enough to grab a person’s attention.  Just a little bit of information would be enough to grab their interest. 

I would also like to have a second binder that lists some foods that are safe to eat.  I want to have five opening pages that have select foods side by side.  An example would be a picture of Sara Lee whole grain wheat besides Pepperidge Farm Hearty white.  Which one is the safest to eat?  Most people would think the grain wheat, but the hearty white would be the safest choice as it doesn’t contain potassium bromate which has been tested to cause cancer in even small amounts.  This makes it a little fun to discover easy ways to find decent food. 

[annataranto121-blog]

CSW Idea

For the CSW, I was thinking I could do some sort of recipe or cook book. Since my research focuses on the ingredients in out food, an organic, GMO free cook book would be relevant. Some foods I could include in the book are spaghetti, ice cream and salads. For the presentation I can bring in my final copy with all these recipes. If any one has more ideas for simple dishes I could turn organic. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

[deirdrey121-blog]

I think this is a great idea! Its easy to say: buy this, buy that, but if you offer recipes than the research might have a greater impact. You could make copies for people to take.

[deirdrey121-blog]

I was extremely happy when I read this article.  I have been researching non-bromated bread and searching for flour that does not include this "poison".  From what I've read, it typically 'evaporates' as the bread is baked but if too much is used or the bread isn't baked long enough, well you're out of luck I guess.  So why take a chance?  I decided I would start buying bread that is guaranteed to NOT have potassium bromate used.  A few good choices: Pepperidge Farm products, Whole Foods, and (Thank you God) Panera bread products.  My kids LOVE goldfish.  No artificial coloring or preservatives.  This might not be 100% organic but I'll take it!  The taste is great and it's as close to perfect as I can get and still make the kids smile with lunch.  The Pepperidge Farm bread is delicious as well. I made french toast with the "French toast" flaovered bread and there was no an extra piece after breakfast, which was sad for our dog.  Everyone else was happy though.  Grilled cheese sandwiches are the best on Tomato Basil bread from Panera.  Very happy that I can buy that bread.  They have so many flavors to choose from and it's not that much more for a loaf of bread, especially when you consider your health and the loaves are huge. 

[justisf121]

If you eat as your suppose to 3 times a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Does your body stay balanced to where you stay full, and when it is time to eat your to full, or your so hungry that you have isn’t enough. Or you have people who will eat all day have a big gap in between. Get so hungry...

[deirdrey121-blog]

I have found I'm at my fittest when I eat small meals throughout the day, or small snacks.  I'm not hungry in the morning but once I have a snack the hunger starts.  I might eat a small bowl of cereal and an hour later want an apple, two hours later some pretzels and cheese, etc.  I think eating in moderation is the key and taking a multi-vitamin.  We can't eat enough food to get all our vitamins, at least I've never been able to do that.  And some days I'm hungry than others.  I workout alot, run, weights, other cardio, play sports and I remember hearing people say you should eat immediately after a work out to keep your metabolism up.  Of course another person told me I shouldn't eat for an hour after working out.  But it all depends on what you hope to accomplish. 

[justisf121]

If you eat as your suppose to 3 times a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Does your body stay balanced to where you stay full, and when it is time to eat your to full, or your so hungry that you have isn’t enough. Or you have people who will eat all day have a big gap in between. Get so hungry...