Soy long Kashi

This is an article that was recently written about Kashi. Take a look and come to your own conclusions. I threw out the remainder of my Kashi GOLEAN Crunch! this morning.

Thanks for nothing, Kashi: Cereal company caught in GMO controversy; backlash ensues
MARY ANN GEORGANTOPOULOS

NEW YORK

Published: April 24, 2012 3:29 p.m.

"Anyone who has watched documentaries such as "Food Inc." knows that we can never really trust where our food comes from. When a company boasts "natural" and "organic" foods, though, we'd like to think we're making healthy choices. Think again, readers.

Kashi, the cereal brand that prides itself in natural health and healthy eating, is in hot water after it was revealed that the soy used in its cereal is Genetically Modified and tested positive for pesticides.

So all those mornings you woke up and thought you were having a healthy breakfast were all lies (maybe, if you believe in such things).

A photo taken from The Green Grocer, a natural and health food store in Portsmouth, R.I., has been making the rounds on Facebook and Twitter.

The photo is of a sign hanging on the shelf and reads:

"You might be wondering where your favorite Kashi cereals have gone. It has recently come to our attention that 100% of the soy used in Kashi is Genetically Modified and that when the USDA tested the grains used there were found to be pesticides that are known carcinogens and hormone disruptors."

Even though the sign was posted earlier this year, it has just kicked up a storm online recently with an onslaught of criticism and comments directed at Kashi's Facebook page.

Kashi responded with a post on their website stating they are working with the Non-GMO Project to verify their products.

"We're excited to share an update on our work with the Non-GMO Project, North America's only third-party verifier of non-GMO foods. Seven of our foods are now officially Non-GMO Project Verified including Autumn Wheat, Cinnamon Harvest, Island Vanilla, Strawberry Fields, 7 Whole Grain Flakes, 7 Whole Grain Puffs and 7 Whole Grain Pilaf. This is the first step in our phased approach, and we're committed to this journey! Check out our product pages at Kashi.com or search for Kashi at www.nongmoproject.org for updates as we continue to verify our foods."

Seven of the foods?! Who are you trying to fool, Kashi? With more than 84 products, Kashi consumers are upset. And what do people do when they're upset? They vent about it on social media, of course.

Kashi's Facebook page has been taken over comments like "I will never buy Kashi again," and 'Shame on you!"

Some users went as far as to say, "Kashi...Let's make everyday a truth day! Thank you for the poisons. And the lies" as well as "Tell your CEO's if they ever meet me they had better keep there occupation a secret.. WE know they're good at it ;)"

If there's one thing to take away from this fiasco it's that social media users will call you out on deception and unsound practices. Take note, food companies, everyone's on to you."

Detox Salad

Not too long ago, a friend and I did a Girl's Night In (we were both sick). We decided on dinner and a movie. In our quest to remain healthy, young and vibrant, we decided to pick up some food from Whole Foods pre-made bars. I was drawn to all the delicious warm international dishes, while my friend went straight for this all veggie mix.

At first sight I cringed. Raw veggies? That's it? Ewwwwe. I can't say that I am a veggie lover. I want to be, oh so desperately. Yet, I just can't get myself to choke those babies down. She's good with advice, that one, and suggested that I just get it because I won't regret it. Was she ever RIGHT!

I crave this stuff now, but for me getting to Whole Foods is like running the Tough Mudder backwards blindfolded. I kid you not, last trip I made it took me over 25 minutes to make a left turn into the parking structure because there is no left turn arrow at that intersection. City of Milwaukee, are you reading this?? Let's do something to make my trip into the city a bit more efficient and enjoyable, shall we??

It wasn't until my friend recently got accepted into her grad school program and promptly declared that the purse strings will now be tight and these luxury items will have to be forgone, that I said "WTF!! I can MAKE that salad at home for probably a fraction of the cost!"

Low and behold, I was not the only lover of this magical detox salad. There are many versions out there. I found one that is about perfect. One thing that I omitted was the kelp. I didn't have time to shop for it. Also, currants were pricey at my grocery store, so I just used raisins- whatever. Oh, and I forgot the parsley. The salad still turned out fantastic and tastes SO close that I didn't miss out at all. So, we've waited long enough. Here's the recipe. It took me a manner of 15 minutes to put it together. I let it sit in the fridge for about 4-6 hours. It made a huge bowl full. The largest bowl I own, actually, and it was still just a little too full to toss it without stuff falling out of it.

I used one head of cauliflower, a bunch of broccoli, half a bag of baby carrots (shredded), about 2/3+ cup of raisins, enough sunflower seeds to make a thin layer over the top and the juice of 2 lemons. THAT IS ALL. No salt, no pepper, no anything else. Easy Peasy.

And now I can FINALLY eat my vegetables, Dad.

Detox Salad (from eat-spin-run-repeat.com)

Inspired by the Whole Foods Detox Salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cauliflower (about 1/3 of a medium-sized cauliflower)
• 2 cups broccoli
• 2 medium grated carrots
• ¼ cup dried currants
• 1/3 cup raisins
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tsp kelp granules (NOTE: kelp granules do have a fairly distinct sea vegetable-like smell, so you definitely don’t need to use very much!)
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Chop the broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. (You can use a food processor, but I like my pieces chunkier, so I hand-chopped.)

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cauliflower, grated carrots, and all remaining ingredients. Toss very well to combine, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Makes 6 servings (about 1 cup each)
Nutrition per cup: 130 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 34mg sodium, 20g carbs, 3g fiber, 11g sugar, 4g protein.

"You might be wondering why this is called a detox salad, and from my reading and research into raw food diets. I’ve learned that some of the best vegetables for detoxing are raw cruciferous ones. That includes broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy, and cabbage. These are full of phytonutrients, minerals, and antioxidants which are exactly what our detoxing organs (that would be your liver, kidneys, and lungs) need to keep them humming along nicely. Of course, the lovely nutritional benefits are lost the second you decide to cook any of these veggies, and that would be a shame, wouldn’t it?"

I probably don't say this often enough...

I probably don't say this often enough, but I have one of the most dedicated, caring partners in the whole wide world. I'm not the type of person to display my affection for the world to read, but today is a particularly special day. Not for any reason in particular, other than my heart is telling me so.

In an effort to avoid pain, we often act less then admirably. Maladaptive behaviors are used as coping skills, temporarily getting us through the unmanageable. They work for a while, but inevitably lose effectiveness.

I am so lucky to have someone in my life that is intelligent and has the foresight to see things when I do not. His ability to point out my behaviors that aren't beneficial and steer me in a direction that is fruitful and allows me the space to become that which I have always imagined.

Let me tell you about me. When I told stories about my family, they didn’t revolve around family beach trips, barbecues, and vacations; the focused on my parents’ fights and all the ways they “ruined my life.”

The same applied to friends and milestones in my life. I chronically remembered and rehashed the worst experiences. This went deep into college and found itself quite a large feeding ground in my marriage. I was so blinded by this pattern, this view of always being the victim, that I was unable to see things any other way. Good things weren't good enough because they would always end up going away. Bad things were the way of life back then. I even sat my now ex-husband down one day to tell him, while choking back a waterfall of tears, that I didn't understand how people could be happy, smile or find other peoples' jokes and stories funny. I hadn't really laughed in years. I didn't understand.

I’ve noticed that many of us have something in common with my misguided past self: we focus on how we’ve been hurt far more than how we’ve been helped. When we complain about everything that’s gone wrong, or everyone who has done us wrong, we’re drowning in our self-involvement.It’s taken me a long time, but I’ve learned we don’t need to live life in a constant state of reaction to things that seem difficult or unfair. We don’t have to be the victims of bad coming at us. Our lives don’t have to be the sum of our problems—not if we take responsibility for putting good into the world.

That starts by fostering a greater appreciation for our interdependence. We are not alone. The world is not against us, and we don’t have to be against each other. We don’t have to let our fears, insecurities and wants boil over inside us until we’re all a bunch of incompatible toxic chemicals waiting to explode the second we collide.

Currently, I find myself becoming more open and aware that I have choices that I get to make every day about every situation I am involved in. It's not an easy road, but it is a worthwhile road. All the time and effort I put in today, will allow me to reap the benefits exponentially in years to come.

Back to Roo. Without his unwavering support and the very sincere way that he believes in me, I would have never been able to find the courage to go back to school, apply to and get a better job that I love, workout for my health and my own personal body goals and so much more.

My love, you are by far the most inspirational person I have ever met. You have helped shape me and mold me into someone that I am so very proud to be. I love you for that and will always.

I can't believe it!

It has been so long since I have written a post! Most of my days are filled with work, school and chores. Lately, since the weather has been so freaking nice, a lot of outdoor social activities. Last night I went for a 3 mile run in the park. It felt so good! But my allergies are definitely acting up. It's a pretty big bummer.

Since it mostly is sinuses draining, leading to a sore and irritated throat, I've started to drink hot tea with honey. It helps soothe my throat. I hear that lemon juice is also great to add in. Maybe I will go at lunch to the grocery store to pick some up. I'm reluctant to take allergy medicine because it usually leaves me lethargic and in a zombie-like state. Anyone have any other natural suggestions to help keep this under control?

I am challenging myself for the month of April to not spend any money (besides the necessary). I am by no means being too spendy, I just want to get back to the roots of my savings plan and see if I can't squeeze out another bit into savings that wouldn't have normally been saved.

Speaking of money, there will be a few openings (aka room for advancement) at my company. I am hoping that, if all works as pre-planned in my head, before the mid year mark I will have been promoted. That means a substantial increase in pay, which will once again help the bottom line and put me to my savings goal just that much quicker!

Davy Jones- A Sad Day for Monkees Fans

I'm a huge fan of the Monkees. I used to watch them as a child and sing the songs along with my younger brother as we danced around the kitchen. His favorite was 'Stepping Stone.' Mine was 'Daydream Believer.'

The Monkees lead singer Davy Jones has died today, according to the medical examiner's office in Martin County, Fla. He was 66.




A spokesman at the medical office confirmed to CBSNews.com that it had received word of his death. "A possible autopsy may be performed after evaluation of the circumstances of the death and medical information," the spokesperson said.

Jones' rep confirmed to the Associated Press that he died Wednesday morning of a heart attack in Indiantown, Fla., where he lived. Jones' death was first reported by TMZ.

Born in Manchester, England, Jones rose to stardom as a teen idol on the NBC comedy series, "The Monkees," which ran from 1966 to 1968. The show, which followed a rock group modeled after the Beatles, also starred Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. They were originally banned from playing their own instruments on the show. The Monkees scored several hits, including "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer."

After the show ended, the Monkees started to disband. Jones released a self-titled album in 1971. In the mid-1980s, Jones, Tork, Dolenz and promoter David Fishof got together for a reunion tour. In 1987, Jones, Tork and Dolenz released a new album called "Pool It." To mark the Monkees' 30th anniversary, the group, including Nesmith, put out a new studio album in 1996 titled "Justus."

Jones has been active on the music scene as of late, and was on tour as recently as this year.

Jones is survived by his wife, Jessica.

THREE Jason PowerSmile All-Natural Whitening Toothpaste for FREE!

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FREE Pretzel from Auntie Anne's

Head to Auntie Anne’s Pretzels on Saturday 3/3 between 10 am and 3 pm for a FREE pretzel. This is in honor of FREE Pretzel Day. More details on Auntie Anne’s Facebook Page.