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Join Me TonightFor #AVeryVeggieWorld Twitter Party from Country Crock

April 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

We eat a LOT of vegetables here at the Moscato Household, and for as far back as I can remember, there has always been a tub of Country Crock on our table.   Both of my girls and I would prefer a bowl full of steamed veggies over a bowl full of chips or candy any day.  But I know that is not true in every household, and some Moms have to get a bit more “creative” to get their kiddos eating their veggies.

Because of this, Country Crock has teamed up with Clare Crespo of Yummy Fun to create 25 Country Crock recipes featuring a variety of healthy and delicious vegetables that LOOK as great as they taste!  In their first-ever Country Crock digital recipe book – A Very Veggie World – you can find recipes like “Out Of The Park Baseballs,” “Zucchini Boats”  (which even *I* an excited to try!) and the “Broccoli Swamp” which I would bet would be a favorite for any boy I know!

Tonight to help kick off the release of A Very Veggie World,  Country Crock is hosting a Twitter Party with tons of tweeting and giveaways you can win just for tweeting along!  If you have never participated in a Twitter Party – I can tell you they are a blast!  I use www.TweetGrid.com/party  – just put in the hashtag #AVeryVeggieWorld and your twitter handle, along with @CountryCrock as the party host!  (Be sure to follow them too for all kinds of goodies even after the party is over!)

A Very Veggie World Twitter Party brought to you by Country Crock

When: Tonight, April 24th from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. EST

Where: #AVeryVeggieWorld tag on Twitter

How: Follow @CountryCrock and tweet with the hashtag #averyveggieworld to participate

“SEE” You there!!

 


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Eat Clean With A Grill Pan

April 6, 2012 By 8 Comments

Months ago I saw Rachel Ray using a “grill pan” to cook burgers on her in studio stove.   I thought it was a cool idea, but then I thought nothing could beat my beloved George Foreman.

Then tragedy struck…. my George Foreman died.

After proper mourning I headed to Amazon to look into getting either a new George Foreman or try out a Grill Pan.   I ended up getting the latter and I absolutely could not be happier.

I chose the Cuisinart Green Gourmet 11″ Square Grill Pan.  (PS – its cheapest on Amazon) I was stoked when it arrived just 3 days later, and have been cooking on it almost daily ever since.

Cuisinart® is leading the way in eco-friendly branded cookware with our new GreenGourmet™ line. Exclusive Cuisinart Ceramica™ nonstick technology is ceramic based instead of petroleum based, helping to conserve existing oil supplies and the coating is applied at a temperature one half that of conventional nonsticks. And it’s completely free of PTFE and PFOA. The cookware’s hard anodized construction provides high heat conductivity, which requires less energy to reach desired cooking temperatures. Riveted stainless handles stay cool on the stovetop and are made from 70% recycled stainless steel. Today, more and more home cooks are going green… and so is Cuisinart® cookware!

Part of “Eating Clean” is adding as little as possible to whole foods.  My diet consists of all meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts – which can get boring after a while if you do not change it up from time to time.  With my Grill Pan I put just a bit of cooking spray on the pan, and a bit of dry seasoning to my meats and grill – just like I do on my outside grill!  For veggies I do the same thing – only with no seasonings at all – and it tastes just exactly like I slaved over a grill.

We use the Cuisinart Grill Pan almost daily for lunch.  It is so easy for Mike and I to throw on a chicken breast and some veggies and in 10-12 minutes have a healthy, tasty, economical lunch for us both.   And in a quarter of the time it would take us to go out, and half the time to fire up the big outdoor grill.  It is large enough for me to cook a meal for all four of us as well, which is nice, and clean up is a breeze – I just pop it right into the dishwasher.

I absolutely love this thing and have cooked chicken, steak, fish, veggies – and even a London Broil on this thing.  It cooks up perfectly and I never have to walk outside.   Between the Grill Pan and my Westbend Food Steamer, Eating Clean is not only easy, but incredibly tasty!

Disclaimer:  I was not compensated in any way for this post – I just absolutely love this thing and wanted to spread the word with my fellow Eat Clean friends!

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Clearly Fresh Bags Review & Giveaway

January 26, 2012 By

Photo Credit: www.ClearlyFreshBags.com

Sooo … you wanna know the not-so-great part about Eating Clean?   Trying to keep all those fruits and veggies fresh and tasting great more than a few days.     I do not like to go to the store more than once a week if I can help it, and my favorites like bananas, strawberries, and lettuce go funky after 2-3 days… leaving the rest of the week with nothing really “fresh.”   I have tried a couple bags from the store that claim to extend the life of foods with absolutely no luck, so I was a bit skeptical when I was offered a free package of Clearly Fresh Bags to review.

Clearly Fresh® bags are large clear zip bags (12” X 14”), with a breathable 3 inch square membrane on one side. Each pack contains 10 bags. These bags enable you to keep your fruits and vegetables fresher longer for less waste and more savings. Its large size, allows you to store an entire bunch of bananas or a whole head of lettuce with room to spare. PLUS the bags are re-closeable and recyclable.

My new favorite snack since beginning to Eat Clean has been avocados with Season Salt on them – sliced up like an apple.  They are FANTASTIC.  However… avocados are huge.  I can never eat an entire one in one sitting, so I am always putting a half back into the fridge.   Usually by the next day, the leftover avocado has gotten mushy (I like them really firm) and has these reddish brown lines in them.  I was SO impressed to see that two days after putting my avocado into the fridge in a Clearly Fresh Bag, it looked as fresh as the other half had been – just like that picture above shows!

I also used them for my bananas – which Mike likes really firm.. almost still green.   The Clearly Fresh Bags website says you can keep bananas fresh for up to nine days – well mine didnt last that long before they were eaten, but Mike normally doesn’t eat them past the first day since they ripen so fast, and he snacked on them until they were gone this time.

What makes Clearly Fresh bags unique is the use of BreatheWay technology. BreatheWay allows fresh fruits and vegetables to create their own ideal atmospheres for natural storage life extension. Simply place fresh produce items in the Clearly Fresh bag when returning from grocery shopping & store in your standard fashion (i.e.: lettuce in the refrigerator, bananas on the counter).

I am very impressed with the Clearly Fresh Bags and will be getting more to help keep my food fresh.    I am excited to offer three packages away to my readers, so you can check out first hand how long you can keep your fruits and veggies fresh!

Giveaway:

I am excited to offer three readers of MoscatoMom.com a package of ten Clearly Fresh Bags!

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Comment below telling me your favorite fruit or veggie snack that you would put in the Clearly Fresh Bags if you win them!

EXTRA ENTRIES:

  • Follow MoscatoMom on Twitter {2 extra entries}
  • Tweet about giveaway {up to 3 times per day 1 extra entry each tweet} –
    “Win a pkg of ten #ClearlyFreshBags from @moscatomom #food #storage #eatclean http://wp.me/p1FWxe-U7 Ends 2/9 US Only #giveaway“
  • Follow me on Stumble Upon and stumble this post {1 extra entry}
  • Comment on another post on MoscatoMom.com {2 extra entries}
  • Become a “Fan” of Clearly Fresh Bags on Facebook

Make sure you leave 1 comment for each entry to get credit!! Contest ends February 9, 2012.

Disclaimer: I received a package of ten Clearly Fresh Bags for the purpose of this review and no other compensation was received.  All opinions and thoughts are 100% my own.

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Does Portion Control Really Matter?

January 25, 2012 By 17 Comments

Since beginning on the journey of Eating Clean this year, I have run across many conversations where the “jist” is that as long as you are eating healthy, clean food – you can just about eat as much as you want.   I understand the concept – putting good stuff in opposed to bad stuff will help your body run better- but I still wasnt seeing the results on the scale that I was hoping for by cutting out all processed food and not drinking any wine (or alcohol of any kind)…. that is until this week.

Last Thursday I went to hang out with my friend Trisha just to get out of town for the day and have some much over due “girl time.”   It was a relaxing day of walking around furniture stores and pet shops – me still trying to convince her that a ferret is a better pet for her daughter than a hamster.

Anyway.

We got on the subject somehow of weight and food that we eat and such and Trisha said – “I cook enough food for two people – and then divide it between the three of us.”   I thought it was crazy since I have been cooking for my family of four for years now.  If it’s chicken – four chicken breasts.  If pork – four pork chops.   I mean… there ARE four of us, right?

Wrong.

There are two adults, one preteen, and one child.  That DOES equal four PEOPLE…. but not four SERVINGS.

So starting the very next day – Friday – I began cooking for three people.   I gave Mike his portion, Sami her portion, and then I split the third portion in half and shared it with Taylor.  I also cooked two sides – but only enough for 2/3 people.  (i.e. one can of corn and one can of green beans)  We divided the vegetables up evenly.

Here are the results -

First off, no one went hungry.    When I changed the portion size I thought for sure we were all (wait – Taylor and I) were going to starve to death.  We havent. In fact I have felt comfortably full, and Taylor has happily finished her whole plate with the family, instead of taking forever.   Mike also hasnt been tempted to “help Taylor out” by finishing off her leftover portions.

Speaking of leftovers – there haven’t been any.  There also hasnt been any waste.   Normally if I cooked and entire bag of chicken, we would have 2-3 breasts left over - IF we did not over eat and stuff ourselves with a second helping at dinner.  Now I only take out three pieces, and put the rest back into the fridge.  This week Mike and I have been having those “leftover” breasts for lunch the next day instead – saving us from eating junk food our going out to a restaurant to eat.

I also also excited that our garbage disposal hasnt gotten a work out this week.  When I was over-cooking, we would have a lot of left over waste.  Which is not only disheartening – but EXPENSIVE!  No wonder I was spending a fortune at the grocery store – I was throwing 30% of it AWAY!

My grocery bill / restaurant bill has been cut nearly in half.  I admit one of the “benefits” to working at home and being your own boss is getting to go out to eat for lunch wherever and whenever you want to.  However eating out for lunch every day is as hurtful to your wallet as it is to your waistline.   We have pretty much eliminated the need to go out to lunch since I can just pop the “leftover” meats on the grill,  and since now one package of meat lasts two meals instead of only one, my grocery bill is lighter.

But here is the biggest part…. I lost five pounds.   In five days.  Five pounds.  That’s like a pound a day.

There are all kinds of tools to help you with portion control – decorative plates that tell you how much to fill with which food group, fancy schmancy food scales, “snack bowls” that are no bigger than the palm of your hand…. and they are all great.   However, if you are like me – feeding a FAMILY with even one young child, and need something just quick and easy that you can begin implementing as early as dinner tonight… just simply make one less serving.

Now that I am doing this, its seems like such a “no-brainer” but it took someone actually saying it out loud for it to click.  Even though I had been feeding my family healthier food, I was still overfeeding us all.   I will never cook four full portions for my family again…. or at least until Taylor is old enough to actually need a full portion… you know, when she is thirty.

Does portion control really matter?

My five pounds in five days says – OH YEAH!


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Guest Post: Five Easy Ways to Eat Clean

January 11, 2012 By 2 Comments

This year I have resolved to “Eat Clean” and not fill my body with any more over processed junk and chemicals in an attempt to not only lose weight, but just feel better in general.  I have succeeded through 10 days so far and I can already tell an amazing difference.   Here is a great article from Veronica Bosgraaf, Fitness and Lifestyle expert and creator of Pure Bar, that can help you with some easy tips for how to Eat Clean.  Enjoy!

5 Easy Ways to Eat Clean

When I think of clean food, I think fresh, simple and chemical free.  It is surprising to me that in our American culture we have somehow been convinced to eat old, complicated and chemically altered foods much more often than fresh, simple and chemical free!  Isn’t that crazy?

The good news is that eating clean is very simple.  And I believe cost effective too because real food fills you up, meets your nutritional needs and doesn’t lead to cravings.  Here’s how we can do it:

Shop the produce aisle

My Grandma always said “Eat food as close to its natural state as possible”.   Food is designed to be perfectly balanced for us nutritionally.  So instead of buying juice that has been fortified with vitamin C, buy oranges!  Buy onions and potatoes and fresh spinach, pomegranates, bananas and more!  By shopping the produce aisle, you can feed your family foods created perfectly for their nutritional needs and it’s effortless!

Shop local farmers markets, bakeries, coffee roasters, beer/wine makers

The farther food travels, the older it gets and the more it needs chemical preservatives.  This is a great reason to buy local food.  Bread baked fresh from the local bakery doesn’t need preservatives, local coffee roasters create the best coffee you’ve tasted, and often they work directly with farmers to import coffee beans so you know where it came from.  I even try to buy local beer and wine.  I like to know the source of my food and to know that my food is fresh!

Understand every ingredient in a packaged food

When I created the Pure Bar for my daughter, I wanted every ingredient to be healthy and functional.  If you read the ingredient list you will see that.  I live by that same principle when I buy other packaged food.  I read the ingredients and make sure I can understand what every ingredient is.  If I can’t, I find an alternative product whose ingredients I do understand!  It’s that simple.

Make your own juice

I feel like juice is one of the worst culprits.  We grew up thinking it was healthy and now so many companies put high fructose corn syrup and flavoring into juice that they market as healthy.  A juicer changed my life!  I love my Greenstar juicer and now can barely tolerate juice from a store.  Freshly squeezed apple, pear, orange, and grape juices are leagues above the store counterparts in taste and nutrition.  The best part is you can add kale, spinach and ginger for health without changing the great taste.  Another huge bonus is that fresh squeezed juices are not pasteurized (boiled) like all juice sold in stores which means their nutrients and enzymes stay intact.

Buy organic when possible

Producing a certified organic product has opened my eyes to how stringent the process of organic certification is.  I know first-hand how clean food has to be to be certified.  From the ground the seed is planted in (tested and chemical free for 3 years before it’s allowed) to the special way a piece of equipment has to be cleaned (only natural cleaners no synthetic detergents), and every rigorous requirement in between.  I know that when I buy a certified organic product it is free of harmful chemical pesticides and herbicides, it has not been treated with sewage sludge or been showered in radiation among other things.  Looking for the organic symbol is an easy way to eat cleaner food.

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Whether you are looking to make a complete lifestyle change, or just “clean things up” a bit any of these tips can help you get started right away!  Thank you to Veronica and be sure to check out PureBar.com for a quick, great tasting healthy snack you can take with you on the go!  Also check out Pure’s Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/thepurebar – for recipes, product specials, healthy lifestyle tips and more!