DeDivahDeals

Fashion and Fun after Fifty

Posts Tagged ‘grocery store’

Spider in the Smoothie

Hello Friends and Happy Tuesday

Now that we are halfway through the first month of 2014, you are either continuing your resolution to get healthy or have ditched it all together and have a freezer full of Talenti Gelato!

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So let’s just say for the sake of argument that you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating right, exercising and starting each day with a delicious and nutritious green smoothie.

You have a new Ninja Bullet and have stocked up on your healthy greens, kale and spinach, your fiber, Chia and Flaxseeds and fresh fruits, apples, mangos, berries, kiwi, pineapples and bananas.

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One morning, still a little groggy you grab a banana from the bowl and begin to peel it only to notice a small white blotch.  Upon closer inspection you realize that spot is a cocoon, a cocoon filled with baby spiders!   Your first reaction…”what the what?… eeeew… gross…” and then fear takes your breath away!

Spiders on Bananas in the UK The fear that you might have eaten one previously not noticing the white blotch that are now infested with spiders…ok I’ll stop.

No, that couldn’t happen in the US could it?  We have the FDA regulating our imports right…oh, forget about that pesky little government shutdown thingy, that wouldn’t have affected my local produce – right?

Probably not, but unfortunately it did occur in the UK and it was reported by the Huffington Post  (here).  What should you do to ensure the fruits and veggies you are buying to keep healthy won’t make you sick?

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WASH IT BEFORE YOU EAT IT!

 Sounds simple right, but there are a lot of people including my husband who doesn’t wash fruit before he eats it.  Fortunately for him that’s the first thing I do after we unpack the grocery bags.  Sure there are products on the market made specifically for washing fruits but I wonder if they too could leave a contaminant on the fruit.

You could use a spray bottle or submerge the fruit in a mixture of water and white vinegar.  Your best bet is to simply wash them under cold running water using a vegetable brush or rubbing briskly with your hands then blotting them dry with a fresh paper towel.

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I know there’s nothing like biting into a freshly picked apple or peach at the Orchard or a few fresh berries from the field.  Just remember to bring along a bottle of water to rinse them before you eat them, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

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Do you wash ALL your fresh fruits and veggies before eating them?

Stay Blessed – No Stress in the New Year!

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Tasti-Lee Tomatoes Tuesday

Hello Friends and Happy Tuesday

Sponsored post written on behalf of Tasti-Lee Tomatoes, however opinions are 100% my own.

There’s nothing like smell or taste of a fresh ripe tomato straight from the vine, but in Delaware that only happens for a few months in the summer.  Unfortunately, my home garden didn’t yield as many as I would have liked and the frost killed the last ones hanging.  I usually have a salad for lunch so tomatoes are always on my grocery list.  

When the folks at Tasti-Lee Tomatoes partnered with Sverve, looking for bloggers to try their new premium vine ripened tomatoes I jumped at the opportunity and was glad to have been chosen.

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Not only did I receive 2 packs of premium fresh ripe tomatoes, the package also included a few other goodies including this apron, a Tasti-Lee reusable bag, Recipe Cards, Key Chain, Bottle Opener and a tube of Chap Stick.

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I began to think of the many ways in which to use the tomatoes including as a salsa or pasta sauce but my first instinct was to slice one and eat it!  That was definitely the right choice because it was juicy…juicy…juicy and so full of flavor!

Tasti-Lee tomatoes are non GMO and contain 50% more Lycopene than regular tomatoes which is definitely a health benefit.

I used another one for a salad but since I’ve never had or made baked tomatoes, I decided to give it a try.  This easy breezy recipe for Baked Parmesan Tomatoes was found online at www.eatingwell.com.

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INGREDIENTS

 

  • 4 tomatoes, halved horizontally
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

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 I know…I need a new muffin tin…don’t judge!

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A great appetizer and with some French Bread…oh la la!

I tossed the ones we didn’t eat into a Crock Pot recipe with chicken thighs.

Tasti-Lee Tomatoes Tasti-Lee Tomatoes is always running contests like best recipe or best picture campaigns, so check them out on Facebook and don’t forget to sign up to receive coupons and to enter the giveaways.

Have a Tasti-Lee Tomato Tuesday – Smooches!

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Friday Foodie Feature – Fiesta Chicken

Hello Friends and Happy Crocktober Fri-Yay!

I missed a few Friday Foodie Features last month but the timing is now right with the official start of Autumn. October begins the season of football, family and comfort foods and it also means a return to my all time favorite way to make a meal and that is with the Crock Pot or Slow Cooker.

It wasn’t too long ago that there were only a few Slow Cooker Seasonings available at the grocery stores, now there are several more options available on the supermarket shelves.  I’ve tried a few of the new ones by McCormick’s and the Fiesta Chicken was a hit in my house, my men loved it – ‘ole

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of black beans
  • 2 cans of diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1-2 lbs or chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1 packet of McCormick’s Slow Cookers Seasoning – Fiesta Chicken

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OOTD September 099 Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray or use liner, put in chicken thighs or breast – remember NOT to wash the chicken.

OOTD September 100 Mix all ingredients into a bowl and stir

OOTD September 101 Pour mixture over chicken

OOTD September 103 I had this frozen tomato so I added it

tip when a tomato begins to soften, don’t throw it away, put it in the freezer to use later in sauces or the Slow Cooker.

OOTD September 102 Cook on low 7-8 hours

OOTD September 119 Served over rice – Cilantro optional – dinner is served!

Have a fantabulous Day – Smooches!

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Walgreens Rewards

Tuesday evening I went to Walgreens because of their advertised sale on Butterball Turkey Bacon, 6 oz for $1.29, which is much cheaper than the grocery stores.  My son usually eats 4 slices a day so this was definitely a money saver.

I first purchased a bottle of Revlon Nail Polish for $4.99 and received a $1.00 off with an in store coupon as well as a $3.00 off coupon for my next purchase .  Armed with that coupon and my coupon caddy I checked the end caps for clearance items.  There was Poise Cooling Gel and Poise Freshener, both marked down and with my coupons I paid .12 cents for each.   My purchased also included Holiday Liquid Hand Soaps, marked $1.99 each or 2/$3.00, but with Rewards paid $1.09 each; Sally Hansen Nail Polish, $1.49 and a pack of Liners for a total cost of $13.44.

 I am loving the Walgreens Rewards Program


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Bottle of Revlon Polish – 3.99 with in store coupon and received $3.00 off next purchase

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Poise Products – .12 cents each

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5 packs of Butterball Turkey Bacon – $6.45

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Total Cost – $13.44

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