Just say No to tattoos :(

While I am happy it's been a long time since I've posted as that means it's been a long while since we've had an issue. But today, I'm back with an odd addition.

Temporary Tattoos ... go figure!

This particular brand is "Creative Options Temporary Glitter Tattoos". They are cute and fun and they were bought specifically as a "treat" in place of preservative riddled food. Never even crossed my mind that they'd be loaded with Artificial preservatives and Artificial colors that would be absorbed through her skin. (btw: total DUH + AGH moment!)

So, my girl applies 2 of these adorable tattoos and then off we go to celebrate a birthday of a friend. Of course, we head to the party with our own little goodie bag for Jessica with Horizon Organic Milk, 100% Natural Juicy Juice, All Natural Baked Lays potato chips & some Nature's Promise Teddy Grahams. What could go wrong?!

After a short time, I start to notice the telltale sign of red-rimmed eyelids & sunken looking eyes. Then the fidgeting starts...following shortly by a sharp-tongued snap at a fellow party-goer...completely out of character for my sweet & compassionate friend. As we return home spouting the typical: "Stop fussing" ... "Sit still" ... "Leave your brother alone" ... we also start with the: "Ok...so what did she eat or drink?!"

Shortly after I walk in the door of our house, contemplating what she might have gotten her hands on, I see it: "Ingredients: Acrylates/VA Copolymer, Ethyl Acetate, May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides,  FD&CYellow #5, Aluminum Lake, FD&C Blue #1, Aluminum Lake, D&C Red #7, Calcium Lake"

facepalm

ps: Googling Aluminum Lake = some scary information...here's a few:

 http://www.naturalnews.com/034813_childrens_medicines_aluminum_pills.html

"Aluminum Lake food coloring, used to heavily coat liquid medicines for children, contains dangerous amounts of aluminum and harmful synthetic petrochemicals. These "petrochemicals" are carcinogens containing petroleum, antifreeze and ammonia, which cause a long list of adverse reactions. Aluminum poisoning can lead to short and long term central nervous system (CNS) damage, such as memory impairments, autism, epilepsy, mental retardation, and dementia.:

chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/todays-chemical/2009/7/7/fdc-yellow-5-aluminum-lake.html

"FD& C Yellow Aluminum Lake is known to be a reproductive toxin and hazardous to the nervous system. Also known as tartrazine, it's a suspected cause of asthma, dermatitis, and other allergic and inflammatory responses."

Nothing to see here...for now!

It surely has been a few months since writing and posting. But that I suppose is good news, as we have had some exquisite months with no food issues. We have been able to keep Jessica's diet nice and clean, even through the "sick months". We did run into the snafu of needing her to take antibiotics...but with the Dr and the Pharmacist's help, we got her the capsules instead of the pink liquid or the super-nasty tasting chewables.
 

The capsule casings do indeed have Coloring, yellow dye to be specific...but the medicine itself did not. Using yogurt or applesauce, we just emptied the capsules in, mixed and voilà...a pleasant 10 day experience vs dealing with "the monster".

So for now...we will leave it at that. Here's to an "incident-free" Summer!! :o)

Christmas is coming!

Christmas is coming! I love Christmas. I love Christmas traditions. One of my favorites is baking cinnamon rolls first thing in the AM, while the kids are tearing through their presents. I arrange and decorate them to resemble a big, fat Christmas tree in the pan.

Of course because my hub and I are still Santa's Helpers on Christmas Eve, I'm a bit too busy to make these rolls from scratch. In the past I've used Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, but of course those have artificial flavor as well as numerous preservatives including potassium sorbate, BHT, BHA, polysorbate 60. I've made Christmas morning an exception for Jess, and have let her eat these...risking the sanity of the family, the health of her stomach and the chance she'll break out in hives.

Making this choice results in a less-than-festive day...but it was always "worth it" so that she could participate in our tradition...and quite frankly it SUCKS to always have to tell your kid "No babe, you can't have 'xyz'."

This year, I decided to do this differently. Her mental and physical health take precedence. Searching the web for a good, yet fairly simple Cinnamon Roll recipe isn't easy. Most are good...few are "fairly simple".

Preparing myself mentally to make these rolls a few days ahead of time and then freeze them for baking on Christmas morning, I have just stumbled upon the Immaculate Baking Company's packaged Cinnamon Rolls.

Their "promise" is: "No Artificial Flavors"...but does not include Preservatives or Colors. The ingredients all appear to be safe, but I hold reservations when preservative or color use is not specified on the label.

...I've used their frozen cookie dough in the past, so I have high hopes...stay tuned! :)

01/02/13 - POST CHRISTMAS UPDATE:
These rolls were a SMASHING success. I actually used 1 package of their Cinnamon Rolls and 1 package of their Chocolate Rolls. Perfection!! I decorated 80% of them with colored icing and made sure to leave a few without for Jess. It was perfection! Score :D

CRUNCH!

Oh Cap'n...my Cap'n...

 

Original Cap'n Crunch ingredients:

Corn Flour, Sugar, Oat Flour, Brown Sugar, Coconut Oil, Salt, Niacinamide (B Vitamin), Yellow #5, Reduced Iron, Zinc Oxide, Yellow 6, Thiamin Mononitrate (B Vitamin), BHT (a preservative), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B Vitamin), Riboflavin (B Vitamin), Folic Acid (B Vitamin)

I compare these ingredients (loosely) with our Nature's Path cereal: Panda Puffs. There are no Yellow Dyes and there is no BHT used, yet Pandas Puffs are as close to the same color and crunchiness as Cap'n Crunch as you can get.

There is NO VALUE ADD to putting this crap in these cereals. BHT (a preservative) that is "often added to foods to preserve fats". There are "trivial amounts" of Fat in Cap'n Crunch.

And really ? Who buys a box of Cap'n Crunch and does NOT eat it within a week ? Come on now...let's get sensible here.

Ice Cream Sundae?! Yes She Can!!

What is an ice cream sundae without whipped cream? Yup...just some plain ole' ice cream. The girl wants an ice cream sundae. The girl hasn't had an ice cream sundae in years! So tonight...the girl gets her ice cream sundae.

1. Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream - All Natural:

cream, skim milk, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract 

2. a dollop (yup...I said it...DOLLOP :) of Whipped Cream:

pint of Garelick Farms All Natural Heavy Cream, tsp organic vanilla extract, tbsp confectioner's sugar ... whipped right up

3. Topped with AH!Laska Organic Chocolate Syrup:

Organic evaporated cane syrup, water, organic cocoa (non-alkaline), xanthan gum (a natural thickener), citric acid, organic vanilla

4. AND sprinkled with UNREAL chocolate candies:

milk chocolate (chocolate, skim milk, cane sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, organic blue agave inulin, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), cane sugar, calcium carbonate, colored with (beetroot juice, turmeric root extract, purple cabbage juice), gum arabic, vanilla extract, carnauba wax & beeswax 

SUCCESS!!

 

UNREAL ... candy!!

Mornings just got a little more Simple ;)

While doing my weekly grocery shopping early Sunday morning @ our local Stop & Shop, I stumbled upon a new product from Duncan Hines: Simple Mornings. I have "conspiracy theories" as to why big name brands are suddenly growing consciences when it comes to what they are putting in food and selling to the masses, but whatever the real deal is...this Mom is thankful! :)

Here are the ingredients for the flavor pictured: Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix:

Flour (Whole Wheat Flour, Wheat Flour), Sugar, Milk Chocolate Chunks (Sugar, Whole Milk Powder, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate Liquor, Butteroil, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural Flavor), Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract), Cocoa Powder Processed With Alkali, Palm Oil, Baking Powder (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Corn Starch, Dextrin (Wheat Fiber), Salt, Xanthan and Guar Gum, Natural Flavor.

 * please note the presence of "Soy Lecithin": there is much debate around this additive...for the purposes of this blog and my specific child's situation, Soy Lecithin, is not part of our current problem, but is something we will be keeping an eye on going forward.