Al Dente

4th of July Recipes, Day 3: Cafe Panache's Grilled Watermelon Salad

I love watermelon. Almost as much as I love sweet potatoes. And, when it comes to the backyard feast this weekend, I'm in charge of bringing the melon.

Although I can eat this sweet, fleshy melon on its own, I also like to put watermelon in salads. I've tried and loved Todd English's fennel, watermelon salad. This year, I'll be making grilled watermelon salad à la Cafe Panache. And, how much more fitting of a recipe do you need for one of the biggest grilling weekends of the year?

Ingredients:

2 large slices seedless watermelon, about 1-1/2 inches thick (cut from the center)
1 medium red onion, cut into very thin strips (julienne)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1-1/2 cups pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 to 16 ounces baby or tender spinach, stemmed, washed and dried
1 to 2 tablespoon finely chopped basil leaves, for garnish
1 to 2 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare the grill. If using a gas grill, heat it to medium. If using a charcoal grill, start the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them evenly under the cooking area for direct heat. Oil the grate.

2. Grill the watermelon slices for 2 minutes, then turn over and grill for 2 minutes, until slightly caramelized on both sides. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate for about 10 minutes, until slightly chilled.

3. Meanwhile, combine the onion, feta cheese and olives in a medium mixing bowl.

4. Cut the chilled watermelon into 1 1/2-inch cubes (discarding the rind), then add to the bowl, tossing lightly to combine.

5. Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a small bowl; add the salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the ingredients in the bowl, tossing to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours to marinate.

6. To serve, divide the spinach among individual plates. Spoon the watermelon mixture over the spinach, reserving some of the vinaigrette to drizzle on the plate. Sprinkle basil and mint to taste on each salad and serve immediately.

Serves 4. This recipe is courtesy of The Washington Post.
--Sous-Chef on the Run

PS. If you love watermelon too, try out Bon Appétit's Watermelon-Cucumber Margarita, featured by KitchenMaus back in May. Delicious!

Get Readia for Stevia

What's 100 times sweeter than sugar, has no affect on blood sugar, no calories, is completely natural, and doesn't taste like chemicals? It's called stevia, and you're going to see a lot of it soon.

Stevia is plant in the sunflower family that is native to Central and South America. It's been used by local tribes for centuries. While other countries currently use stevia-derived sweeteners, it was only recently approved for consumption as a sweetener in the U.S.

Here are some stevia-derived products coming to a supermarket near you:

SweetLeaf Sweetener:  It has been on the market for a couple years as a "dietary supplement". The company claims it's the first stevia-derived product approved by the FDA as a sweetener. Look for the dark-green packets very soon.

Zevia:  Currently available in a few U.S. stores and online at http://www.zevia.com.

Truvia: A collaboration between Cargill and Coca-Cola. They plan to have packet sweeteners on the market by the end of the year. A Truvia-sweetened "diet" Coke can't be far behind.

--Spanno 

Dangerous Detox Diets Debunked

Let's say you need to drop 10 pounds. How do you do it? If you had a couple months you could eat less, workout more--creating a calorie deficit--and lose a couple pounds per week. This method is sustainable and healthy. If you wanted to do it quickly you could use sanitized tape worms, cut off an arm, or start a trendy "detox" diet.

MSN Health & Fitness has a great article about three trendy diets: The Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet, The Master Cleanse, and Skinny Bitch.

In a nutshell, The Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet and The Master Cleanse are both crap, despite what some celebrity with a nutritionist and a personal trainer says. Essentially you starve yourself, which slows down your metabolism and burns muscle instead of fat. And the whole "detox" thing is completely bogus.

The only somewhat reputable diet is Skinny Bitch, which is merely a vegan diet lacking in nutritional balance. It was written by a model who refers to readers as "fat pigs", so don't be surprised if you go on the diet and only lose self-esteem.

--Spanno

Al Dente Taste Test: Perfect Water

Touted as "the ultimate fluid to empower your body and mind", Perfect Water makes some lofty scientific claims. These include purification, re-mineralization, ionization, oxygenation,  and something called "microstructuring". Even their website is mum as to what that means. It reminds me of Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator from the movie Idiocracy, but without all the over-the-top advertising.

As a straight "taste" test, Perfect Water excels in that it tastes like nothing. In a blind test between this and plain water we couldn't tell the difference. There's a slight mouth feel difference (thicker?) to Perfect Water, but after a few swigs it's not noticeable. There was also the way we felt after drinking it. Everyone got a slight oxygen buzz.

In addition to scientific claims, they make performance claims that can be demonstrated with three simple tests. We conducted two--the flexibility and strength tests. First was a simple toe-touch. We all got a baseline for how far we could touch our toes. After just one ounce of Perfect Water and a few seconds to let the oxygen distribute through our bodies, there was a slight improvement--an inch or two. Not a miracle, but a decent improvement. Second was the tip test, which is explained and shown here. This definitely worked as advertised. I'm not sure how it works, but it's pretty cool.

Bottom Line:
Perfect Water will probably make a good workout drink. Not only is it water, it might have some performance benefits. As with any product that makes performance claims, results will vary. With the extra oxygen, you might feel a little extra energy--I hit the gym for an hour after drinking half a bottle and I definitely felt livelier--a little more flexible, and possibly stronger since the more oxygen you can get to your muscles, the better they perform.

You can buy Perfect Water only from select retailers.

--Spanno

Products to Help Make Your Kitchen Plastic-Free

There has been a lot of talk about plastic lately. Namely the adverse effects it could have on your health. Without getting into the politics of the discussion, I thought I'd suggest a few kitchen brands and products that are plastic-free and can help wean your kitchen off of the synthetic  stuff.

Food Storage:  Pyrex and CorningWare offer plastic-free solutions to storing your food. Whether toting your lunch to work everyday, or simply keeping leftovers in the fridge for reheating, check out these two brands for non-plastic storage and reheating.

Water Bottles: Alfi, Thermos Nissan, and Sigg. Either lined with glass or made completely from stainless steel, these brands will keep you away from plastic drinking bottles.

Kettles: Why plug in a plastic teakettle, when there are alternatives? For example, this popular and affordable glass kettle made by Medelco. Or, check out stainless-steel alternatives.

Cooking Utensils: Head Chef and I are fans of flexible, plastic cooking utensils. But, we're a little concerned about having one of these melt in our food. So, we're starting to replace our plastics with bamboo and stainless steel.

Did I miss any non-plastic brands and products that you love? Let us know what your favorite non-plastic kitchen item is.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Slate Calls BS on PETA's Meat Prize

Just days after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PITA) announced a $1 million dollar prize for a commercially viable in vitro meat, Slate has called it "bogus" and a "publicity stunt". You can read the article here.

The problem, according to Slate, is that in order to cash in on the prize money, "they need to move 2,000 pounds of the stuff at supermarkets and chain restaurants spread out across 10 states during a period of three months. And the Franken-meat can't cost more than regular chicken."

A company would have to make a significant and successful investment in order to get paid. That's like your parents bribing you to get a decent job, but only paying you after you've had the job for three months.

To top it off, the test tube meat would need to be approved by the FDA in record time in order to meet the prize deadline of June 30, 2012. To put that time-frame into perspective, sucralose (Splenda) was discovered in 1976 and approved by the FDA in 1998.

I wouldn't expect to see animal-free meat anytime soon. Scientists have been working on lab-grown meat since the early 20th century. You can read more about this in Popular Science. They have a great article about test tube meat--from 1936.

--Spanno

Tap Project: Support UNICEF During World Water Week

Americans are lucky ducks. We have access to clean tap water every day and often take it for granted. But, during the last two days of World Water Week (March 16-22), you can make a donation to UNICEF and feel a little less guilty about your birthright.

When you order tap water at restaurants in select U.S. cities, Tap Project will donate your dollar to UNICEF for one child to have clean drinking water for 40 days. Last year, Tap Project was a huge success--earning over $300,000 in New York City alone. This year, dine out in your hometown and help children in the developing world get access to cleaner water.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

A Fortune in Food--Can Asparagus Really Predict the Future?

I like eating vegetables, and asparagus is one of my favorites. But I never suspected that perhaps instead of just eating it, I should be using this tall, green, veggie to help me decide how to plot my future, or find out what life entails for me. Until now, that is, after reading an article in the Telegraph online about Jemima Packington, who may be the world’s only “asparamancer.” Some years ago she randomly dropped a handful of asparagus and read a prediction out of the way they landed--the prediction came true and the rest is history. Or, predestination, depending on how long you let it all steam. So, be careful before eating asparagus next. Maybe there really is a reason it’s in the oldest surviving book of recipes, De re Coquinaria, Book III, and maybe that reason isn’t just because it tastes good and has interesting effects on bodily fluids. This does, though, lead me to wondering--could other vegetables also be useful as fortune-telling devices? Should I be reading my salads and sides before eating them? Have any Al Dente readers ever discovered something pertinent about their life in a floret of broccoli? A slightly wilted leaf of kale? Let us know, so we, also, may take advantage of the prognosticatory powers of vegetables.

--A.J. Rathbun

This Just In...Breakfast is Important Meal #1, Pop-Tarts Reviled

In a shocking coincidence, breakfast medical study number 3,432,916 has determined that breakfast continues its dominance as important meal #1. It was followed closely by brunch, happy hour, and newcomer 4th meal.

While this is something so unremarkable and so head-slappingly obvious, that I almost didn't feel obligated to share, I did notice something buried in the "words" of the article (I'm mostly a headline guy). Pediatricians hate Pop-Tarts. Despite their "seven essential vitamins and minerals", Pop-Tarts were called out as not contributing to "energy balance" and "weight control". So what do these guys have against convenience? Aren't sodium and sugar essential minerals? Aren't they better than nothing?

To answer these questions, I tried to contact 70's Pop-Tarts spokesappliance Milton T. Toaster about the breakfast brush-up. Unfortunately he died in 1987 of "crumb lung". His last words were reportedly, "It's time to pull the plug".

To me, breakfast is relative. Sometimes breakfast is waffles with maple syrup, chocolate syrup, whip cream, and chocolate chips. Sometimes it's half a pound of bacon, three eggs, and a cup of Irish coffee. My point is that a Pop-Tart might be a healthy alternative to someone else's breakfast. Sure, kids would be better off with fresh fruit, a veggie omelet and turkey sausage, but who the heck has time to make all that?

--Spanno

Drink Olive Oil, Live To Be 120-Years-Old

Mariam Amash, an active inhabitant of a quaint Israeli village, makes sure to drink at least one glass of olive oil every day. And since she was born in 1888, she's had at least 43,800 glasses--roughly 2,737 gallons of olive oil.

Olive oil can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as regulate blood sugar level and knock out nasty free-radicals. More info can be found here. Apparently it has worked fairly well for Mariam, you know, seeing as she's been around since the Turkish Empire was in control.

With 120 grandchildren, 250 great-grandchildren, and 20 great-great-grandchildren, I bet she spends most of her time making out $10 checks.

--Spanno

A Decade of Subway's Jared

Subway's formerly endearing mascot has turned the big one-zero. Yes, it's been a decade since we first saw Jared waddling walking to Subway after losing 245 pounds.

Lately Jared has been extremely busy. He's on a "Tour de Pants"--a sort of going away party for his fat pants; he recently starred in a "Got Milk" ad; and is in the middle of an expensive divorce. She reportedly will also get 60% of the proceeds from his forthcoming life story. Incidentally, who doesn't know Jared's life story?

On the bright side, Jared now has a ridiculously hot girlfriend.

--Spanno

The Infrared Turkey Fryer: Your Questions Answered

Our sweepstakes for Char-Broil's Big Easy Oil-less Infrared Turkey Fryer has stirred up a lot of questions in the comments, so we’ve gone out and gotten you some answers. BBQ expert “CB” of Sizzle on the Grill—Char-Broil is a sponsor—dropped us a line with more information about this unique product for cooking a turkey: Q: How do you “fry” without oil? And how is infrared different from microwave and convection?
A: There are three basic methods for heating food—convection, conduction, and radiation. Convection is the act of air heating and rising and circulating around the chamber. A home oven is a perfect example of this. Every home oven is a “convection” oven, but if you add a fan to it you actively circulate the air and essentially speed up the natural process. For backyard BBQs the smoker or grill also uses convection to “roast” meat inside when the lid is closed.

Conduction is the direct transfer of heat from the heat source to the food to be cooked. A frying pan is a perfect example of this.

Radiation is the transfer of electromagnetic waves through the space. Your home microwave uses radiation. Microwaves and infrared waves are at different spots on the spectrum of energy. Microwaves hit food and “excite” water molecules. Infrared hits the food and that starts the heating process.

Now let me blow your mind. Deep frying is a form of convection heating. Instead of hot air, you are using hot oil to transfer the heat. Depending on the oil used in the fryer, the temperature is usually about 375 degrees to keep the food from absorbing a lot of oil.

The Big Easy uses infrared energy to “bathe” food. It excites the proteins, not the water. Thus, you are literally frying it. It’s just like sitting in the sun all day. The infrared energy will “fry” your meat's skin. The Big Easy doesn’t need a lid because it’s better to let the hot air escape. That way your food doesn’t dry out and there’s no basting necessary. Unlike conventional turkey fryers there is also no warm-up period. Just drop your thawed turkey (stuffed or unstuffed, injected or not, sugar-less rubbed or not) into the chamber and turn the Big Easy on. Infrared energy starts cooking it immediately and the cooking time for 12-14-pound turkey will be cut almost in half.

Q: Is the Big Easy hard to clean?
A: The Big Easy has a drain hole at the bottom to allow most of the drippings to collect in tray. If you line that tray with a food-safe liner, you can reuse the drippings for gravy. Any small amounts of fat and drippings that splatter on the sides of the chamber burn off almost immediately. Otherwise, they clean up easily with a scrub brush and soapy water. The wire cooking basket can be cleaned the same way or put in the dishwasher.

Thanks for the info "CB!" Readers, it's your duty to sign up to win this fryer.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

What to Cook this Weekend: Maple Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Sage

I love sweet potatoes! The kind of love that could make me burst into song when I think about the possibility of these burnt orange beauties crossing my plate. Ok, ok, that's a bit much. But I do love sweet potatoes. I especially love them in this recipe developed by Seattle Times's culinary cover girl Kathy Casey. In fact last time I made this, it became my main course. If you're looking for a new holiday side dish this year, I heartily suggest this one. Even if you enjoy it half as much as I do, I think it'll be a hit.

Ingredients:
8 cups peeled and thinly sliced ( 1/4-inch) sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
Maple Cream:
3 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons high-quality grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
Fresh sage leaves for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray a 3-quart casserole with vegetable cooking spray or lightly butter it. Then arrange sliced sweet potatoes in an even layer. In a large bowl whisk together the cream, maple syrup, nutmeg, thyme, sage, salt and pepper until well combined. Pour the maple cream over the sweet potatoes and push them down a bit to be sure they are coated in liquid.

3. Prepare the topping by combining bread crumbs, Parmesan, thyme, parsley and sage; set aside. 4. Bake casserole for 35 minutes and then sprinkle with topping and bake another 25 to 35 minutes or until topping is browned, potatoes are tender and liquid is thickened. 5. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh sage leaves.

--Sous-chef-on-the-Run

The Vending Machine Diet

At a recent snack-machine vending expo, Kraft Foods, Inc., announced a South Beach Diet-branded snack machine and one that stores cold and frozen items. The South Beach Diet machine offers only items that comply with the diet program such as nuts, low-fat cottage cheese, Crystal Light drinks, and Jell-O sugar-free gelatin snacks. The cold and frozen machine will let you buy garden salads and ice cream sandwiches from the same machine. The machines come with a setting that lets parents limit the amount of any particular item a child can buy with a payment card, and it determines if a student's choices meet U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements for subsidized lunches.

Hmmm. I'm not sure I want anyone telling me how many ice-cream sandwiches I can have, but more importantly, how did I not know about snack-machine vending expos?

The Most American Food: Ready to Eat Cereal

I've always found breakfast to be the most difficult meal of the day. We keep hearing that it's the most important yet the breakfast recipe options are atrociously lacking, so I was amused to read Salon.com's "The Breakfast Liberation Front". This line perfectly sums up a longstanding feeling I've had about cereals. "...if it weren't for the chemicals used in bleaching, you might as well tear up a couple of 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheets, add milk and slurp that down for your first meal of the day."

OK, so here's where you, the readers, can save us all from a life of paper-flavored nuggets. What are your favorite breakfast recipes?

Healthy Eating and Cancer: Take Care of Yourself

October is breast cancer awareness month--a reminder to all of us who have lost dear ones to any form of this terrible disease. While you can make a difference by monetarily supporting breast cancer research and education, why not honor those who have suffered and survived by valuing your own health and making a change in your diet?

Eating right according to Dr. Weil involves incorporating healthy fats, loads of fruits and vegetables, green tea, and fiber into your daily diet. In reality, it can be very daunting to eat these things daily because of availability, cost, time, etc. (At the end of a long day, isn't it easier to toss a $1.99 frozen burrito into the microwave for a couple minutes rather than mix up a $5.99-per pound fresh salad with a similar mouth- and flavor-appeal as the burrito?)

I'm not in favor of judging anyone's diet--we all have weaknesses. But, if you take on the challenge of eating at least one to two cancer fighting foods daily and proving that you don't take your good health for granted, it just might be the best way to show support of your loved ones. They'd want you to be cancer-free too!

Does Baby Food Taste Like the Real Thing?

Having yet to go through the process of childbirth, it's probably a bit early for me to start thinking about feeding my infant solid foods. But after reading this Culinate article on a mother's struggle to decide on homemade, organic, or regular old baby food, I'm wondering if others have tried all three and discovered organic or non-organic brands that actually taste like real food. After all, it seems like a given that a baby's first taste of carrot puree should taste like an actual carrot. How else do you get a kid to eat his vegetables in later life?

Furthermore, is organic baby food really that much better than regular baby food? I've read and heard from pediatricians that the FDA guidelines for growing food to be processed for consumption by infants is pretty stringent. I couldn't find the actual guidelines anywhere on the web so if a friendly reader could pass that along I'd be grateful.

As for making one's own baby food, I can honestly say I haven't seriously considered the possibility. We'll be a two-working-parent household, so I'm thinking there won't be much time for steaming veggies and milling the food. But I must admit I'm curious if there are experienced parents out there who find the time to do this. Please share your secrets.

Yet Another Reason for Drinking

A recent report (seen on Science Daily--yes, we’re interested in science as well as food) from researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia points to a discovery made that shows that red wine, beyond the numerous current known health benefits, probably can work to protect humans from a number of common food-borne diseases. The researchers have found that, “red wines--Cabernet, Zinfandel and Merlot in particular--have anti-microbial properties that defend against food-borne pathogens and don’t harm naturally useful bacteria like probiotic bacteria.” The pathogens investigated include E. coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and H. pylori. With all this science behind it, I think my boss should stop looking at me funny when I have a glass of red wine every day with lunch. I’m only being healthy. And isn’t a healthy worker a productive worker?

Al Dente Investigates: Is Silicone Safe?

Over the years, Teflon and silicone products have helped make the excessive scraping of food from cookware and bakeware a thing of the past. But is it safe to use products coated with silicone or Teflon? I'm going to avoid the sticky debate about Teflon. However, I did find an informative recent article about silicone cookware on Dr. Weil's website.

In summary, Weil explains that silicone is natural and appears to be safe for kitchen use, i.e., pure silicone cookware should not leach anything harmful into your food. But he recommends being wary of the quality of the silicone products you are purchasing. If synthetic filler has been added to silicone during the manufacturing process, the resulting product might not heat evenly or could potentially include unnatural chemicals.

For more product-specific information, Weil suggests reading this article by New York Times food writer/author Marian Burros. Burros performed a thorough test of silicone kitchen products and wrote about her findings. (Free preview reading is available with sign-in.)

Posh Spice Is a Bottom Feeder

In not-so-surprising news, Victoria Beckham, a.k.a. Posh Spice of The Spice Girls, isn't the best source for nutritional guidance. Victoria recently announced that her secret to staying trim is 200 sit-ups a day and a diet of edamame beans, strawberries, and lettuce. It was also reported that Mrs. Beckham was drinking 2 pints of algae and seaweed shake every day.

Nutritionists say algae and seaweed are certainly nutrient-rich, and strawberries and soy are good sources of protein and antioxidants, but fats and carbohydrates are also a necessary part of our diets. It's been noted that when dieting, many people avoid all fats, which are essential for brain function. Going without can have a devastating effect on the way your brain works, maybe even causing depression. So that is why Posh is never smiling...

Easy Ethnic Food Option for Wheat Intolerant Folks

As someone who has a slight allergy to wheat products, I prefer to prepare meals that don't require flour as their main ingredient. Most of the time, my allergy rules out making pasta, pizza, burritos, or anything dusted in wheat-based flours. But, over the years I have found that many Asian dishes are actually my best option. The ingredients frequently are more rice-based (think rice noodles), yet are just as tasty as any pasta dish.

One of my favorite genres of Asian food to prepare at home is Thai food. It has intense flavor, packs a spicy punch, and doesn't leave me wishing I could get rid of my wheat allergy. Gathering the ingredients to prepare Thai food can be time consuming though. I usually make an out-of-the-way trip to Uwajimaya for fresh lemongrass and lime leaves. It seems that I could really save time if I were to use the curries made by Michael Moran, creator of CurrySimple.

The CurrySimple business was inspired by the customers at Moran's Thai restaurant, Surin of Thailand. Moran constantly heard customers complain about not correctly replicating the flavor of their favorite Thai dish when preparing it at home. So, Moran created CurrySimple to aid his customers in preparing Thai food in their own kitchens.

So far, I've only ordered and tested CurrySimple's Thai Tea Concentrate. But, if the tea concentrate is any indication of how yummy their curry mixes might be, I'm placing an order today. And, cheers to Michael Moran for giving wheat-allergic folks some quick and easy options!

A Sugar By Any Other Name

Because of the feedback I received about corn syrup and sugar, I think you might be interested in knowing some other common names for sweetening ingredients. These come from a recent article in the magazine Better Nutrition--one of the publications that I picked up with a recent purchase at Super Supplements.

In addition to corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and sugar, sugar substitutes can also be found under the following names:

1. Corn sweetener
2. Dextrose
3. Fructose
4. Glucose
5. Honey
6. Lactose
7. Maltose
8. Malt syrup
9. Molasses
10. Sucrose
11. Syrup

Eating for... Who?

For the past several months, I've been watching what I eat, how often I eat, where I eat, and how the food is prepared. No, I'm not testing fad diets. Nor am I trying to lose weight. I'm on a special quest to ingest the best foods to create another human being. Let me just say that the amount of conflicting advice, poor information, and downright sensationalist fear about the pregnancy diet is enough to make a woman's head spin. If I were to tell you how I truly feel about it all, there might be a few unnecessary expletives of frustration tossed about.

Recently, The New York Times offered up some interesting discussions on whether Americans are going overboard in their dietary caution for pregnant women or whether Americans aren't doing enough to educate women about the prenatal diet.  The March of Dimes is striving to offer more accurate and scientific dietary information to pregnant women. From what I can tell, they've been pretty thorough. They do offer up some sound advice without explanation. For further explanation you might have to visit the FDA's website.

In all the research and frustration, I did find the Nutrition Data website to be extremely helpful when I want to know the nutritional value a certain food. Plus, you can look at the nutritional data behind most major fast food restaurants. Personally, I never eat at these establishments, but I found it amusing to look at the Starbucks list to see if I could create the least healthy, highest calorie beverage on their menu. Now if only they could tell me how to stop my husband from stealing food from my dinner plate.  Even when I offer him the stuff I can't eat, he covets the rest.

Corn Syrup Boycott: How Long Can You Avoid It?

Thanks to everyone who responded to last week's post about corn syrup. We received several notes from readers expressing concerns about the possible damaging side effects caused by excess corn syrup consumption, including hyperactivity, weight gain, type II diabetes, etc.

Although concerns about corn syrup are not new to many readers, isn't it time we do something about it? How about we all try to avoid corn syrup for one day, one week, or one month? If you're an avid consumer of sweets, it will probably be hard on you. But I am almost willing to wager a bet that you'll feel better and have more energy at the end of your boycott.

In order to help you on your quest, here is a list of food and beverage manufacturers that try to avoid using corn syrup in a majority of their products. (Feel free to add more to the discussion board.)

• Sweet Leaf Tea
• Rainier Organic Bakery
• Stonyfield Farm
• Newman's Own
• LUNABar
• Bear Naked
• Nature's Path
• Steaz
• Alternative Baking Company
• Kettle Foods
• Pamela's Products

Let us know how you're feeling after your boycott. And good luck!