Reviews by AnnaBanana

AnnaBanana says "Not my favorite tuna salad, but very good and convenient too!" about StarKist Tuna Salad

AnnaBanana — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:51:59 GMT

One of the more intriguing subjects to surface over on the discussion boards this week was "Tuna Sandwich" in which the writer wanted to know about our individual preferences for tuna salad. This odd topic rang a bell as many people have perked up and responded. Apparently tuna salad is something a lot of us get pretty passionate about. Alas, it does require a certain amount of work which isn't difficult but may not always be convenient. For times like that, someone has invented StarKist Tuna Salad which is "Sandwich-Ready" chunk light tuna mixed with other ingredients including water chestnuts, celery, dill pickle relish, onion powder and egg yolks and packed in one of the familiar blue foil pouches. This is not like the tuna salad I make (which is my favorite, naturally) but it's pretty good and very convenient. A person could easily take this to work, along with a couple slices of bread, and throw together a fresh sandwich in the office kitchen at lunch time.

STATS:

The contents...

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AnnaBanana says "I was a bad girl, and it was fun!" about Pub Cheese Cheddar with Jalapenos Cheese Spread

AnnaBanana — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:34:20 GMT

The other night, as I shopped at Trader Joe's, I felt a little guilty even reaching for Pub Cheese Cheddar with Jalapenos Cheese Spread. I may have felt guilty but I was a bad girl just the same and lofted the tub of spread into my bright red shopping cart with reckless abandon. Sanity had returned by the time I got home and it was a while before I actually got around to using this wonderful product. Now all I can say is that this is one occasion when I didn't regret being a bad girl.

Pub Cheese Cheddar with Jalapenos Cheese Spread is distributed by an outfit I had never heard of before ... Lactalis USA Commercial, Inc. It is rather like Kaukauna Cheese Spread except that it has a lighter, more whipped quality and is also vested with juicy hunks of real jalapeno peppers. To me, this was pleasantly warm and spicy but then I like things spicy. If you prefer milder foods, this may not be for you.

STATS:

Two tablespoons are considered to be a single serving which contains 70...

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AnnaBanana says "Ya gotta watch that fine print!" about Campbell's Select Harvest Chicken w/Egg Noodles Soup

AnnaBanana — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:07:17 GMT

I have fallen into the habit of making my soup which means that I pretty much know what goes into what I have been eating. Perhaps this is why I got a little careless about label information. At any rate, I haven't totally given up on commercially prepared and canned soups and had become interested in the new Campbell soups I had been hearing about. When Peapod put them on sale for $1.67 each, I went for them faster than a dog lunging for a Pupperoni snack. In my haste and exuberance, I didn't even spare a glance at the nutritional information which Peapod conscientiously posts for all the products they sell.

Yesterday for lunch I tried Campbell's Select Harvest Chicken with Egg Noodles Soup. With no small difficulty, I pried the metal lid back, replaced the plastic cover, and microwaved for two popping, banging minutes. I don't know what other eager soup-eaters' experience has been like, but I enjoyed this soup. In my bowl at least, there were impressive chunks of...

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AnnaBanana says "Just in time for Halloween ... a Monster which we can all love!" about Odwalla Blueberry B Monster Smoothie

AnnaBanana — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:44:19 GMT

Tucked down inside my Peapod delivery the other day was an Odwalla Blueberry B Monster Smoothie. Now that the price had been marked down from $3.79 to $2.50 on sale, I was willing to give it a try and was rewarded for my daring sense of adventure. Even though I am fussy about "smoothies," I have to say that this one was delicious, This thick dark purple beverage is a blend of ingredients including orange, apple, and concord grape juices along with blueberry, mango and banana purees which produces a flavor both a little more tart and fruitlike and also a tad sweeter than a Starbucks Strawberry Banana Vivanno.

STATS:

Because of the rich density of this product, there really are two servings in a 15.2 fl. oz. bottle, with each serving containing 140 calories with none from fat. There is zero each Total and Trans Fats, 10 mg. Sodium, 34 gramsTotal Carbs, 23 grams Sugars and zero Protein. Now comes the exciting part: 4% (D.V.) Folate, 25% Vitamin C, 45% Niacin, 60% each Pantothenic...

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AnnaBanana says "It is what it is, and I like it." about Tropicana - Trop 50

AnnaBanana — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:40:47 GMT

This week Peapod had a $1.00 off deal on something new which ... combined with my own $1 manufacturing coupon ... meant that I could try Tropicana Trop50 for only $1.99. I went for it and am glad I did. As I had guessed from reading about it and checking out the label, this is NOT really orange juice but rather an orange juice beverage which has been compared by some people to the taste of Tang. As it so happens, I like the taste of Tang and so this product worked out beautifully for me.

STATS:

Eight fluid ounces is considered to be a single serving packing 50 calories with zero calories from fat. In addition to zero fat, there is zero mg. Cholesterol, 10 mg. Sodium, 450 mg. Potassium, 13 grams Total Carbs, zero Dietary Fiber, 10 grams Sugars and less than 1 gram Protein. In addition, there are 10% (D.V.) each Vitamins A, E, and Thiamin, 4% each Riboflavin and Niacin, 6% each Vitamins B6, Magnesium and Folic Acid, and 120% Vitamin C.

MY VIEWPOINT:

Usually, I make it a point not...

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AnnaBanana says "Sometimes it's not just WHAT you eat but HOW YOU EAT IT!" about Hormel Slow Simmered Beef Tips and Gravy

AnnaBanana — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:25:22 GMT

Autumn leaves carpet the ground, there is a pleasant chill in the air and everyone is shopping for Halloween costumes and candy. To a real gourmand, the advent of Fall means (among other things) that it is time to eat POT ROAST again. If you live alone and usually cook for one (sometimes two), you may not always feel like making a big production out of dinner, however delicious the outcome might be. For those of us whose Julia Child days may be slacking off, there are convenience products like Hormel Slow Simmered Beef Tips and Gravy.

I had tried refrigerated convenience-packed meat dinners before with mixed reactions -- sometimes the meat seemed tough, there wasn't much of it and these dishes tend to be a tad high in sodium. But this week, a sale at Dominick's coupled with a manufacturer's coupon (and that bracing autumn air) tempted me to try this product by Hormel. In my opinion, it was delicious. The meat was incredibly tender and I enjoyed the flavor. Hormel delivered...

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AnnaBanana says "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a TIE for first place!" about Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice

AnnaBanana — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:15:12 GMT

Until a couple days ago, I thought that I had tasted the best when I had enjoyed (and later reviewed) Trader Joe's Organic Jasmine Rice. I still think that but am happy to report to my audience that now we have a tie for first place -- Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice. which is grown in the Sacramento Valley of northern California. Simply put, this is the best brown rice, in fact it may be the FIRST real brown rice I have ever tried. According to label information: "Brown Rice is the entire grain of rice with only the inedible outer husk removed. The nutritious,high-fiber bran coating gives brown rice its nutty flavor and chewy texture."

Each box contains three two-cup pouches which are cooked to perfection. All you have to do is make a quarter inch slit in a pouch, place it in the microwave seam-side up and heat for three minutes. (Instructions are also given for stove-top heating.)

STATS:

One cup (half a pouch) is considered to be a serving which contains 160 calories with...

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AnnaBanana says "Another way to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). " about Atenolol Oral Blood Pressure Medicine

AnnaBanana — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:01:16 GMT

I have already reviewed Diovan, the other medication I take to alleviate and control high blood pressure. Another drug I take is Atenolol which is the common name for Tenormin manufactured by Astra-Zeneca. This medicine is in the form of a pill which is taken once a day. I can buy a 90-day supply from CVS Caremark Prescription Plan mail order service for only $10 (or a little more than $3 a month).

Atenolol is a beta-blocker which works by blocking the action of certain natural chemicals in your body such as epinephrine on the heart and blood vessels, thereby having a beneficial effect on blood pressure. This medicine should be taken only if prescribed by a physician who knows your medical history and also what other medications you are taking. If you are pregnant, Atenolol should be taken only if really needed and after discussion with your doctor.

Certain side effects may occur, such as dizziness, lightheadedness, and drowsiness. Atenolol may also reduce circulation to your...

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AnnaBanana says "Does the job but not a casual medication." about Diovan Oral Blood Pressure Medicine

AnnaBanana — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:07:16 GMT

As most of you may have guessed by now, I really like to eat. In fact, I spent decades eating a lot of the wrong things and salting them liberally so it is not surprising that I have been coping with high blood pressure for a long time. I have made a lot of changes in my diet and general lifestyle plan and this has helped but also of vital importance are the medications I take to alleviate my symptoms. One of the most important of these is Diovan manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

Diovan is the brand name for Valsartan which belongs to a class of drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers which means that it works by blocking the hormone angiotensin thereby relaxing the blood vessels and causing them to widen.

When I buy Diovan from Caremark CVS Prescription Insurance mail order service, it costs $20 a month (90-day supply). The pill is easy to take and mine only requires one dose a day. This is not a casual medication, however, and should be taken only under the supervision...

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AnnaBanana says "A lovely cup of tea but not quite what I expected!" about Stash - Orange Spice Tea

AnnaBanana — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:32:36 GMT

A few days ago, someone gave me a box of Stash Orange Spice Tea manufactured by the Stash Tea Company (a/k/a Universal Tea Co., Inc.) The box contained 20 attractive foil packets each protecting a single tea bag. According to the information on the orange front label of each packet, this beverage is a combination of black teas, orange peel, cinnamon and natural flavors of clove and orange. (A little discreet Internet research has revealed that a 20-packet box costs about $4 each with special deals available for those who want to buy six-packs of the boxes from Amazon. The Stash Tea Company sells most of its merchandise through a catalog which can be obtained by writing to P.O. Box 610R, Portland, OR 97207 or accessing Stashtea.com.

NOT QUITE WHAT I EXPECTED:

Call me a dreamer, but I expected to be able to actually taste the orange and spice flavors. If they are there at all, they are pretty darned SUBTLE. That said, I must admit that this was a VERY nice cup of tea and the...

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AnnaBanana says "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's SUPER SCRABBLE!" about Winning Moves Super Scrabble Game

AnnaBanana — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:06:42 GMT

If you love to play Scrabble with friends as much as I do, you've probably noticed that if you play with at least three other people, you barely get into the hilarity and momentum of the game before you begin running out of tiles and spaces on the board. YIKES! Now, a hero has come to our rescue -- Winning Moves Games who have invented Super Scrabble.

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun

Essentially, this is the same Scrabble we know and love, just bigger. The board is 21 x 21 inches or 441 squares (as opposed to 15 x 15 inches or 225 squares for the regular game) with more premium squares (including quadruple letter and word scores) and twice as many (200) tiles. Thanks to the wonders of Super Scrabble, we now have two each 10-point "Q" and "Z" tiles. At last, players can create words like "fuzzy", "buzz" and "jazz" without employing the use of a precious blank tile.

Super Scrabble comes in two versions, with prices ranging from $20 something for Standard up to more than $35...

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AnnaBanana says "Simplicity is the essence of good taste!" about Trader Joe's Sliced Roast Chicken Breast

AnnaBanana — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:14:31 GMT

So many people have said: "Simplicity is the essence of good taste!" that no one can agree on who first made that observation, the truth of which has been proven again and again, especially in Trader Joe's Sliced Roast Chicken Breast. This product is labeled "Simply Trader Joe's" and simple it is -- no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives nor does this meat appear to be "processed" in any way. Its ingredient list consists of carefully carved slices of boneless, skinless chicken breast white meat roasted under a coating of olive oil, salt and pepper ... all of that combines to create nothing but good taste. The meat is fully cooked and refrigerated, perfect for serving either cold (for sandwiches, salads or snacks) or heated up as part of a quick meal.

STATS:

The package holds five generous servings, each of which contains 120 calories with 15 calories from fat. There are 1.5 grams Total Fat, .5 gram Saturated Fat, zero Trans Fat, 60 mg. Cholesterol, 25 mg. Sodium,...

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AnnaBanana says "Meat may be missing but taste is there, these are GOOD!" about Trader Ming's Stir Fried Vegetable Egg Rolls

AnnaBanana — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:51:46 GMT

In a last-minute campaign to use up as many offers as we can before our Entertainment Books expire, my friends and I dined at The Golden Wok the other night. I ordered some sort of scrumptious dish which was like Oriental pot roast loaded with cooked green pepper, tomatoes, and rich brown gravy served with rice. We couldn't finish our dinners off (even after sharing a little with each other) so we emerged triumphant with sacks of leftovers. Afterward, we stopped off at the new Trader Joe's in Oak Park on the way home.

As usual, I hardly knew what to grab first at that wonderful store but I was still thinking in an Oriental mode as I snatched packages of frozen Jasmine and also Brown Organic Rices, following up with taking a chance on Trader Ming's Stir Fry Vegetable Egg Rolls. This product consisted of five apparently hand-made full-sized rolls which cost $2.99 and they were worth every penny.

These look like regular egg rolls but instead of meat, they sport a filling of shredded...

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AnnaBanana says "Also helping to let the sun shine in ..." about For Eyes Optical Micro Fiber Zig Zag Cloth

AnnaBanana — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:44:54 GMT

One complication involved with the use of For Eyes Optical Eyeglass Lens Cleaner is that (unless you shell out for the expensive premoistened wipes) the application of this spray product requires the use of a cloth. It was for just such a purpose that a lot of people have invested much thought and effort in the research and development of micro-fiber material - fabric which is woven from fibers which are less than one denier (a measure of linear density) per filament. The woods are full of perfectly good micro-fiber cloths tailored to a whole bouquet of uses but there are probably few which equal For Eyes Optical Micro Fiber Zig Zag Cloth for velvety softness, loft, and absorbency. At $3.99, this is not a cheap item but with a modicum of care, it will last for quite a while and go right on getting its job done ... which is to wipe and polish eyeglass lens (and other delicate surfaces as well).

MY VIEWPOINT:

For Eyes Optical Micro Fiber Zig Zag Cloth is convenient to carry along for...

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AnnaBanana says "Lets the sun shine in!" about For Eyes Optical Eyeglass Lens Cleaner

AnnaBanana — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:46:54 GMT

A few months ago, I reviewed a product called Flents Wipe 'n Clear Premoistened Lens Wipes which at that time were doing a terrific job of cleaning eyeglasses and other things as well. Flents worked well because the formula they were saturated with was composed of three elements: soap, water, and alcohol which caused any residue of the solution to evaporate quickly and without streaking. I thought I would use Flents forever and then ... I assume as an economy measure ... the company that manufactures them started leaving out the alcohol. In case you were wondering if it is a good idea to try to clean glasses with just soap and water, you need contemplate no longer ... such a combination doesn't work at all or not very well. So it was time to switch products again. It was at this point that I recalled the little bottle of For Eyes Optical Eyeglass Lens Cleaner which I had purchased the last time I bought eyeglasses. It had worked pretty well and, as it turns out, this stuff...

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AnnaBanana says "When someone just WON'T take 'NO' for an answer!" about Caller Complaints

AnnaBanana — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:53:02 GMT

I'm not quite sure whatever happened to the national "Do Not Call" list but apparently that protective measure is just not measuring up anymore -- I have been getting CALLS and not just from charities or businesses that I am already associated with. All KINDS of people are suddenly calling, including one outfit hailing from 972-428-5200, in Texas. Of course, all I have to do is avoid the call when the number surfaces but it is still annoying to have to stop what I'm doing and check out the caller i.d. only to find that it isn't a call I want to take.

I was getting annoyed and so the other day I started picking up to see who these people were and what was going on. They never would identify themselves or what company they were calling from but they said they wanted to check out what I was paying for credit card rates and see if they could get me a better deal. I politely declined and they stepped up the pace. By this time, I was too angry to just dodge the call and frankly I...

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AnnaBanana says "A little bit of Vivanno for the home kitchen!" about Yoplait Strawberry Banana Smoothie Mix

AnnaBanana — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:27:03 GMT

There I was, all primed and ready to go with my Osterizer 16 Speed Blender. On my trip to Dominick's yesterday I had found something new to me ... Yoplait Strawberry Banana Smoothie. This product consisted of a 7.6 oz. plastic pouch of sliced fresh strawberries and bananas. It would have been nice if someone at the store had bothered to notice the "Keep Frozen" warning which was clearly visible in the upper left-hand corner of the package label; instead they had thrown all these things in with the regular refrigerated yogurts. I didn't notice the mistake either until I got home and really looked at the package details but this story has a happy ending since I was able to drink this stuff and survive the night to write this review.

Directions couldn't be easier -- blend contents of the pouch with a cup of milk. The package recommends skim milk but all I had on hand was 2% and that worked beautifully. Nutritional information is given for both the mix as packaged and also prepared...

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AnnaBanana says "A buried treasure, for sure!" about Osterizer 16 speed stand mixer

AnnaBanana — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:19:21 GMT

A couple years ago, someone gave me an Osterizer 16 Speed Blender which thrilled me to death at first. Somehow, I never did get around to trying it right away and eventually I hid it under a protective quilted cover and shoved it to one side on my kitchen counter where it became barricaded or buried under other kitchen trivia and utensils. It wasn't until the other day when I read CountryMama's review about HER blender that I dug my own out and decided to use it.

The Osterizer 16 Speed Blender is a Super-Gizmo for sure, programmed as it is to perform the vital tasks of crushing ice, grating, blending, shredding, grinding, mashing, liquefying, Frappe(ing?), pulsing, stirring, beating, pureeing, chopping, whipping and mixing. There is also another task called "Easy Clean" which is something of a mystery as naturally, I did not store whatever instruction manual may have existed with the machine which means I will have to "play it by ear" for a while.

MY VIEWPOINT:

Last night I used...

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AnnaBanana says "Something GOOD about the global economy!" about Global Pharmacy Canada

AnnaBanana — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:02:09 GMT

As a retiree and a Senior Citizen, I am very fortunate that my former employer still picks up the tab for my prescription insurance plan. I have already written in glowing terms about my plan, Caremark CVS Mail Order Pharmacy. I am very concerned, however, by the plight of several of my acquaintances who have no prescription insurance plan at all. They are paying full (sometimes astronomical) prices and often going without medicine they need but cannot afford so I was interested to learn about Global Pharmacy Canada.

Since 2004, Global Pharmacy Canada has been filling 60,000 prescriptions a year, providing 15,000 customers in the United States a good deal and great savings via generic medications produced in India. Prescriptions from India? I wondered, but apparently many generic medicines we have been using already have come from India which is the largest producer of generic prescriptions in the world. One of the good things about global economy is that a company up in Canada...

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AnnaBanana says "Required equipment for the Bates Motel!" about Bell & Howell Doorstop Alarms

AnnaBanana — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:13:41 GMT

First of all, I must say that I really do live in a safe building. On more occasions than I care to admit, I have staggered in carrying a lot of stuff only to leave my keys dangling in the outer front door lock, sometimes all night, and nothing happened. So the last thing I need is a fancy security system installed which sounds an alarm at a remote location if something adverse happens here. On the other hand, it's nice to know that something extra is standing guard for you, providing an extra sense of safety. Someone else understands this and they have come up with just the thing ... the Bell & Howell Doorstop Alarm.

This gadget is small and made of lightweight aluminum but it does the job. It's like a watch dog that never has to be walked. If Marian Crane (the character played by Janet Leigh in "Psycho") had been able to stick one of these under the inside of her door at the Bates Motel, things might have worked out differently. It has a non-slip base so that when wedged...

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