http://www.viewpoints.com/Produce Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:01:29 GMT Reviews about Produce http://www.viewpoints.com/Early-Girl-Tomato-Homegrown-vs-Store-bought-review-473c4 Being a homeowner has its advantages and one of those is the ability to grow your own. No I don't mean the 60's & 70's fad of growing pot, I am speaking of vegetables and fruits. This year I went total organic in my garden, seems my ground is just prone to weeds and I was wasting money on weed killers. Not only that I was sacrificing taste and taking the risk of it getting into my crop. — — Early Girl Tomatoes — — My choice in tomato plants this year was the early girl and true to their name I have been getting nice tomatoes since the second week of June. On average I am getting them big enough to make a great sandwich with just one slice. I also like to fry them green and these seem to be a tad less tart than other varieties. When ripe these are a nice deep red in color, very juicy and sweet. I am a country boy at heart and there is nothing better than a tomato sandwich with a cold glass of milk to make your day go great! — — These Early Girls... Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:01:29 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Early-Girl-Tomato-Homegrown-vs-Store-bought-review-473c4 kid-kansas 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Mashed-Potatoes-review-867c4 A few weeks ago, I wrote a review about Shedd's Country Crock Homestyle Mashed Potatoes.  My theory was that mashed potatoes as part of a sensible diet plan are not necessarily a bad thing.  After outlining the nutritional information for both Country Crock and homemade mashed potatoes, I suggested that we might all be better off just making a big pot of our own potatoes and storing some for use later.  It may be that some of us haven't got around to doing that yet (I suspect our numbers are legion!) and meanwhile I've found something else that really is nearly as good as homemade:  Simply Potatoes Mashed Potatoes manufactured by Northern Star Company of Minneapolis.  About two and a half cups of fine mashed potatoes are packaged in a black microwaveable tub and the product is delicious. — STATS: — A half a cup is considered to be a serving which contains 100 calories with 40 calories from fat.  There are four grams total fat, two and a half... Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:27:12 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Mashed-Potatoes-review-867c4 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Driscolls-Fresh-Blackberries-review-49635 Part of what makes the ViewPoints experience so interesting is not just what you learn from the thoughtful, honest reviews of the other writers here but also the wonderful friendships we have have had a chance to forge.  Sometimes we learn new things and gain useful information with a little help from our ViewPoints friends.  One of my first buddies here was Kid-Kansas, (better known to most of us as "Ron") and I must confess that if it hadn't been for Ron's nostagic musings about the fruits of his youth, I probably would have never caved in for the very first time and tried fresh blackberries.  Probably nothing is as good as the ones Ron's grandmother used to grow but for most of us, the best of the fresh is Driscoll Fresh Blackberries.  if there is one thing that Driscoll has learned in its over 100 years of berry-growing and marketing, it is how to get the best to the consumer.  Because Driscoll partners with independent farmers... Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:59:11 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Driscolls-Fresh-Blackberries-review-49635 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Disney-Magic-Selections-Apple-Slices-review-f0e83 As a parent to two young children, sometimes I have to rely on gimmicks to get my kids to eat healthy.  That's why I'm a big fan of the Disney Magic Selections line of foods available at Kroger supermarkets.  — In addition to loving the graham cookie snax, string cheese, and squeezable yogurt, my latest love affair is with the Disney Magic Selections Apple Slices, which come five servings per package.  There are six apple slices in each pre-packaged bag featuring the lovable Mickey Mouse Disney character on the front.  These are an excellent source of Vitamin C and each bag contains only 40 calories and has one gram of fiber. — My kids will usually eat apples, but more often than not, it's with a bit of persuading on my part.  And yes, sometimes I have to offer up a side of peanut butter to make them even more appetizing.  Not so, with the Disney Magic Selections Apple Slices.  My children were with me when I first... Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:38:50 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Disney-Magic-Selections-Apple-Slices-review-f0e83 mindyvol 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Driscoll-Fresh-Strawberries-review-aec10 There are certain experiences in the life of a very young person which having happened once probably will never thrill that person the same way again ... such is the experience of having tasted one's very first strawberry.  I hope for everyone that that first taste was a wonderful experience.  The best berries are those eaten within a few miles of where they are grown because that fruit has been given plenty of time to ripen and build up sugar on the bush.  Too often berries are picked too soon in order to ship safely to various markets which means that what a lot of us have to content ourselves with is not the best that Nature has to offer.  Thank goodness for Driscoll, who somehow seems to keep delivering up worthwhile strawberries -- and this is a fruit which deserves respect. — STATS: — According to NutritionData.com, a whole cup of fresh strawberry halves is a single serving which contains only 49 calories with four... Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:06:43 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Driscoll-Fresh-Strawberries-review-aec10 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Michigan-Blueberries-review-f2b03 The summer I was ten (a year after my Mom died), I vacationed with my Dad and Aunt Tatty at a big old-fashioned hotel in Falmouth, Massachusetts.  It was a great place and we had a wonderful time but what I remember most was the blueberries ... dark blue berries delicious and so big that you could only fit one into a teaspoon.  We ate most of our meals at the hotel -- three Midwesterners sitting there every day, polishing off blueberries which were almost as big as ping-pong balls.  I think that instinctively we knew we were never going to see anything like those Cape Cod blueberries again and we didn't ... but I have to admit that fresh Michigan blueberries aren't bad either and seem to be in special abundance this summer.  Speaking for myself, I can't seem to get enough of them. — STATS: — According to NutritionData.com, a whole cup of fresh blueberries contains only 84 calories with four calories from fat. ... Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:59:55 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Michigan-Blueberries-review-f2b03 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Driscoll-Fresh-Raspberries-review-8da04 In most parts of the country, summer is The Season of the Berry ... available in all its splendid flavors and hues.  We each have our favorites but the most luxurious and expensive of all is the regal raspberry.   If you have raspberry bushes in your backyard loaded with ruby red fruit ripening in the hot sun, then you have the best -- the rest of us will have to make due with the best that we can get ... and that is Driscoll raspberries. Driscoll is already famous for their strawberries but appear to have branched out to other types of fruit, especially raspberries.  The berries are bigger and plumper than run-of-the-mill raspberries and rarely ever suffer from so much as a "smidge" of the sort of mold which can ruin a whole box of this precious fruit.  Yes, they are also expensive but fresh raspberries have always been a luxury because their delicate nature requires careful hand-picking, packaging, and shipping. — STATS:... Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:58:18 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Driscoll-Fresh-Raspberries-review-8da04 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Watermelon-review-aa474 I love the taste of fresh watermelon on a hot summer day.  This juicy red fruit has a slightly sweet taste and is really juicy.  Each one cup serving of watermelon is less than 50 calories and is a cool and refreshing treat.  The taste of watermelon can vary from slightly sweet to a little tart, and I love the seedless varieties.  To serve, I cube the fruit and eat it plain, but it also tastes great on salads or as a key ingredient to a fruit salad.  For a real refresher, blend the cubes in a smoothie or freeze for use as ice cubes in a summer spritzer.  Watermelon is the perfect summer fruit and low in fat and... Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:40:40 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Watermelon-review-aa474 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Watermelon-review-05194 Sometimes,the simple things are the best.  God knew that when He created the watermelon, which was probably one of His finer efforts.  It was left to the rest of us to breed and develop different variations of the plant, sophisticated ways of getting this wonderful fruit to market, and sense enough to appreciate it.  Most people have spent a great deal of their lives loving that watermelon growing on the vine and it looks like we knew what we were doing.  This beautiful dark pink fruit is not only loaded with lycopene (a valuable anti-cancer weapon) but also a key compound credited with helping skin's healing and regenerative processes.  — STATS: — A single serving -- one whole cup! -- of watermelon contains only 46.2 calories with 2.1 calories from fat.  There are .2 grams of total fat, zero each saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, 1.5 mg. sodium, 172.5 grams potassium, 11.6 grams total carbs, .6 grams dietary fiber, 9.6... Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:32:40 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Watermelon-review-05194 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Dole-Fruit-Bowls-review-818e1 I love these Dole Fruit Bowls for lunch or a great addition to a light dinner or dessert.  Each bowl is the perfect size container which I love because it is easy to control your fruit portions and all the work of cutting up the produce is already done.  Each bowl is sealed tightly which makes it perfect for lunches as well as a snack on the go.  They come in a wide variety of flavors like tropical fruit, mandarin oranges, peaches, pears and pineapple.  Each bowl contains a nice amount of fruit that tastes fresh.  The bowls are sold in four packs of one flavor that costs under $3 and can often be found on sale.  I love that this snack is not only convenient, but it is healthy too.  It contains 0 grams of fat and each bowl is about 70 calories.  I like eating these at lunch with my sandwiches or serving them alongside my dinner. My favorite are the diced peaches which are really sweet.  The pineapple is fresh and a little tart.  These... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:29:59 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Dole-Fruit-Bowls-review-818e1 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Pristine-Seedless-Grapes-review-612e5 I love eating fruit in the summer, and red grapes are my favorite.  I found these Pristine Grapes on sale and they were so sweet and flavorful and come in a great storing container.  I loved that the grapes came in a plastic container so that none of the grapes inside were smashed.  Each grape had so much flavor.  I like the purple variety because they are a little sweet and have just the right amount of tartness.  My favorite thing about these grapes is that they are seedless so you can eat them anywhere with no mess.  The grapes are the perfect size to munch on for a cool treat and I love freezing them for the ultimate fruit dessert on a hot, hot day.  I love that these grapes stay fresh in their container and that they have a lot of flavor.  These are a great healthy treat, and are the perfect topping for yogurt and taste great in a fruit... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:24:04 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Pristine-Seedless-Grapes-review-612e5 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Persian-Cucumbers-review-199d3 I love the heat of summer because it is the perfect time to enjoy a fresh salad.  My main ingredient in all my salads besides the lettuce are these Persian Cucumbers.  I never knew there was such a difference between these cucumbers and regular cucumbers, but there definitely is.  I bought a four pack of these cucumbers at Trader Joe's when they were on sale and they have become my favorite produce.  The cucumbers are smaller than regular cucumbers, but they have a lot of sweet and tasty flavor.  The skin is so soft you actually don't need to peel them and it is not waxy.  The cucumbers are seedless and stay fresh as long as other cucumbers.  I love using these in salads, but they are also a great refresher in your ice water and a cool snack on a hot day.  These are the perfect piece of produce for summer and taste great dipped in rance... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:18:24 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Persian-Cucumbers-review-199d3 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Apple-Pinata-review-d8273 Pinata apples appeared only recently in the northern California food coop where I saw them. They were introductory-priced! Combined with their appealing looks and the lure of novelty, they were irresistible. Once home, they did not disappoint. I didn't get a chance to try cooking with any, because they were all devoured fresh by friends and family. Nice apple! — — From Stemilt, the US distributor, website: "Researchers at the apple breeding program in Dresden-Pillnitz, Germany discovered the apple and released it for commercial production in 1986. The researchers called the apple Pinova. As the variety became popular in Germany, other European growers began planting the variety, marketing it under different names including Sonata and Corail. In 2004 Stemilt purchased the exclusive rights to grow, pack and market the apple variety in the United States and we renamed the apple... Wed, 21 May 2008 19:04:37 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Apple-Pinata-review-d8273 JonW 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Express-Bagged-Salads-ALL-review-31d50 I'm on this diet that requires me to eat a small salad three times a day.  I know, BLAH, right?  Well, Fresh Express bagged salads make this sooooo much easier than it would be otherwise!  If I had to make a salad every single time I had to eat one, no way I could do this diet.  Who has the time for that??? — Fresh Express salads are easy, and soooo convenient.  I LOVE convenience products.  One less thing to stress about, you know?  And the great thing is, there are so many different salad's to choose from.  The one I eat the most is the iceburg lettuce;  Iceburg lettuce, small julienne carrots & purple cabbage.  But they also have a lettuce trio, which is just lettuce.  And they have one that has double carrots too.  Also, the veggie lovers is good because it has snow pea pods in it.  Yum. — The only con is, once you open up the bag it tends to go bad pretty quick.  Don't think, "I'll stock up on these... Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:31:54 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Fresh-Express-Bagged-Salads-ALL-review-31d50 jasyjen 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Grapple-review-d2294 What do you get when you cross a Washington Extra Fancy Gala apple (or a Fiji, depending on the season) with the flavor of a Concord grape? —  According to the folks at Grapple: a great tasting fruit that kids will love! — They won't reveal how they do it (the process is Patent Pending), but will say that these premium apples take the flavor from the infusion best. The ingredient mix is primarily concentrated grape flavor and pure water (emphasis mine). I'd like to know what the secondary ingredient(s) are, but I suppose that's tantamount to asking Grandma what the secret ingredient in her apple pie is. — All ingredients are USDA and FDA approved and the process is licensed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. — Visit their website for a store locator or to order gift boxes. —... Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:17:23 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Grapple-review-d2294 TwoCansMom 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-dbe61 I make hashbrown caserole and i have found the shredded potatoes is used best in it.  This is not messy and cooks much faster than the other hashbrowns, it doesnt have much seasoning but for what i use it for it doesnt call for seasoning you add your own. Be creative with your food, it allows you to do so!... Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:48:31 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-dbe61 MBennett 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Farm-Fresh-Direct-LLC-Express-Bake-PotatOH-review-bb3a1 Of no small consideration when it comes to daily nutrition and health is the ease of preparation involved in fixing meals.  For someone coming home tired at the end of a day, the prospect of scrubbing and trimming an Idaho potato to pop in the microwave may make the idea of bringing home fries from McDonald's more attractive than it should be.  Somebody who understands all this has come up with an answer: a baked potato that you don't have to fuss with.  ENTER:  the Express Bake PotatOH! which has been scrubbed, prepped, and wrapped in plastic.  All you have to do is stick it still wrapped in plastic into the microwave and cook for 7 to 8 minutes.  Even the skin of this potato will be tender and easy to eat. — Wait a minute or two for the Express Bake PotatOH! to cool before removing plastic wrap and enjoying with a clear conscience because a 4 oz. Idaho baked potato with skin and salt contains only about 100 calories, a couple grams total fat,... Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:03:10 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Farm-Fresh-Direct-LLC-Express-Bake-PotatOH-review-bb3a1 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-59470 Simply Potatoes Hash Browns make a convenient, quick and delicious addition to any meal, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner time. Pure, natural potato flavor and texture makes them a winner. They crisp up nicely, and are so versatile. Add cheese, onion, green peppers, ham, or ingredient of your choice for a delicious... Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:31:45 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-59470 rjwhiggins 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-58722 SImply Potatoes Hash Browns are fantastic for our family since they're fast, easy and tasty!  Too many times we're running behind and with Simply Potatoes we just rip open the bag and begin to cook...no food processor to clean up and peels to throw away.  Everyone in the family can actually do it.  Great product! —... Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:21:01 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-58722 kimber1962 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-870f2   I really like a good hearty breakfast on occasion and when I do I like to have a bag of Simply Potatoes Hash browns with onions waiting for me in the refrigerator.  Sure I could make Hash browns by hand, but why should I when most of the work has been done for me.  You still get to cook them so they are nice and fresh.  You honestly can not really tell that you did not shred the potatoes yourself.  — All you do to cook these is just add a little oil in to a frying pan, about 2 tablespoons, you then just pour the potatoes in to the pan, then you just cook them up.  You can brown them up to your own liking.  Some people may like them lightly browned or golden, I like mine really crispy. Of course you will have to occasionally turn the potatoes to brown them on all sides and to keep them from burning in one place.  Another nice thing about these is that there are onions already chopped up and mixed in with the potatoes. The... Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:50:01 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Simply-Potatoes-Hash-Browns-review-870f2 ladym33 4