So glad y’all liked the book club idea! I’m very impressed that many of you have already read most of the books on the list. I must think of something to stump your brains now. I will be relentless.
Today I rested and I feel a wee bit better this evening. My nose is still stuffed up to high heaven but the rattlin’ in my head has died down a bit and I can actually hear things now, rather than yesterday when everything sounded like we were in a tunnel.
Other accomplishments of the day including taking a shower and putting some fresh contacts in my eyes. Buying Dexter some food and making homemade chocolate pudding. Well, semi-homemade. I poured cold milk into chocolate pudding mix from Trader Joe’s but that sort of counts, right?
I’m not going to lie, when I was at Grandma’s house the chocolate and vanilla swirl pudding cups in the fridge were calling my name like none other. After staring at them for two days I finally ate one, late at night on Friday, and licked the cup clean. Oh yes I did.
It was like opening Pandora’s box
.
I must have pudding now. Pudding of all kinds. Pudding parfaits and pudding in pies. Homemade pudding, Jello pudding, Trader Joe’s pudding. All I want is PUDDIN’.
Thank you.
I researched a few homemade butterscotch puddin’ recipes today on line while I laid in bed with my kleenex and tea, but I just didn’t have the energy to stand over the stove. I might take on that project though next week…………..in my NEW KITCHEN with my GARBAGE DISPOSAL. Oh my goodness, I just cannot wait. A real live garbage disposal all to myself. I just want to stand over it and throw citrus peels down it.
I digress.
Here’s what I ate today:
{ 70 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree with your true slant article! It’s difficult and slightly impossible to eat organic 100% all of the time. Everything in moderation. I hope that you’re feeling better!!
Oh wow, I so want some pudding now.. for real!! I haven’t had any in years!
pudding is definitely pandora’s box…i can’t eat just one! so glad you’re feeling better
I don’t even want to think about what my life would be like without a garbage disposal…probably way less entertaining, for sure.
can you be more specific about which Kelly? I see many many Kelly’s in the comment section on that post. I vote for the first one to respond…. aka me
17 Kellys commented actually
Kelly,
It was comment # 23 Kelly!
Sorry about that…I should have been more specific.
Ooh, pudding with berries on top sounds great. Nice combo!
Pudding is amazing. And hey, if you had to whisk it, it is definitely homemade. i want to try those new chocolate mousse style jello puddings… so curious if they are as delicious as their ads make it seem
boo
I meant the first to respond on this post, not that one
Oh well, congrats to all the winners
Yayy for moving on Friday!!
As I clicked onto your blog just a couple minutes ago my spoon containing banana pudding hung in the air as I read your post title. I can fully relate to your pudding craving!!!
I love pudding too! Soo good in parfait form:)
What about a third option… Local non-certified organic milk? I could go see the happy cows and the milking process myself
I think it’s most important to go organic with animal products instead of fruits and veg. The higher up the food chain, the more toxins are concentrated.
That being said, I definitely agree with your point about how difficult it is sometimes to just make basic healthy choices on a budget. Any kind of milk is far better than something like cheap soda.
Hurray for hearing normally …. my ears started plugging up yesterday, ewww. Yeah the chocolate swirl pudding sings to you whenever its in the fridge, so worth it!
This really is quite delicious. Thought I would share it with you! You can’t even taste the avocado and it makes the pudding SO creamy!
http://balancedbites.blogspot.com/2010/02/easy-recipe-dairy-free-chocolate.html
butterscotch pudding is so damn good !! definitely my favorite
I gotta disagree with you on the True/Slant article but I’ll post my comments there.
Ahhh pudding
So lovely!!!!!
Ok, it may just be really late but I can’t figure out how to sign in to leave a comment on True/Slant. My issue isn’t so much the organic feed as much as where the milk is sourcing from–the treatment of dairy cows at factory farms is unsettling. I’d much rather pay the extra money as I do for eggs and other dairy products as well for local products. I also try to avoid buying The Dirty Dozen. http://bit.ly/9DDDVx They use over 60 pesticides on celery alone!
Wow, it has been sooo long since I had pudding. Love the topping of berries of course. Glad to hear you are feeling a lil better!
i just got a garbage disposal and omg am i addicted! ive been known to wait for moldy leftovers just to have a little fun with the disposal haha.
local milk > organic certified milk.
though the idea of “regular cow’s milk” alone from the supermarket is scary to me these days.
I prefer organic over local. I know it’s so important to support the local economy (and strive to do so when I can), but, as much as I want to, I simply cannot do it to the harm of my body. WhatsOnMyFood.org — here’s the link for milk: http://whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=MK — reports all the specific chemicals, carcinogens, neurotoxins and toxicants found after testing all kinds of conventional foods (even the unexpected, like almonds). Thus, I strive to buy all things organic whenever possible. The price is steep but the reward is quality. Sadly, anything less seems like forcing oneself to decide “how much poison is acceptable to me?” :/ It is unfortunate that cost often must force these decisions.
Hi Jenna,
I’m a long time reader (big fan) but this is the first time I’ve felt compelled to comment on your blog. First off, I think that the reasons to ‘go organic’ when it comes to dairy and eggs run far deeper than whether it is a healthier option. You need to consider that most milk we buy in the USA is essentially a false economy. The price of that gallon of milk is (a) subsidised by the Federal Government and (b) intensively mass produced. The effect of that is that not only do mega-corp farms create a gallon of ‘budget friendly milk’ at a very low price, but these mega-corps that produce that ‘cheap’ milk push out smaller, more eco/animal friendly contenders. So in the same way that a toothbrush at Wal-Mart is far cheaper than a toothbrush at a specialty store because it is purchased in mass quantities and produced at ridiculously low labour costs (ie China), that gallon of cheap of milk has an overall effect on the economy, the livelihood of smaller farmers, at the expense of the environment and the health and well being of the animals. And I believe this isn’t even the tip of the organic milk and eggs iceberg. As far as the bigger picture goes, if the difference between a bucket of cheap milk and a bucket of organic is $2-3, I think it is a couple of bucks I am willing to spend.
My cousin (whom I live with) just made that same Trader Joe’s pudding and I almost shed tears of lactose-intolerant sadness at how friggin’ good it looked. With berries? Now you’re just teasing me. That looks too good! I try to buy organic as much as possible, but being a student it can be really hard to budget while eating organic. It’s a never-endless debate I have on my mind.
I feel so dumb, but I never know what people mean when they say an ‘egg over easy’ – we don’t have that term in England! Methinks googles and I have a date….
I LOVE PUDDING!! My grandmother would always make chocolate cream pie with the Jell-o mix, and it was like heaven in my mouth. The best things in life are the simplest!
I LOVE PUDDING!! My grandmother would always make chocolate cream pie with the Jell-o mix, and it was like heaven in my mouth. The best things in life are the simplest!
I love pudding! It reminds me of my grandmother, too!
I went through a pudding kick a few months ago. I was in the hospital overcoming a bad bout of Colitis and the very first “real” food I ate was vanilla pudding. OMG I think I ate pudding every day for a month after that!
OMG!! I won something I never win anything!!! Whoo-hoo!! I had just finished posting my facebook status saying today was going to be a terrific Tuesday! Wow- was I right!! I can’t wait to tell everybody I won a magic bullet!!!!! Thank you so much!!
Pudding, pudding, everywhere! Love pudding too. It’s so creamy and rich. I’d love to make a homemade version some time.
OMG pudding!!! I haven’t had pudding in FAR too long! I remember in grade school my whole sixth grade class was hauled into the cafeteria for pretty much the best thing ever: a vanilla pudding taste test!!! We had to try about five different types of vanilla pudding and do a survey. Our reward (’cause apparently the pudding wasn’t enough) was to bring home two large bags of chips (I think it was put on by Hostess or something). I’ll always remember that day…
And that’s me?! I won something?!?! I never win anything!!! YAY!!!! Thanks!
Ummm I wouldn’t recommend throwing citrus peels down the garbage disposal, that recently messed up both our disposal and my parents we figured out… !!!
That’s so random, I too made chocolate pudding this weekend! It really wasn’t hard and it’s 1000x better than store bought.
SO excited about the book club.
Glad you’re feeling a little better, being sick stinks!
And sometimes… sometimes you just need some puddin’.
xo
K
Hey -what’s wrong with Jello puddings?!! I used to eat 1/2 the pack a few years ago of the chocolate and vanilla swirls…still love em
Glad your feeling better -what’s the new apartment like? Bigger?
Oh my goll, I know EXACTLY that Pandora Pudding Effect…it’s insatiable. I have gone through weeks where I’ve eaten perhaps 5 boxes…should I be OK admitting that?
I haven’t had pudding in forever, but the butterscotch mention has me wanting some.
I agree with your article. I’d love to only buy organic all of the time, but with my (small) budget it’s not feasible. The other day the grocery store was selling regular cucumbers for .79 cents and organic ones for $1.60. I know the organic are better, but come on.
Isn’t it amazing how exciting it is to have a garbage disposal? Sadly, we don’t have one in our apt so I am having a little GD envy right now! Think of me when you’re demolishing citrus peels and wafting the scent around the kitchen.
Sometimes, you just gotta roll with those crazy puddin’ cravings. Pudding + berries looks like a delicious combo. Your pictures make me want to go out and replenish my sad little fruit stash!
In a perfect world I’d have local, organic produce all the time. In the tiny town I live in we have one small grocery store and both local and organic are hardly ever an option. I don’t worry about the effects on my body from consuming foods grown with pestisides as much as I worry about the effects these nasty chemicals have on our environment. I think of all the water that is contaminated and the little frogs that are found all over with only three legs as a result
Someday I’d love to have a greenhouse and grow my own- now that’s local!
I used to always eat pudding at my grandparents’ house…but they always made butterscotch
We don’t have a garbage disposal at our new house, and I miss it SO much. Sigh. Enjoy yours
This pudding looks soooo good. Enjoy your last week in your current apartment!
Yum what a great day, everything looks delicious. I’m having turkey chili tonight I can’t wait.
glad you are feeling a bit better…..so exciting you have a real kitchen! will you give us a photo tour of your new digs?
i’m on a pudding fix too! i have an unreal amount of pudding mixes in my pantry. it’s a quick and easy dessert! in terms of organic, i waver a bit. i buy organic strawberries, kale, peaches, etc (the dirty dozen). i don’t buy organic milk. it depends on my mood i guess. i saw a sign in my town that said “ORGANIC dry cleaners” ummm? i think were taking this a bit far haha
Mmm pudding. I’ve been craving a pudding parfait for awhile now. But I decided I don’t want to eat whipped cream in any packaged form bc of all the crap that’s in it! I’ll only have homemade. Or Fluff, bc that’s just good ol’ sugar.
Ahhh I am totally having a pudding craving too. I bought Jell-o devil’s food the other day… I thought it was the stovetop kind, but it’s like yours — just add cold milk. Oh well, quick cook time = earlier eating time! YUM.
Glad you are feeling better Jenna!!
I miss not having puddings now I’ve moved away from home. My mum insists on us having a pudding with every meal nearly!!
Know what you mean about the garbage disposal. I know I should compost stuff, but I just don’t have the space for a tumbler. Citrus peels CAN really mess up your GD, though, you want to make sure you chop ‘em up first! We threw a whole half in once and had to take the whole thing apart to fix it! YUCK!
Jenna – You’ve got to read ‘Little Bee’.. I cant think of the author right now but it was SUCH a great book and if you liked Thousand Splendid Suns, you will LOVE this.
So, I’m moving out of my parents house and into an apartment by the end of the month (hopefully!). What are some healthy food essentials I should have on hand; most people have flour, butter, etc, but i’m trying to do low sugar, no white/wheat flour, healthy eating-ness. Thanks for your suggestions!
Jenna: Good true/slant article. I am a mom & RD (discloure = I work for the dairy council) and read your blog almost every day. Appreciate you including good facts about dairy. It’s good to have a choice between conventional and organic milk. Nice to know too that nutritionally they are the same profile (i.e. calcium the same, vit D the same, protein the same, etc…). I live in the south and most of the SE 3500 dairy farm families are multi-generationaly and live/work on their family farm. They really do care for their cows. Keep up the good work & good luck with the move. Hope you’re feeling better.
That is some good looking puddin!
As my sister would say when we were little and I would torment her…”Stop puttin’ puddin’ on me!”
Do you use chia seeds? I’ve been on a *major* chia pudding kick lately. My favorites have been banana pudding (chia seeds soaked in milk, vanilla, and agave on top of sliced banana’s and topped with granola), rocky road (chia seeds and cocoa powder soaked in milk and agave, topped with walnuts and marshmallows), and fancy chocolate pudding (chia seeds, cocoa powder and Cinnamon soaked in milk and agave and topped with walnuts and 85% dark chocolate shavings).
I really like the chia seeds’ texture and it really does taste like pudding!
I love pudding too!
Regarding the organic diary debate, I’ve heard that in order for dairy farms to gain “organic certification” that they can’t use antibiotics even to treat illness/infection in cows, which makes me sad for the poor sick cows
I agree with push to buy local instead ; where I’m from , there is a local dairy farm that not only has much tastier milk but also invites people to take tours of their farm. I don’t think its certified organic, but you can go and see for yourself that they take care of their animals and take pride in their products.
I have 2 great puddin pie recipes on my blog! I think yod love em feel free to shoot me an email if you want the links!!!!
I have to say that I disagree with you on the organic option because I think the issue runs far deeper than our own health. The way animals are treated in the production of mass market meat and animal products (i.e. dairy, etc) is disgusting and the effect on the environment is even more troubling.
Instead of listing them here I highly recommend visiting organic dot org and reading their top ten list for going organic. The evidence is overwhelming.
I think that if it is the difference of a few dollars, those of us that can afford to have a responsibility to buy organic. Cut back on fancy branded tea, bread and other goods but if you’re going to spend more money anywhere, have it be on organic, free-range animal products. Preferably local. The end! Sorry for the rant!
I made your chili last night….mmm delish!!!
Jenna,
Speaking from experience, don’t get too excited about putting things in the garbage disposal — especially potato peels. When I had to have a plumber come and fix mine he told me that I should still put most things in the garbage. Ever since my garbage disposal sprayed black gunk all over my kitchen, I have been very careful. Good luck!
Jenna,
I love your blog and am a long time reader but have to say that I was extremely disappointed in your Slant article. I appreciate your discussion of organic vs. non-organic and don’t really care what people decide, but my problem is that it seems like you didn’t even do any research! Organic dairy certification goes WAY beyond bovine growth hormone. Organic dairy products must meet many standards to be certified, most importantly that the feed the cows consume is certified organic and that antibiotics and hormones are not used in a routine manner. If you want to discuss what could be a controversial issue, I suggest doing a little more background research to be more accurate. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop
Hi Jenna- Great discussion around organic vs non-organic dairy products. As a Registered Dietitian with expertise in dairy nutrition, I want to add a few practical points on organic vs non-organic dairy. Though some consumers assume organic milk is more nutritious, both organic and regular dairy products contain the same combination of essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D and potassium. Additionally, strict government standards ensure that organic and regular milk are free from antibiotics and pesticides. All milk is tested for antibiotics and any dairy food found to contain antibiotics is discarded immediately and does not get into our food supply. Finally, whether milk is labeled “organic,” “rbST free,” or simply “milk,” science shows that there is no significant difference in hormone levels of any type of milk. It is great that we have so many choices in the dairy case to help us get our 3 servings of milk, cheese, yogurt (or pudding) everyday!
right on, cara.
i was 20+ y.o. before i knew pudding could be home.made. i thought the box WAS homemade until my food science class in college. yup, i have a nutrtion degree….but was raised in a very processed eatin’ home. also, i had a dog named Puddin’ once.
Good article! I am fortunate enough to have a local dairy where I can buy milk for about $1.75/half gallon. The milk isn’t organic, but it is local and from cows not treated with rBST. I alternate between buying that and the more expensive organic, depending on what our budget looks like that week. I realize that it’s not ideal, but it’s a compromise that I am comfortable with.
Regardless of whether or not it is harmless for humans to ingest milk from cows that have been given BGH, what about the effect that it has on the cows? The cows that are given it have a much higher rate of mastitis which is an udder infection. The pus is then passed into the milk and the cow is treated with antibiotic; obviously all of this milk becomes unusable, so the suffering is for nothing. The well-being of the animal that produces food should matter at least a little. Forcing cows into a situation where they produce abnormal amounts of milk and often get sick because of it is not natural. Obviously no modern farming is going to be completely natural, but I think putting animals into a situation like this is wrong.