yogurt – That's Just Me

Unethical! Free Brown Cow Yogurt Coupon if You Write Product Review

And this is an example of why I don’t trust “little” food companies owned by “BIG” food companies!

I just received an email from Brown Cow (lately they’ve been promoting the heck out of their new Greek yogurts) and was surprised that their new marketing scheme is bribing their customers to write good reviews for them!

Dear Brown Cow fans,

We’re so excited about our new Cream Top Greek yogurt, we want to share it with the world – and we need your help.

First, we’ll be hosting free sampling events at virtually every Whole Foods Market in the country beginning this Saturday, August 18th, as well as most California Safeways. And we’ll keep them going later this fall at other natural foods stores – so keep your eyes peeled.

Second, we created a place for you to share your thoughts about our new Cream Top Greek with the world- and when you do, we’ll send you a coupon for a free cup.

Get your free cup at www.browncowlove.com. Write a quick review, share it, and get a coupon for an absolutely free cup (limit: first 2,500 people to enter). You can also enter to win free Brown Cow yogurt for a year – not a bad deal!

– From the folks at Brown Cow Yogurt

I’m curious as to what happens when the 2500 coupons are gone; will they inform the customer BEFORE they write their review, or will they break the news that they’re getting the shaft, after the review has been sent?

I took a quick look at the process, and first, you must “like” their Facebook page, then you write your review, send it with an option to also share it on your personal Facebook wall for bonus entry (which didn’t matter, because even when I declined to share, it still posted to my wall, sneaky! sneaky!) and finally you need to give them your email, name, address for the coupon, etc. Blah! I didn’t get that far!

And look, they even give you a hint, just in case you’re stumped & don’t know what to write (“Mmmm so thick and rich and I got a coupon for a free cup in exchange for sharing my review – check it out”)

Notice they've given you a hint on the positive things to say!

Social Media Marketing is the New Black

I know, I know, it’s common practice for social media to play a huge part in business today, and I’m not complaining about using Facebook for marketing means.

I personally find it appalling that they’ve resorted to begging for POSITIVE reviews with a promise of a coupon for a free cup of their new yogurt.

It is unethical and a screams of desperation, but we, as consumers, are allowing it to happen!

Seriously, people will do anything for a free product. They don’t care if the company they’re supporting lacks marketing principles, just “give me a free yogurt please!” Ugh!

When will consumers learn that saving a couple of dollars isn’t worth the decline of our country’s business morals. Stand up and refuse to support companies like this!

No Need to Beg

Brown Cow could have easily given out 2500 free coupons in exchange for “liking” their Facebook page.

People create a natural “buzz” about a product, sharing links to free stuff like this on their own FB walls. Why force customers to leave a pitiful “review” about a product? If the product is good, people will talk about it instinctively.

As far as I’m concerned, Brown Cow Yogurt has lost me as a customer. It’s a shame, because I really liked their cream-top yogurts, but for now, I’m will not support them.

(Note: Brown Cow is owned by Stonybrook Yogurt, which is owned by Dannon – Brown Cow is not the small, sweet dairy farm that they’d like you to believe.)

UPDATE 2012-08-22: Received an email from Brown Cow regarding my post

Hi Debbie,

Thanks for voicing your thoughts. We welcome feedback here at Brown Cow (yes, even including criticism, as much as it can hurt sometimes!) because it helps us do our jobs better — that is, to make the best yogurt we can and get it to as many people as we can.

We really love this new Cream Top Greek Yogurt and we’ve been getting great response from yogurt-lovers everywhere so we wanted to give fans a space to share their passionate feedback. We welcome any review, however — not just positive reviews — so long as they aren’t obscene. On the site, we also encourage users to include in their review the fact that they are getting a free cup, in the name of full transparency.

And to answer your question — within a day or so of giving out the last coupons, we’ll switch-up the site so it makes it clear the coupons are gone but you can still leave a review to be entered into the grand prize – which is a year’s worth of free yogurt.

We’re a mission-driven company, which is why we use American Humane Certified milk from local farms, why we make our yogurt in small, less processed batches, and why we use only natural ingredients like pure maple syrup and wildflower honey. We do our best to extend these principles to everything we do, and we made a point of doing that here too.

We’re sorry to hear that you think we fell short in this case, but hopefully this note helps add a bit of background and context to our thinking here — and we’ll certainly take your feedback into account as we plan for our promotional efforts in the future.

Thanks,

Hmm, that’s skirting around the issue a little bit, huh? Just a lot of Big Food marketing babble.

My point, which I don’t think they “got”, was that they were basically paying for reviews.

They’re trying to make it sound like their customers needed a “forum” for their passionate feedback….and THAT’S why they started the promotion. Uh, do they really think they would have got all those “passionate” reviews if they weren’t offering a free cup of yogurt in exchange?

And regarding the review form – “within a day or so of giving out the last coupons” they’ll make it known that the coupons are exhausted. So, for that “day or so” people are still leaving reviews thinking they are still getting their free sample. Do they think that those few hundred people are going to settle quietly and not cause a huge fuss over being too late? No way.

As for their American Humane Certified claim, I have to do more research, but since Eggland’s Best eggs are certified as well, I’m not sure how much credence I put into this organization.

I’ve been learning about making my own yogurt at home, & I think it’s definitely time to try!

McDonalds’ Chef Considers Menu to be Healthy

McDonald’s senior director of culinary innovation, “chef” Daniel Coudreaut, was recently interviewed by Lisa Abraham, a Beacon Journal food writer.

Besides chef Coudreaut’s crazy statement that he “doesn’t see anything on the menu that’s unhealthy,” he was promoting the “healthy” items on McDonald’s menu.

It made me giggle that he’s an actual “chef” – a chef??! at McDonald’s??? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

He should be refer to himself as a chemist, because there is nothing chef-like about creating the “food products” at McDonald’s, and there certainly isn’t anything healthy about them either.

It’s all about choice, balance and moderation. There are healthful items on the McDonald’s menu — oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, salads, grilled chicken and low-fat milk.

Stop right there! These are what he considers the healthful items at McDonalds? Oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, salads, grilled chicken and low-fat milk?

Time to dissect each one!

McDonald’s Oatmeal

Yes! In our nation’s current obesity crisis, oatmeal with 32g of sugar is something to be proud of. I suppose it beats the 42g of fat in a double quarter pounder!

Sure, you can order the oatmeal without brown sugar & cranberry raisin mix, but what average McDonald’s patron is going to do that? They see the word oatmeal, and it immediately brings to mind something healthy.

And McDonald’s preys on that misconception!

In reality, what is the difference between their loaded up oatmeal and any one of the sugar-laden dry cereals like Honey Smacks or Fruit Loops?

McDonald’s Yogurt Parfait

McDonald’s Yogurt Parfaits are probably one of the sneakiest items on their menu. At least with a Big Mac, you know what you are getting!

Just like oatmeal, consumers have considered yogurt synonymous with a healthy food item, but most commercial flavored yogurts are loaded with refined sugar; McDonald’s yogurt parfaits are no exception, with 23g of sugar in their 5.2 oz (149g) serving.

Even if you just ate their yogurt “plain”, you’d still be getting 16g of sugar because they’ve added refined sugar PLUS fructose in their ingredients. And it’s only a 3 oz serving.

In comparison, a container of low-fat plain Stonyfield yogurt is 6 oz and contains 11g of sugar (natural dairy sugar). That’s 5.5g sugar if you match McDonald’s 3 oz serving. So, if you opt for McDonald’s yogurt, you’re getting 3x the sugar! What is healthy about that???

McDonald’s Salads

Next is Salads. Yeah, we all know how misrepresented salads are in restaurants. It’s been repeated over and over in a trillion different ways on TV and in print! But we still don’t listen.

Actually, it’s really not the salads that are unhealthy, it’s the dressing slobbering all over the salad that makes it unhealthy. Can you believe that 2 fl oz of Newman’s Own Creamy Caesar dressing (that’s 2 Tbsp) is 190 calories: 18g fat and 500mg sodium. All for a “healthy” salad!

McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich

You probably thought I could give McDonald’s Grilled Chicken a pass, right? Wrong. Grilled chicken, made at home, can be healthy, if it’s just plain chicken.

But add a McDonald’s white flour bun & cheese, slap on some mayo and you’ve got 400 calories with 13g of fat, 840g sodium, and 8g of sugar. Yikes!

If you think that eating just their chicken by itself would be a healthy choice, you’d also be wrong.

Look at the ingredients in one piece of grilled chicken:

Chicken breast fillet with rib meat, water, seasoning (rice starch, salt, sugar, yeast extract, canola oil, onion powder, maltodextrin, chicken skin, paprika, flavor, sunflower oil, chicken, garlic powder, chicken fat, spices), sodium phosphates.

Prepared with Liquid Margarine: Liquid soybean oil and hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, soy lecithin, mono-and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color).

They’ve even sneaked some sugar in the “seasoning” and I just love their “liquid margarine” – GROSS!

Low Fat Milk

Okay, I will give the low-fat milk a pass, although I’m not convinced that low fat dairy is all that healthy, but that’s for another discussion.

Junk Food is Still Just Junk Food Even with Fancy McMarketing

So, I’m not going to lie and state that I never ever go to McDonald’s, but when I go, I’m not fooling myself into thinking I’m eating something healthy.

It’s junk food. It’s ALL junk food.

From the oatmeal to the fish filet, it’s junk food and it’s time we STOP allowing corporate Food’s CEOs and “chefs” to continue feeding us their misleading marketing myths!

Wake up and smell the oatmeal!

Recipe: Homemade Low Sugar Granola with Oats, Pecans, & Coconut

homemade granola-low sugar

I made a batch of homemade lower sugar granola for my dad for Father’s Day, based on a recipe I found for “Sugar Free Granola” on allRecipes.com – it’s not necessarily “sugar free” but her recipe contains no added refined sugars. The granola did get sweetness from dates and apple juice. I do not drink juice anymore, so I decided to improvise and substitute 1 Tbsp agave nectar.

So, anyway, it was delicious, and I’ve been wanting to make a batch for us, so this afternoon, I did! I am looking forward to adding it to plain yogurt!

Keep in mind, this granola is not very sweet at all. (see below for approximate nutritional data) If you are used to highly sweetened foods, then it might not be for you! LOL.

Ingredients for Homemade Lower Sugar Granola with Oats, Pecans, Coconut

1 cup chopped pitted dates (about 20 deglet dates) – 150 grams
1 cup water
1/4 cup coconut butter – I use the Artisana brand
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 tsp almond extract (optional)
1-1/2 cups rolled oats – 150 grams
1/2 cup shredded coconut – 50 grams
3/4 (approx) cup chopped pecans – 100 grams
1/2 cup ground flax seed – 50 grams – I use Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed Meal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds – 75 grams
1 tsp cinnamon

Recipe Notes:

if you do not have coconut butter, you might follow the original recipe and add the 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice, or you can also add oil. A nut oil or fruity olive oil would be nice.
When I made it for my dad, I also added raisins and unsweetened dried cherries. I left them out of this version, but they can easily be added after the granola cools. It’s probably not a great idea to include them before baking, as they can dry out and harden.

Recipe Instructions

Preheat oven for 350F
In small saucepan, over medium-low heat, combine the dates and water, and cook until they become pasty and thick, about 5 minutes. Make sure to stir often so they don’t burn. If the dates get too hot, lower the heat.
Once the mixture is just finished, stir in the coconut butter and agave nectar. Keep on very low heat (or turn off the stove) and stir until well melted and blended.
Then add the tsp of almond extract (optional) to the date mixture
While dates are cooking, mix up the rest of the dry ingredients in a large bowl
Spread the oat nut mixture onto a large baking sheet and bake for about 7-10 minutes or until lightly toasted.
Once toasted, pour the oat nut mixture back into the large bowl and gently blend in the date glaze. Mix until it’s well combined. If there are dry patches, add a teenie bit of water.
Return the granola back to the baking pan and bake for another 20 minutes or so. Make sure to keep turning/stirring the granola so it browns evenly, and watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
Remove from oven and allow the pan to cool on a rack. Stir occasionally to cool. Once cooled, the granola will harden slightly.
Store in airtight container. I am not sure if this granola with it’s lower sugar content will keep as long as conventional granola, so if long term storage is needed, then freezing might be a better option.

ENJOY!

Nutritional Data

Based on 23 servings of 1 oz each – approx 1/3 cup

1 oz of homemade granola-low sugar

(Use the nutritional data as a guide; the info is not absolute, your results might vary considerably depending on the total weight of the finished product)

Calories: 136
Total Fat: 9g
Saturated: 3g (from healthy coconut fat)
Polyunsaturated: 1.6g
Monounsaturated: 2g
Trans: 0
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 1.6mg
Potassium: 12.4mg
Carbs: 12.4g
Fiber: 3.3g
Sugar: 5.5g
Protein: 3g
Vit A: 0
Vit C: 0
Calcium: 1.7%
Iron: 5.3%

1 oz of homemade granola-low sugar

Local Day at Whole Foods

I had a great afternoon at Whole Foods in Bedford, MA. It was “local day” and a bunch of local food companies were giving out samples of their products. I noshed my way through the isles, eating samples, and talking to some wonderful people.

I ended up buying way more than I planned, but it was worth it to support the local businesses!

Who did I meet?

Three Acre Kitchen – I was constantly seeing so many TV chefs using balsamic vinegar in their dishes. Most recently, Jamie Oliver (At Home with Jamie) using a whole bottle of balsamic on top of roasted vegetables, so I was really intrigued to try it, but intimidated because I had no clue which brand to buy.

It was fate to meet Nancy, the delightful woman behind the Three Acre Kitchen. She sells three different balsamic products: Balsamic Marinade, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze. I tried a couple of samples, and decided that the marinade would be a great choice. Nancy gave me tips on using it with roasted potatoes and/or vegetables, along with reducing it for sauces. I’m now excited to experiment!

Oak Knoll Dairy Farm – I met George, the owner of the farm. They raise goats! I love goats! I want a goat! Maybe when we move to a nice big farm somewhere.

Anyway, I tried a sample of the goats milk plain yogurt and started to ask questions; he proudly showed me some photos while explaining about the goats and their farming practices. Hey did you know that goats are picky eaters? It’s not true that they eat everything in sight, like tin cans!

I also tried a sample of the goat whole milk, and it was good. I am generally not a big milk drinker, so I really am not a good judge. I did taste a teenie tiny smidgen tang of goat’s milk, but it really don’t think it would be noticeable if you didn’t know it wasn’t cow’s milk. I enjoyed the yogurt, so I picked up a container. I might get their milk for my dad, as he likes milk in his coffee.

SoCo Creamery – they had samples of coffee, mission fig, and pumpkin ice cream. The pumpkin ice cream was good, but I think it might be a bit too much for a whole bowl. I really loved the mission fig flavor, so I bought a pint. Just finished a bowl tonight. Very creamy, and not overly sweet actually! It had little bits of figs!!!!

Blue Moon Sorbet – I tried a sample of blackberry lime, and yum, it was fab. Very sweet and sugary, which is expected with shorbet. I had just grabbed the SoCo fig ice cream, so I really didn’t want to buy another frozen treat, but I will keep them in mind for future visits to Whole Foods.

Ozioli’s Cookies – I ate samples of the chocolate, lemon and almond cookies; I thought they all were delicious, but I especially loved the almond flavor, so of course I bought them! The owner was super friendly, and very proud of her product. It was nice to hear about how she was baking her cookies using her nana’s old recipe. I loved the almond cookies so much that I went back for a second serving. At 55 calories (4g sugar) they are a nice snack! hehee.

WS Badger Company – The demo rep was set up near the front registers, so she was my last stop. I rubbed a little of the original Badger Balm, with a touch of wintergreen scent. It seemed to work very well. I specifically asked if the balm could be used in the kitchen while cooking. I explained the main reason my hands are dry is because I’m constantly washing them but can’t apply any lotion because I’m cooking. Who wants lotion chemicals on my food? She informed me that their products were natural and could actually be eaten! Cool! So yes! It would be great to use them while cooking.

I also inquired about the Capsicum balms for my mom, and she explained how they were very hot when used, and the extra strength could be irritating to some skin.

She told me that they only sold a few products at Whole Foods (like the original balm) but until the end of the month, they were offering free shipping on their web site. I’ve been checking out their products and definitely want to order. If not, then I will definitely pick up some of that original balm at Whole Foods.

Raw Honey – There was also a woman with samples of spreadable raw honey, but I can’t recall the name. It was very sweet, and I might have thought about buying a jar, but I really didn’t need anymore raw honey.

I hope I didn’t leave out anyone. It really was a fun afternoon and I truly enjoyed talking to everyone! I loved it!

Green Valley Organic Lacose Free Yogurt

I’ve been buying Green Valley Organic Yogurt for a couple of weeks now, and I just love it.

First, most importantly, it’s delicious! I’ve tried the blueberry, strawberry, and honey. Honey is okay, but the fruit flavors are very good. I really need to buy some vanilla and create my own flavors with frozen berries, bananas, apples, pineapples, etc. It would be so much better for me too!

Secondly, it’s a lot lower in sugar grams than other yogurts. 16 grams in their blueberry and strawberry flavors. Only 9 grams for vanilla. That’s a big difference to Stonyfield (20g) and Wallaby (22g)

I love that it’s organic and their dairy comes from farms that are certified humane. Not that that “label” really means anything, but at least it’s a start. No anti-biotic or growth hormone usage, and I like to think their cows aren’t hooked up to milking machines all day long.

I’m interested in trying their Kefir as well. I used to love love love the bottles of Stonyfield yogurt smoothies, but they were so extremely high in sugar, I gave them up! Green Valley offers plain plus a Blueberry Pom Açaí flavor that has 20 grams of sugar. Looks like each bottle is 32 oz, so that’s 4 servings of 8 oz each. The yogurts are 6 oz servings at 16g of sugar, so it breaks down to roughly the same amount of sugar per ounce.

It doesn’t look like it’s available in any other stores in my area, except Whole Foods, but that is a good thing. The more “mainstream” a small company becomes, the more they change. Less care goes into the product. I like that they are a small business. I hope they don’t get bought out by one of the big food companies like Stonyfield did.

Anyway, Green Valley Organic yogurt is definitely my yogurt of choice! I hope they don’t mind that I used one of their product photos for my post!

Green Valley Organic bottles and cups