Pineapple

I enjoy eating pineapple. I used to eat pineapple in its natural or ‘real’ form before entering college, however, now I usually eat it in its ‘fake’ or processed form. I enjoy eating it either way. It is much easier and cheaper for me, as a college student, to buy pineapple in its processed form or in a can. The canned version is also lasts longer than the whole fruit version too. There is less work in preparing it, because all I need is a can opener (unless it’s one of those cool pop-top cans). In comparison to its ‘real’ form, I would need to scrape the outside layer with a knife and cut chunks of the pineapple from around the core.

The processed form of pineapple is usually drenched in syrup or sweetened water. This form of pineapple is much sweeter than natural pineapple due to the added sugar and preservatives. It is also much easier to chew the processed pineapple. Natural pineapple tends to be denser than the canned version. The canned fruit also has a sweeter scent than the real fruit. Processed pineapple also looks a bit different than natural pineapple because it is cut up in uniform pieces. Whereas the natural pineapple is usually cut in chunks (it’s easier that way).

The ‘fake’ version of pineapple does provide essential vitamins and nutrients. It is almost nutritionally equivalent to the ‘real’ form. It doesn’t claim to be better than the real version. Some people may view canned fruit as worse than natural fruit due to the added preservatives and sugar. I believe that I will return to eating the ‘real’ fruit, because it is almost a family tradition to pick pineapples and cut them up together to our desired sized pieces.

I agree with Kristie Leong in that eating canned fruit is more convenient and cheaper than buying the fruit in its natural state. She does acknowledge that canned fruit may have added sugar and preservatives; however, she believes that the advantages of eating canned fruit outweigh the drawbacks.

Peer Response for Laura's Blog

Laura explains the effective endorsement of beer by super stud, Lance Armstrong. She explains how he is a great celebrity to endorse anything, because he has a reputation of being physically fit and many people supported his “Livestrong” campaign. The beer he advertises is Michelob Ultra Light Beer. Laura quotes Lance’s opinion of the beer and how he honestly likes to drink it on occasion, therefore, is proud to support it. Lance portrays the image of a healthy, well rounded human being, which is why his endorsement for a light beer seems believable.

I enjoyed Laura’s post on Lance Armstrong’s alcoholic endorsement. I find it amusing and odd for a professional athlete to sign a market deal with an alcoholic beverage company. She chose a very interesting topic and supported it well with her link to www.nysportsjournalism.com. The article on this webpage explains in detail about Armstrong’s endorsement of the alcoholic beverage. It begins by explaining how it may seem unusual that an athlete as popular as Armstrong would promote alcohol. It also explains how the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball do not allow their athletes to sign marketing deals with alcoholic beverage companies. I can understand why this is, because I know that these pro sports represent total fitness and wellbeing: and alcohol is not something that most people would think of as healthy. However, this article explains that Michelob Ultra stresses the point that its beer is so light in calories, that it is the perfect choice for people who are into health and fitness. Michelob is honored to have Armstrong as their spokesman, because he has dominated in his sport for years and he can relate to people who are active but do enjoy a nice cold beer once in a while.

Sexual Education

Should sex ed. be taught in schools?

Jessalyn is in favor of sex education in schools. She understands why some people may oppose the idea, however, she realizes that most parents are not equipped enough to be able to scientifically explain everything there is to know about sex. Jessalyn acknowledges the fact that some parents may not know what to do or say when their children begin their stressful teenage years. This may not apply to all parents, however. Some parents know exactly what to say to their children about sex, but the kids are so preoccupied with their own lives that they would rather not talk to mom and dad about the touchy subject.

Alycia, however, is in opposition of sex education in schools. She believes that parents should teach their children about sex, because they have control of the learning environment. She argues that topics relating to sex, like human anatomy, diseases, and human relationships, should be taught in separate, specific, classes. Her belief is that exposing children to sex education will lead to misinformation and/or higher risk of sexual activity of their own.

I believe that Jessalyn’s article is more convincing, because she acknowledges the opposing viewpoints and relates to more people with her argument. Alycia’s article seems very judgmental and criticizing of others; it just felt like she was trying so hard to lay her personal beliefs on everyone. After reading these articles, my opinion of this topic has not changed (probably because the article supporting my opinion seemed more convincing than the other). I believe that sexual education in schools is very important. I understand that parents have a great role in teaching their children about sex; however, there are always opportunities for the kids to learn something else in another environment.

ProActiv Celebrity Endorsement

The skin care system, “Proactiv”, is a prime example of celebrity endorsement. There always seems to be a new spokesperson for this skin care line. Some of these celebrities include; Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, P-Diddy, Alyssa Milano, Julianne Hough, Avril Lavigne, and the list goes on and on. It seems as though Proactive has all the money in the world to give out to celebrities who don’t need it in the first place. The current major celebrity endorsing this product is the singer, Katy Perry.

This product was created by two dermatologists to completely treat any traces of acne. Proactiv comes with three separate treatment bottles. The first bottle is a renewing cleanser, the second is an alcohol free toner, and the third bottle is a light, medicated lotion, designed to unclog pores. A small tube of green tea moisturizer and a refining mask is also part of the Proactiv kit.

In my opinion, there have been too many celebrity endorsers for this product. After seeing all of these celebrities placing this product on a high pedestal, it makes it hard to believe that they are telling the truth. They obviously get paid a lot for praising Proactiv on television commercials. If I knew that none of these celebrities were getting paid to endorse this product, I would actually believe that it is legit. I also feel that if these people are celebrities, they have a lot of money in the first place. Therefore, they have enough money to hire their own dermatologists, rather than try Proactiv. In conclusion, I don’t believe that they have the proper expertise to endorse this product. Even though I don’t believe in these celebrity endorsements; that doesn’t mean that others feel the same way. These advertisements have resulted in high profit sales for Proactiv. Lisa writes about how there is a correlation between the popularity of a celebrity endorser and the product sales. In other words, the more we like the celebrity, the more likely we are to try the product they help advertise. No wonder Proactive hires so many celebrities.

Peer Response #2

I thoroughly enjoyed reading PaNhia’s blog post, “Fresh Spring Rolls”. In this blog, she gives a step by step process for how to make delicious spring rolls. I have never had a spring roll in my life, but after seeing all of the pictures that she posted, I think I’m going to change that very soon. I have only had egg rolls in my time, but like PaNhia states in her blog, “they are much healthier than egg rolls because they are not deep-fried and most of the ingredients are fresh.” That fact alone makes me want to try them. I like how PaNhia lists the ingredients and directions in a well organized fashion. I felt like I was reading a recipe from a cookbook at times. She is very articulate with her directions and clearly numbers and explains each step. She lists her steps in sequential order, which is very helpful for those who want to try her recipe. I also love how she has pictures by most steps, for those people who are visual learners (like me!).

I am not sure if I believe Johnson’s claim that processed foods are just as beneficial to one’s health as fresh food. I understand that not all processed foods are bad for one’s body, but I still believe that food is most nutritious in its raw, natural state. A great majority of processed foods are jam packed with trans fats, sodium, sugars, etc. A high intake and/or combination of any of these may cause an unhealthy body. However, if some processed foods are good for one’s body, I would be very impressed. Being a college student whom enjoys quick, cheap, and storable food, it would be nice to know that at least some of the food I eat is good for my body.

Overall, I really liked PaNhia’s blog post and look forward to reading more from her!

My Self-Evaluation

This blog post is a self evaluation on my demonstration speech on how to make “Puppy Chow”. To be honest, it was very hard for me to watch my own speech on the video. I am my toughest critic and I don’t like to give presentations in the first place. However, my overall performance was not that bad.

I believe my informational content was strong. I explained my topic and how it related to my audience pretty well. Yet, I feel like I could have elaborated more on my topic and how it came to be popular. I had relatively good organization and explained my steps in sequential order. After naming each step, I explained why each step was important.

My physical presentation was my weakest part of the demonstration. When I was up there, I felt as if I had a great physical presentation, however, after reviewing my video, I realized that I lacked much needed energy and enthusiasm. While watching the video, I was pretty bored with my speech; I wonder how the audience felt about it now. Another thing I will try to improve on is the many times I say “Um” while giving a presentation. On a good note, my volume and visibility were perfect. I could clearly hear and see myself on the video. I also kept eye contact with my audience as often as I could. My body language was pretty good; I stood up straight and used my visual aid to my advantage. My physical presentation of the topic was nicely done, overall.

My visual aid was pretty effective. I am a visual person, therefore, I felt that if I brought the ingredients and utensils, that would help my audience better grasp the concept of making the dish. I also believe that my visual aid gave my audience more interest in my topic, than if I would have showed the class through power points or something of the sort.

If I were given the chance to change back time and present the demonstration again, I would most likely choose the same topic. My reason for this is because many people never tried Puppy Chow before and it is very delicious and easy to make. My visual aid would be the same, but I would significantly change the energy in my presentation.

That said, I conclude that my overall demonstration speech on how to make Puppy Chow was good, but could have been much better.

Response to Austin Spohn's Blog

This is my response to, “Planning a Good, Healthy Meal to Savor”, by Austin Spohn. I believe Austin did a phenomenal job with the accurate and detailed steps of preparing his meal. Although, it was a little bit lengthy, I believe the type of meal he planned deserves a well thought out description (which is exactly what he did). I’m not exactly sure if he actually made this meal, however, because he states that this is the meal “I have chosen to plan” and not “I have prepared”. Moreover, the meal he planned is pasta, chicken breast, with a side of freshly boiled green beans. If I were to make this meal, I would most likely not make the green beans, simply because I am not a great fan of them. I have only tried green beans from a can, however, I am always willing to try the fresh ones. Anyhow, during my reading of his blog, I became very hungry. I love food. But I guess the better question is, “Who doesn’t love food!?” I hope my future husband can cook. =]
I enjoyed how Austin explains each step in detail, because that would help me out if I ever were to make this meal myself. He also places each step in chronological order, which allows a person to do the same while using his recipe. I agree with his statement about the importance of “getting the timing right on all aspects or you may be waiting on one thing to finish and the food can get cold.” This statement is very true. I have sadly made that mistake plenty of times. Good thing someone invented the microwave! I also like how he mentions several times within his blog that one shall be careful when cooking with raw meat. He reminds us to sanitize all areas with which the raw chicken came in contact with and to wash our hands. Many people forget that raw meat may carry bacteria and parasites that can make us sick if we intake that into our bodies. Finally, I agree with his opinion about the clean-up being the worst part! In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Austin’s blog about preparing a healthy meal.

Delicioso!!

The meal that I chose to prepare for my friends is Enchiladas Con Arroz, a traditional Mexican dish. This meal is one of my childhood favorites. Traditional food is a large part of my culture and this dish is a great representation of the delicious kinds of food we make.


The preparation for this meal included measuring each ingredient, finding the right pots and utensils, pre-heating the oven, and cooking two cups of chicken breast.


First I will begin with explaining how I prepared an authentic side dish of Mexican rice (arroz). I used a large pot (with a cover), one small pot, a blender, wooden spoons, and a platter. The ingredients I used are: one large tomato, plenty of water (~10 cups) 1/4th garlic clove, 1/3rd onion, half a cup of vegetable oil, one cup of rice, and two cubes of seasoning preferably Knorr* Brand name. The first step is to boil a pot of water and add the tomato. After the tomato was boiled, I pureed it in the blender with the garlic clove and the onion. After they were mixed in the blender, I got the cup of rice and brownd it in some heated oil in a large frying pan. Once the rice was golden brown, I drained the oil out of the pan. Next, I mixed the pureed ingredients into the pan of rice. After that, I filled up the pot 3/4ths of the way with hot water. I then added in a cube of chicken broth seasoning, and a cube of tomato seasoning. I then stirred the mixture while it boiled so the rice didn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. The heat was then lowered and I let it simmer for about twenty minutes. I checked to see if more water was needed. (You will know by seeing how much water soaked into the grains of rice, and tasting the rice to see if it is tender.) The rice was tender, therefore I have completed my rice making mission. This rice is an excellent side dish to almost any meal. Rice is a very famous side dish in Mexican homes and restaurants.


While the rice was simmering, I began to make the main dish- Enchiladas. Yum. I used two large mixing bowls, a shallow baking dish, a wooden spoon, aluminum foil, and an oven. The ingredients necessary for this dish are: one can of condensed cream of chicken soup, one 8 ounce container of sour cream, one cup of Picante sauce, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 2 cups of chopped and cooked chicken, one cup of shredded cheese(any kind will work-I used Mozzarella cheese), and a pack of large flour tortillas. The first step I did was open the can of condensed cream of chicken soup. I mixed the soup, sour cream, Picante sauce and chili powder in a bowl. In another bowl, I mixed one cup of that mixture with the chicken and cheese. In each tortilla I spread the chicken and cheese mixture (about 4 tablespoons in each tortilla). After rolling up each tortilla, I placed them in the baking dish. The rest of the Picante sauce was poured over all of the rolled up tortillas and I sprinkled some cheese on top. I baked the dish for about half an hour in the oven at 350 degrees. I served the enchiladas with rice on the side, and topped them with sour cream and chopped tomatoes.




After savoring the delicious meal, my friends and I cleaned the dishes and table. I felt very satisfied after making and eating this meal. Knowing that I can prepare a traditional Mexican meal makes me happy. Although this meal cannot compare to my mother’s food or grandmother’s style of food, I was overall content with my final dish. My friends also enjoyed the food, because most of them have never tried a homemade Mexican meal before.


After reading chapter 1, section 7 of In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollen, he makes the point that us Americans have evolved in the way we eat. We are more concerned with getting cheap, fast food, rather than making our own delicious meals. I agree with Pollen, because whenever I go to other countries, I notice a great difference in how people eat their food. For example, when I go to Mexico, my family always takes the time to prepare meals and dine with everyone at the table. It is very rare for them to buy already-made and processed foods. I appreciate their time and effort into making each meal as special and delicious as possible. Addie supports my opinion about the importance of making meals at home rather than eating out.

Response to In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

In the first four chapters of Michael Pollan’s, In Defense of Food, he focuses on the nutrition of ‘food substitutes’. He explains how people are drawn into buying foods that are advertised as being healthier than their originals. Examples include; cereal, bread, butter, etc. Pollan also explains the difficulties with depicting how each individual chemical ingredient will react to the human body. It is not simple to identify what these ingredients will do in terms of health.

In chapter three, Pollan uses margarine as a prime example to the beginning of food substitutes. In 1938, it was banned to make imitation products; however, it is very common to find these kinds of products everywhere on grocery store shelves. Pollan makes the debate that products that are labeled as ‘low-fat’ or ‘low-carb’, are less nutritional for humans than the average product. He believes that even though organic, simple, foods are not as advertised to the public as imitations, they are the most beneficial to one’s health. He argues that ignorance about the food we eat is the reason why America is overweight and unhealthy. Sarah Hutson agrees with this idea in her blog about In Defense of Food.

I agree with Pollan one hundred percent about the fact that ‘real food’ is being replaced by ‘nutrients’. However, I admit my guilt for choosing chemically enhanced foods over whole, natural, foods. It seems like the healthier choice to do so at times. I realize that it doesn’t take much for me to become influenced by product labels. If a label states that it is low-fat, I would most likely choose that product over a similar (higher fat content) product.

I also agree with the argument that Pollan makes about the importance of simple foods. Many people have forgotten about how past generations ate. Obesity was not a common characteristic in America’s early age. Chemically altered foods were not in the norm for many of our ancestors. We must learn how they ate and learn from our own mistakes.