Since you heart is pumping hard to push blood through about 60,000 miles of blood vessels  a day, wouldn’t it be a good idea to feed this muscle its needed fuel? Dr. Heather shares what she feeds her family of four so all stay healthy and function at their best.  Good fats (Omega-3s) were tops on her list.  Putting flax seed oil with heart healthy blueberries and other fruit into smoothies is a daily event for breakfast or snacks.  Avocados in salads or Guacamole are frequently consumed by her family.  Grass-fed beef and eggs are commonly found on their plates for dinner and other meals.  One of her young daughter’s was making scrambled eggs with spinach and cheese for her breakfast while we were on the air.  It’s not that hard!

To hear all of Dr. Manley’s Heart Health interview, please go to the www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com archived shows, or, www.iTunes.com, Podcast, Better Food Choices and click on the Feb. 3rd, 2012 show. PLEASE, avoid having any heart disease statistics in your family.  Listen to Dr. Heather Manley.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Chocolate lovers, enter to Win a Case of Chocolate Walnut Cookies, Sugar Free, by Joseph’s Lite Cookies.  This is a great opportunity for those diagnosed as pre-Diabetic or Diabetic, or for those who want to avoid either diagnosis.  Joseph made them especially for you.  Go to www. KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today.  Enter more than once to up your winning odds.

Every week we teach kids how to Fuel Their Dreams.  This week we focused on what foods feed their brains. After giving them some cool brain facts, we made a recipe that feeds it.  Look at this  photo of one of the boys making “BaNilla Berry Smoothie.”  The brain foods used were yogurt, banana, blueberrries and raspberries.  All the kids were licking every drop in and on their cups.  Big Success!  For recipe details, please go to www.KidKritics.com. Then click on the Breakfast recipe icon. You will find it listed there.  This is an easy one. Let your kids make it!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Don’t forget to enter to Win a Case of Chocolate Walnut Cookies, Sugar-Free by Joseph’s Lite Cookies.  Simply go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today and tomorrow!

They went from Junk Food to Real Food and now swear by it. One boy was 16 and always “starving.”  The other was an overweight college kid.  And they have a dad with Type 2 diabetes.  Mom thought she was feeding her family good food but after a dinner with me, she realized Jello and other processed foods she was serving were counter-nourishing her family. Her turnaround story is brilliant. A first bit of advice is, “You can’t tell them. You must show them.”  If you want to be inspired and learn how overnight everyone of them voluntarily bought into her changes, listen to Vickie Peaire tell her story.  Go to www. BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com (date: Jan 27, 2012) and listen or find it on iTunes, Podcast, Better Food Choices.  You will be SO glad your did!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Save money and Win a Case of Classic Macaroni and Cheese by Annie’s Homegrown.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes before Sunday night.

The government is setting new school lunch nutrition requirements:  Establish maximum calorie and sodium limits.  Serve a fruit and vegetable every day in larger portions.  Offer a minimum number of leafy green vegetables, red-orange vegetables, starchy vegetables and legumes each week.  After 2 years, all grains must be rich in whole grains such as brown rice.  Breads, buns, cereals and pastas must list whole grain as 1st ingredient. Milk must be either low-fat (1%) or fat-free.  Flavored milk must now be fat-free.  No trans- fats.

Cost – 11 cents more per lunch. Who is going to pay for this?  Government will give schools 6 cents more per lunch.  The additional 5 cents will have to come from states and local taxes it seems. What are you paying for each lunch at your children’s school?

We are pleased with these positive changes.  There are two possible problems to address.  One: the government has no money.  We are in serious debt.  Two: kids have to like these foods.  With the right cafeteria managers and chefs, this is possible.  To limit their other choices is critical.  Kids will eat healthier foods if they taste good.

Best possible school lunch – probably the one you make at home for your kids to take to school.  That is why we give you Lunch Box menus in our Family Food Newsletter.  Sign up to receive it twice a month. www.KidKritics.com.

… for the health of families,
ellen

Mac and Cheese – all natural, no artificial anything, no Trans Fats. Win a whole case by Annie’s Homegrown.  Add some carrots or peas and a few parsley and paprika flakes. Put some in thermos for school lunch.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today!

Oh Boy is this good!  All you do is blend almond milk, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg until frothy.  Serve cold or warm. Cinnamon alone feeds your brain, blood, bones, eyes, heart, lungs, and skin.  Add all the nutrients from nutmeg, almond milk and raw honey (that’s the kind of honey we recommend) and you have a blockbuster new drink for your kids and you!  For details, go to www.KidKritics.com where this recipe is featured on the home page – easy to find. We have Healthier Recipe Mom, Emily, to thank for this delectable drink!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Ready to Win a Case of Classic Macaroni and Cheese by Annie’s Homegrown?  “No artificial anything” – a good thing.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today.  Enter more than once to up your odds.

Bet you rarely or never eat beets.  Am I right or wrong? Here’s why you should – they feed your Blood, Heart, Lungs, Mouth/Teeth, Muscles, Nerves and Skin. The easiest way to favorably prepare and serve them is to shred them raw.  Those little slivers add fabulous color to salads and sandwiches.  Yet, the taste is very mild since you they are reduced to little strands.  Roasted and grilled beets can be delicious.  Again, the key is to serve them in small slices.  My latest favorite salad is one with small chunks of purple and golden beets accompanied by greens, bits of walnuts, goat cheese and here’s the drum-roll, roasted garlic bud. Please, open your mind to bringing beets into your monthly menus for flavor and nutrient variety.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

How to Choose Nut Butters:
ADDRESS ALLERGENS by reading for peanut butter ingredients or exposure during processing.  This helps those with and without PB allergies.
ORGANIC or NATURAL: Certified Organic means fields, plants/trees and processing meet strict organic standards… as good as it gets.  Natural may or may not mean void of unhealthy ingredients.  Know your source.
READ INGREDIENTS: one or two ingredients is enough for good nut butters. Avoid added stabilizers, sweeteners and oils.
RAW or ROASTED: Raw means no heat application which alters nutrients such as essential fatty acids – essential for your body’s cellular production.  Roasted uses heat for this adjusted flavor.  The less the better which is why Lightly Roasted is a good choice.
NUT VARIETIES: Almond, Cashew, Walnut, Pecan, Macadamia and even Coconut are alternatives to Peanut Butter. Those taste tested by the Kid Kritics were big hits!

This and so much more was shared by today’s radio guest, Co-Founder and President of the Artisana brand, Santiago Cuenca-Romero.  Listen to all he had to say, www.iTunes, Podcast, “Better Food Choices.” Very interesting guy!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Be the one who Wins the Case of Chocolate Energy Bites by Greens+.  Enter by going to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes. They are perfect for kids… just ask the Kid Kritics.

Easy and super tasty! All you add is a little milk of choice, butter and Parmesan cheese to this Alfredo Sauce Mix (Simply Organic).  Stir and done.  Their added flavorings make this the ideal sauce to quickly spruce up a dinner.  Make Alfredo pasta, beans, broccoli, peas, carrots, eggplant, potatoes, chicken, turkey, fish, even pizza.  When you get home from a busy day, grab your basics and add this sauce mix, cook and serve.  You’ll even impress yourself!

…  for the health of families,
ellen

Will I be calling you next week to say, “You Won a case of Chocolate Energy Bites (Greens+)!”  These are nutrient packed superfoods disguised so well with their chocolate coating that kids think they’re treats.  Enter to win, www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today.  Enter more than once to up your odds!

Thank heavens it's grapefruit season! Devour their sections and drink their juices to fuel your Brain, Blood, Bones, Ears, Eyes, Hair, Lungs, Mouth/Teeth, Nails, Nerves and Nose (sense of smell)!  One of the most important tools in my kitchen is the knife you use to slice away the natural sections after you cut a grapefruit in half.  This makes it easy to consume the fruit's flesh and drink the juices. Or just slice into sections as shown in this picture.  I just love to bite into them, have the juices squirt around in my mouth and witness my taste buds having a sweet and sour party!  Sections in fruit and vegetables salads are delicious.  For some, juicing is preferred.  Ruby red grapefruits are my favorites. Maybe this is because we were served them when I was growing up. Please introduce them to your children.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

It just makes me mad.  Plain yogurt is healthy.  It is what many food companies do to it that makes it unhealthy. You think yogurt with fruit on the bottom is healthy – too many have more sugar than a candy bar.  Watch for the amount of sugar and ingredients in all flavored yogurts. Better to buy plain and add your own fresh or frozen fruit.  Bottled drinkable yogurts/smoothies may have as many calories as an ice cream dessert.  Again, it is all the added ingredients used to make it that are collectively unhealthy.  Instead, make you own yogurt smoothies with fresh fruit.  Frozen yogurt is mostly misleading as to its health benefits.  By the time it is flavored and sprinkled with toppings, you are really looking at an ice cream sundae.  Please watch out for sugar and fat-free versions.  Artificial ingredients are the worst!  Now you know not to be fooled by some food companies.  Outsmart them with your knowledge – Buy Smart.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Today, enter to win a book and a case of supplements, both for your children. Battle with the Bugs, written by Dr. Heather Manley is part of her Human Detective Series – it’s a brilliant educational story.  Yummi Bears Organic Immunity Shield by Hero Nutritionals are created to help protect cold and flu bugs from your children.  Perfect time of year for these prizes.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes.  Enter more than once to up your odds!