Turn the package of your chocolate over and if you see Alkali listed in the ingredients, throw it out.  Better yet, don’t buy it. When the “Dutch” alkali process is used, it removes all of cocoa’s naturally beneficial nutrients.  The reason chocolate manufacturers do this is because they are using cocoa from trees grown in an acidic soil which makes it bitter.  Then, more sugar, often corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup is added to sweeten up this useless mess.

You want chocolate made from cocoa beans grown from trees rooted in alkaline soil.  Less sugar is needed due to its naturally wonderful chocolate flavor.  All those satiating up-lifting antoxidant nutrients are there for you to enjoy.  How do we know this? We interviewed Mark Ebling from Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier which began making cocoa for King Louis XIV in 1668.  Bissinger’s knows chocolate.  To learn more about chocolate from Mark  – it was fascinating… go to www.iTunes.com, Podcast, Better Food Choices.  Make sure your chocolate money is well spent enjoy!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

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.

Spelt Spaghetti is as good as it gets! The grain spelt has been grown for thousands of years in Europe. In this country, Spelt used to be grown by the hundreds of thousands of acres. Increased mechanization made it an impractical crop, and it was replaced by wheat. Now Spelt is making a big comeback in the United States. It has a rich, nutty flavor and a smoother texture, containing a “balanced” protein made up of all 8 essential amino acids your body requires. Plus, it is more easily digested than wheat. All other pasta will taste boring after you enjoy some made with spelt. The Kid Kritics LOVED it.  So will yours.  Put this on your grocery list!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Want to win a whole case of Chocolate Walnut Cookies, Sugar Free by Joseph’s Lite Cookies ? Enter the Kid Kritics Approved Food Giveaway Sweepstakes.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today.  Up your odds by entering more than once!

Surprised? Mixing black beans with chocolate? We worked with this recipe until it knocked our socks off! Added protein, less sugar, no flour, no dairy, and lots of dark chocolate. Gluten-free, Wheat-Free, Dairy-free. Jaimie, our R.D. chef, figured out how to make this combination into a fudge brownie. Try it. It is the featured recipe on www.KidKritics.com – easy to find, easy to prepare. Make it your family’s Valentine Day treat – cut them into heart shapes.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

How would you like a case of Chocolate Walnut Cookies, Sugar Free, by Joseph’s Lite Cookies delivered to your door? Enter to win by going to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today!

Yes, they are as good as they look!

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.