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!

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!

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.

There are cookies and then there are cookies!  Snackimals are made with your children’s health  in mind.  No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or trans fats.  Full of natural, organic and non-GMO ingredients.  Also full of flavor! The animals are so well carved you can easily identify them providing major kid appeal. They come in lunch box sizes for travel snacks.  Healthier Recipe Moms have used cookies in parfaits and as pie crusts… take a look at some of their recipes, www.KidKritics.com. When it is time for treats, Snackimals are a great choice.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

What would you do with a whole case of Classic Macaroni and Cheese by Annie’s Homegrown? Enter to win and then let us know!  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today and tomorrow… until Sunday night.

Reminder: After products and recipes meet our Family Food Experts Ingredient Standards set by our board of noted health professionals, kids blind taste test them and decide which ones to award their Kid Kritics Approved Seal.  Because they are now deemed healthier and kids like them, we feel compelled to share this news with you.  Now you can serve your family healthier foods odds are they will love.

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.

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.

Are your paying more or less for a granola bar than a banana? Which one has better nutrient value?  Your answers lead to the ultimate question, “Which is the Best Buy?” Look forward to hearing your opinion!

… for the health of families,
ellen

Want to Win a whole case of Chocolate Energy Bites by Greens+?  Then go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes.  Enter more than once to up your odds!

Serve these “Top Super Foods for Super Immunity” to your family to prevent them from getting sick: Kale/collards, mustard greens, Arugula/watercress, Green lettuce/cabbage, Broccoli/brussels sprouts, Carrots/tomatoes, Onions/garlic, Mushrooms, Pomegranates, Berries (all types), Seeds (flax, chia, sesame, sunflower).  Thank you Joel Fuhrman, MD., from his new book  Super Immunity.

Now you are probably thinking there is no way my family will eat some of these, especially those at the top of this list.  It’s time to open your mind to buying kale and collards, rinse and chop them finely, then stir fry some with olive oil, onions, garlic and sea salt. Add it few squirts of lemon juice if you like.  The way you get around the texture issue is to slice these greens into little bits. Then serve just a little at first, maybe a tablespoon size.  Stir some into a rice dish  or casserole.  Be inventive and know your effort has a big healthy payoff.   Please don’t shy away from brussels sprouts.  They are best when bought still on their stem.  Slice them in half or quarters and again stir fry them as recommended for kale.

I suspect the rest of this list is not so foreign to you.  Do not overlook the delicious fun offered by Pomegranates.  Quarter them, then have your kids remove the white flesh and pull out the yummy little red “berries.”  They can eat them right away or you could save some for salads.

Bottom line,  Dr. Joel Fuhrman has given you the secret to avoiding sick days.  Use it!   (By the way, you will save money by eating fresh produce over processed foods.)

… for the health or your family,
ellen

Chocolate Energy Bites (Greens+) are loaded with Superfoods and kids love them.  Enter to Win a Case.  Please go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today!