Kale is loaded with nutrients that feed your blood, bones, ears, eyes, hair, heart, lungs, muscles, nails, nerves, skin and teeth.  Most turn away from this curly coarse leafy green not having a clue that it can be so easy to cook for taste appeal.  All you do is cut away the center vein, chop it up finely and stir- fry in garlic sauteed in olive oil.  Spruce it up with a little sea salt and lemon juice.  Here's the key.  Serve just a small spoonful at first.  Never overwhelm new tasters with full servings. Add leftover little bits in casseroles, meat loafs, soups, and an omelette.  Cook up a bunch and freeze some for later use.  This is one inexpensive way to power up your family with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, detox and anti-cancer properties. Go buy some this week. You are going to be pleasantly surprised.

… for the health of your family,
ellen
 

It's summer so why not cave and eat that ice cream cone, strawberry shortcake, drink lots of ice cold pink lemonade?  After all, its hot out and don't you deserve some sugar fun?  I would agree that an occasional summer treat is in order.  My choice is real, not dyed green, mint chocolate chip ice cream.  However, I don't want to play with fire, the diabetes and debilitating related diseases consequences.  Problem is, sugar is not just in treats.  It is a dominant player in processed foods such as ketchup and flavored yogurts.  How much should you have?  Woman, about 6 teaspoons a day.  Children, about 4 teaspoons daily. Sound reasonable?  Note: 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon.  BBQ sauce (1/2 cup) has 33 grams = more than 8 teaspoons of sugar.  A fat-free fruit yogurt may have 47 grams – almost 12 teaspoons of sugar.  And that delicious pink (dyed) lemonade?  1 cup contains 25 grams or over 6 teaspoons, more than you daily limit.  How many of you drink just one cup on a hot day?  Get my point?  So how do your humble your sugar cravings?  Be aware and eat less.  By the way, protein is known to diminish your desire for sweets.  Eat nuts, seeds, cheese, slices of meat or hummus to manage your sugar intake.  Then once in awhile, have that ice cream cone!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Another sweepstakes prize combination: Win a Case of 6 oz. (large) bags of Pizza Veggie Stix with the generous addition of the Veggie Tales DVD, "The Princess and the Pop Star."  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes.  Enter more than once to up your odds!

    Sugar Cane Crystals (not bleached)

Some restaurants and packaged food companies are “bowing to consumer concerns about HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and replacing the sweetener with sugar…. It’s so hard. It’s in everything.” True. From ketchup to oyster crackers, HFCS has been the sweetener of choice for decades. Finally, many are waking up to the reality this needs to stop due to the research associating it with cancer and more. Sugar cane crystals are still sugar but are at least less processed. This change will up their prices since part of the appeal of HFCS was how cheap it was as an ingredient. Still, this is a good move and you can thank those who spoke up and said, “We don’t want it.” Keep speaking out…

… for the health of your family,
ellen

* Katy McLaughlin, “Sweet Revenge, Chefs Pour on the Sugar,” Wall Street Journal, 7/6 11, p. D1.

Though microwave ovens are time-saving machines, they are very costly in the long run.  You won't find one in my home.

Read this article is from Dr. Mercola's website: www.mercola.com.  "I am not a fan of cooking foods in the microwave for a number of reasons, which I've covered extensively in this past article. Microwaved food has been associated with the following problems:

·         Causes your food to vibrate at very high frequencies, changing your food's chemical structure, structurally deforming its molecules and potentially making nutrients unrecognizable and unusable by your body.

·         Creates the formation of free radicals and carcinogenic molecules.

·         May result in actual changes to cellular DNA.

·         May corrupt or destroy biophotons (light energy in living food).

·         Some microwave ovens leak microwave radiation into the surrounding environment.

If you want to make use of your microwave, use it to clean your dishrags and sponges, but not to prepare food for your family."

For more information, go to his website.  He spells out why plastics are problem, especially in microwave ovens.  Don't fool yourself.  There's a reason cancer and neural diseases are on the rise.  Face these truths and rid yourself of the microwave habit.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Quite frankly, I don’t know anyone who is not aging, me included!  It really starts in your 30s.  Bernat Meltzer, MD, author and wellness expert ,will clue in to what you should do in your thirties, forties, fifties to minimize and manage aging and its health consequences.  Tune in on Friday, June 3rd at Noon EDT for 30 minutes of invaluable advice that’s free!  Go to www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com or look for this interview later on iTunes: Better Food Choices.  It’s a podcast  – convenient! 

… for the health of families,
ellen

  Organic Strawberries!

The Dirty Dozen – fruits and vegetables are known to have too many pesticides: Apples, Celery, Cherries, Grapes (imported) , Lettuce, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Potatoes, Spinach, Strawberries, Sweet bell peppers. Notice, they all have thin skins so they more prone to absorbing unwanted chemicals.  You have to decide how important the health of your family is to you when you are buying any of these fresh foods.  Organic spinach, celery, lettuce, and apples are more reasonably priced and can be found easily in the stores.  Berries are so tempting.  Do your best.  Buy organic, or buy local, or buy from your grocery store and eat fewer less frequently. Pay a little more now or a lot more later for illnesses related to pesticides and other sprayed chemicals not meant for human consumption. Better food choices provides you with long term inexpensive health insurance!

…  for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Because Omega 3s are potent brain food and a major contributor to anti-inflammation and thus the prevention of auto-immune diseases such as cancer, a few extra pennies for this peanut butter is worth it.  And organic means it is created to be free of those potentially damaging pesticides, herbicides and other unwanted chemicals. When price is an issue, we always say, a little goes a long way.  This is especially true about this nutrient packed peanut butter by Once Again.  The Kid Kritics couldn’t get enough of it.  Add it to your grocery list.  WIN some – www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes!!!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Look for the complete Kid Kritics Approved Grocery List on www.KidKritics.com

Food companies are jumping on the appeal of  sugar and salt flavor combinations.  This flavor profile is a recipe for obesity… and other illnesses.  Outsmart them and don’t buy such products they will sell in stores and at fast-food restaurants.  Instead, stick to fresh foods and season them yourself with a little sea sale or sugar. 

… for the health of families,
ellen and sally

… for the health of families,

ellen and sally