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Fast food has become a staple in most American diets.  Even if it's just a once a week dare I say "treat" as some parents would call it.

If you were to prepare a special treat for your child at home, would it contain dimethylpolysiloxane, an anti-foaming agent made of silicone, in it?  What about tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a chemical preservative so deadly that just five grams can kill you?  Probably NOT!

These are 2 ingredients found in the McDonald's Chicken Nugget. Only 50% of the chicken nugget is actually chicken, the rest of it is fillers and chemicals.  Ordering chicken nuggets is nowhere close to frying chicken yourself at home. 

Federal Judge Robert Sweet said it best in 2003: "Chicken McNuggets, rather than being merely chicken fried in a pan, are a McFrankenstein creation of various elements not utilized by the home cook."

Eating fast food twice a week doubles your risk of developing insulin resistance, which is the primary underlying cause of most of the diseases we struggle with like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. 

Food for thought:  Making smart food decisions can literally "override" genetic predispositions for disease, on the flip side making poor choices will alter your bodies DNA and will set your child and even your future grandchildren up for poor health down the road.

 
Eat Frozen Yogurt
I love frozen treats in the middle of summer.  I was raised on Root Beer Floats and Ice Cream both of which are loaded with refined sugars and other junk...this is not a good thing. 

I was on the hunt for a yummy frozen yogurt treat for the girls with NO REFINED SUGAR that my happy helpers could easily make with me AND be palatable for picky eaters. 

I modified a recipe from the Chobani website: 

Frozen Yogurt
                     
   1 Cup of plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
   1 Cup of organic frozen berries 
   1 Tablespoon of Raw Honey

Put all into a blender.  I had to let the ingredients sit out and thaw for about 15 minutes before blending.  But I don't have the best blender, so you may be able to blend right away.  

Zoku Frozen Treats
Then I poured the mixture into my instant Popsicle maker, and in about 7 minutes we were eating treats!  I just got this for my birthday last weekend and this was my first time using it.  It's pretty awesome!

However, if you don't have one of these don't worry!  You can buy the Popsicle molds anywhere; it will just take about 6 hours to freeze them so plan ahead.  Or you can use little plastic cups, insert Popsicle stick, and freeze.

These are very healthy foods for your body.  Not only is there no refined ingredients, but it will give you 6 grams of fiber, protein, vitamins, antioxidants, phytonutrients, live cultures, and lots of other good healthy benefits.

Disclaimer: Never feed honey to a child less than 1 year of age.

 
Honey Jar
~HONEY~

I was purchasing some Raw Honey from my local farmers market a couple of weeks ago and asked how long it would be good for since I was buying the biggest jar he had.  He said...Never. 

Honey has no expiration date.  So don't be afraid to save a little by buying the bigger jar :) 

I'm already half way through it!  I've been using it to cook with as an alternative to refined sugar.  I encourage you to do the same!

 
Tomato Pasta
With all the brilliant tomatoes I saw at my local farmers market I began to hunt for a new recipe.  I came across this fast & fresh recipe by Francis Lam (Amazing Photography by Max Kelly).

This recipe is perfect for picky eaters...it's bright, colorful, and it has pasta in it :)  Tomatoes are naturally sweet and packed with nutrients.  If you have a really picky eater, use a spoon to scrape out the seeds on the inside.  That will make the texture less "slimy".  Don't forget to let your happy helpers help you make it :)

Summer Tomato Pasta

Serves  2-4, depending on how much you like the sound of slurping

The tomatoes, of course, are the point of this dish. If you have seriously sweet, ripe, juicy tomatoes, smelling as good as girls before the prom, they’re going to do all the work for you. But if your tomatoes aren’t fantastic, well, to be honest, I’d suggest finding a different recipe for dinner.

2 ½ pounds of the ripest tomatoes you can find (a mix of varieties is really nice)

2 handfuls of tender young arugula or flavorful greens of your choice (about 2 loose cups, but whatever)

Scant ¼ cup shaved red onion or shallot, as thin as you can cut it

1 pound spaghetti or linguine

Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Red wine vinegar, to taste (optional)

Parmigiano cheese, to taste


  1. Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch pieces or so, and place, with all their juices, in a large bowl. (Big enough to fit everything in the recipe, plus with lots of room to stir.) Season them generously with salt and pepper, and a millionaire’s splash or two of the nicest olive oil you have. Stir together, and give it a taste. If everything is sweet and lovely but could use just a little more brightness, splash in a little vinegar, too.

2. Bring a gallon of water to a boil, and add enough salt so that it tastes almost like the sea. Add the pasta and stir.

3.  While the pasta is cooking, lay the greens on top of the tomatoes, and then the onion or shallot slices. Try to arrange them so that they’re in one even layer, so that when you pile the pasta on, the heat will take the raw edge off the onion, and gently wilt the greens underneath. Ingenious, no?

4.  When the pasta is cooked to a perfect al dente, drain it and dump it in the bowl. Now wait! Don’t touch it for two minutes. While you’re waiting, you can grate on the cheese, or, if you really want to get sexy, shave it on in long, thin ribbons that will melt into chewy strands. After two minutes, get in there and give it all a serious stir; the starch from the pasta actually helps to emulsify the oil into the tomato juices, creating a sauce. Taste it, adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, olive oil, or vinegar, and serve right away. You’ve waited long enough!


If you would like to view the whole article and recipe here is the link: http://gi.lt/ov1c3v
 
About a month ago I posted The Silent Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup.  It's a topic I am super passionate about and my mission is to bring awareness to parents.  Reading food labels is so incredibly important, it could even save your life and the life of your kid's.  Your kid's are not old enough to know what is good for their bodies, so it's up to you...as the parent to make sure you educate them about food.

Do what you can now to protect them and give them the life skills they will use to lead healthy lives. 

I came across an article today by a doctor I've come to really look up to and respect.  He details the "5 Reasons High Fructose Corn Syrup Will Kill You"  I'm sharing it with you, to hopefully make you more aware of the real threat this is for you and your kid's.

http://bit.ly/pR9uJ3  <------------Here is the Link for the 5 reasons.

Here to help,
Angela
 
I found this article published today.  I was inspired by the story because it's about how everyday people are stepping up to shape up the future of America's children.

It points to a statistic I've known to be true as of a couple of years ago and I think about it everyday and I think it's one you should keep top of mind when you are choosing what to feed your family.

 Our kid's are on track to live shorter lives than us, their parents.  It's already happening.

It's not just that they are going to live shorter lives, but they will have more pain, illness and disease to deal with, which is why they will die at younger ages. 

Here is the good news!!  We don't have to sit back and watch.  There are things we can do NOW to impact their lives later and help them avoid pain and illness altogether.

It starts with healthy eating.  If you are having trouble getting your kid's to eat healthier options, it's time to get help.  Fill out the form on the right side of this screen for your free Change your Food Change you Future guide ---->

Here is the full link to the article: http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-8943-moving-kids-from-fat-to-fit.html

 
So the main problem is kid's are taught very early that food should be fast and convenient, the second is they are taught that because that is what their parents were taught.  It all boils down to a lack of education. 

I think most parents think it's the job of the schools to teach nutrition but what many fail to realize is even if the schools are teaching nutrition it does not automatically lead to a healthy lifestyle.  Healthy children start in the home and MUCH earlier than most think.  Cooking at home, eating together as a family starts at infancy.

One other point about education is people have no idea where their food comes from.  How it got there?  Where did it come from?  How does a hamburger from McDonald's taste the same all over the world from Cali?  Why do baby carrots deceivingly look so small and cute? Be curious, ask questions, read labels.

Click on the link for the full article:

http://www.parentdish.com/2011/07/26/kids-eating-more-and-more-meals-away-from-home/1#c34592909

Can't get your kid's to eat fruits & veggies?  Lucky for you I have super powers to help...and a free report, instruction manual really.  Fill out the form on the right side bar and it's yours!  All my best, Angela  ------->