Are You Counting Calories?

Who hasn't spent way too much moolah on a box of those cleverly packaged 100-calorie baglettes of cookies or crackers? Even though you know they cost roughly twice what a regular bag does -- not to mention that all of that packaging is a mini environmental disaster -- they do limit temptation.

Save your dough and satisfy your snack attacks with one of these treats. Lots are single servings; nearly all the rest can be popped into snack-size plastic bags and thrown into a pocket or backpack. No willpower needed.

5 Hershey's dark chocolate Kisses or, if chocolate's gotta be Dove for you, 2 Dove Promise dark chocolate miniatures
2 fresh figs or 1 juicy pear
English muffin toasted with just enough cheddar to meltingly cover the top
1 heaping cup of cherries or 12 dried apricot halves
12 almonds
1 Dannon Light & Fit Raspberry Smoothie
1 Klondike Slim-a-Bear fudge bar or 2 Dole frozen fruit juice bars
48 Rold Gold pretzel sticks
1 Starbucks 8-ounce Caramel Macchiato, made with nonfat milk

And if you're pregnant and craving nothing but pickles, you can happily munch and crunch through 8 medium dills.

Olive Oil: What are the Benefits?

While I was reading something from Mayo Clinic.com, I came across this one about Olive Oil and thought of sharing it with you all. I use Olive Oil a lot when cooking and making salad dressing; it is healthier and good for my family's ealth. Here it is...

What are the health benefits of olive oil? Is extra-virgin oil better than regular olive oil?
Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer
When cooking with fats, olive oil is a healthy choice. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, which can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol levels in your blood. In contrast, saturated and trans fats — such as butter, tropical oils and hydrogenated margarines — increase your risk of heart disease by increasing your total and LDL cholesterol levels.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consuming about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day may reduce your risk of heart disease. You can get the most benefit by substituting olive oil for saturated fats rather than just adding more olive oil to your diet. All types of olive oil provide monounsaturated fat, but "extra-virgin" or "virgin" olive oils are the least processed forms. As a result, they contain the highest levels of polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant.

What Type of Soccer Mom are you?

I have seen all the videos about the The Sproutwells , who are just typical fruits and vegetables trying to fit into human’s world. This episode is all about the sprout wells at the soccer ball games where Ruby is in one of the team. It is a funny episode you wouldn’t want to miss.
Anyway, I am not yet the one they called “crazy soccer mom.” But I heard about a soccer mom who went crazy during her son’s games to the point that she almost attacks the referee. It was so hilarious that her son was embarrassed and went home without finishing the game.

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