Edamame, Millet & Cabbage Salad

Here's a nice salad with a hearty mix of ingredients. It's easy to throw together and you can substitute for ingredients you may not have on hand. For example, use maple syrup if you don't have coconut palm sugar, quinoa if you don't have millet and even garbanzo beans (chickpeas) if you don't have edamame.

If you use edamame, remember to get organic otherwise it will surely be genetically modified (GM) soy. And you do not want to eat GM anything.

A little word of caution about chili powder. Use an amount that fits with how much kick you'd like in the dressing. Remember that 1 teaspoon of chili powder of one brand may have a totally different heat level than another. So portion your measurement of chili powder accordingly. I alway suggest you measure sparingly, taste and then add more if necessary.

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Last Day for GiveAway

Today at midnight PST the GiveAway ends for Five Promo Codes for The Prisoner of Carrot Castle storybook iPad app. Go to the Facebook page for Purple Carrot Books and click the blue Rafflecopter tab above the comment section. Your chances are high of winning!

The Prisoner of Carrot Castle is book one in the Veggie Chronicles series. Children discover that eating vegetables is what heroes do, that is, if they want to eat their way out of a wicked King's clutches. Vivid colors, colorful music, and fun interactive spots draw in the reader who quickly becomes invested in Aiden's dilemma and help him along (tapping, sliding, tilting) in his adventure.

If you don't yet have a tablet, don't despair. The Prisoner of Carrot Castle will soon be released in print with teacher/parent curriculum.

If you have an iPhone, The wildly popular game, Dress a Knight, from the app, is available FREE. Download here from your iPhone.

Where do you think Aiden will go next in his veggie adventures?

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Should I get a Flu Shot?

Headlines read...

Flu More Widespread in US

Flu Season Hits Early and Hard

Flu Cases on Rise at Hospitals

It seems that every year the media hype over the flu and the need to get a flu shot reaches a higher high. "The worst flu season ever... " "Infection rates have officially reached epidemic levels... "

Really?

With drug stores sprouting up on every corner in even the smallest towns, you can't avoid seeing banners that promote getting a flu shot. Cold weather setting in typically signals the start of the flu season. Should you run down to your local pharmacy and get a flu shot?

Flus are not fun. Fever, chills, runny nose, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, vomiting, fatigue and decreased appetite. With some rest they typically run their course in two to three days, with some symptoms hanging on for a week. The fact is dying from the flu is rare. The vast majority of so-called “flu deaths” are due to bacterial pneumonia—a potential complication of the flu if your immune system is weak.

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Whole Grain Rice Krispy Treats

I can hear you now, "Oh, no! Not more sweets! I've had too much at the holidays and now I'm crackin' down and on my New Year's diet."

Well, not to worry. This is a healthy dessert—even alkalizing in the body.

I've been looking for a healthy recipe to replace the old marshmallow rice krispy treats we all remember as kids and some still make. Got one in my inbox as a video from a website I follow and wanted to pass it on to you.

You can make up the batter in 15 minutes. Than you'll spend some time... forming it into balls and rolling them in coconut. Of course that makes them very different looking than the original rice krispy treats so if you're in a hurry, you can press the batter into a pan and cut them into squares instead. With or without the coconut. However, the coconut serves the purpose of making them less sticky.

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