Children love to snack and they usually turn up their noses when it comes to healthy snacks. After they have filled their stomachs with greasy, salty chips or chocolate, you will be lucky if they will eat a nutritious meal. Grazing on unhealthy snacks is a habit that can be broken, but the kids actually need some help with that. They need to be presented with healthy kids snacks as an alternative to munching on foods that have no nutritional value or are harmful to their health.

Some children are mature enough to be educated on eating healthy and they will adapt quickly if they actually desire to take their health into their own hands. Most kids, however, do not really care about health, especially when it comes to snacks. Here are some ideas to present nutritional snacks to your kids:

Keep fresh fruit on hand and easy to access.

Most kids cannot resist a bowl full of fresh fruit. Provide a variety of fruits, some of which they have never tried. A variety of fruit is bound to appeal to even the pickiest eaters. Take the kids on a shopping spree to pick out fruit that looks interesting to them. For special treats, you could help the kids to make chocolate dipped fruits or banana popsicles.

Kids love milkshakes.

Smoothies are a great alternative to milkshakes and are actually healthy snacks that kids love. You can use yogurt, fresh fruit and low fat milk and whip up a smoothie in the blender in seconds. Many children will enjoy making their own smoothies so it might be a good idea to get them involved.

Help your kids to plant a garden full of veggies.

Believe it or not, children are more likely to eat vegetables if they grow them themselves. Gardening is an excellent adventure and a great way to spend quality time with your kids. At harvest time, prepare a snack tray with veggies and low-fat dip. You might even try preparing celery with peanut butter as a snack.

Replace the chips with a healthy snack mix.

Grain based and granola cereals and whole wheat crackers are a lot healthier than other snacks that are a choice of children. Mixing these cereals with nuts, raisins or other dried fruit can make a healthy kids snack that they can munch on.

Juice it.

If your children refuse to eat fruits and vegetables for snacks, you can always pass it off as juice to ensure that your kids get the nutrition that they desperately need. You can run fresh fruit and veggies through a juicer and come up with a homemade juice that is sure to get attention. You might even try making a slush out of the juice by running it through a blender full of ice. You can also make popsicles out of freshly made fruit and vegetable juice.

Tempting a kid with healthy snacks can be a challenge if they are attuned to snacking on junk food. You are better off if you start from the beginning and develop good eating habits when they are young, but it is never too late to teach kids to eat healthy.

The first year I was married my parents flew from Long Island, New York to Minneapolis, Minnesota for Christmas. They arrived to piles of snow and biting wind chills. Still, my parents enjoyed their visit, the city, and Minnesota’s unusual activities, such as ice fishing.

But they didn’t enjoy my Christmas cookies. I baked a variety of goodies in preparation for their visit. After dinner, I brought a plate of cookies to the table and my mother ate a couple of them. “They all taste alike,” she said. “You shouldn’t have stored different cookies in the same container.” You can bet I never made this mistake again.

Since that Christmas many years ago, I’ve baked thousands of cookies: bars, drop, meringue, molded, stamped, soft, pressed, refrigerator, and rolled, which are also called cut-outs. My storage methods depend on the type of cookie. I’ve made unbaked cookies as well, chow mein noodles and dried fruit coated with melted chocolate, and broken pretzels with dried fruit, also coated melted chocolate.

When you think of storage, think of major categories: soft, crisp, and bars. Buy your ingredients and storage containers well ahead of time. I’ve used decorated tins, coffee cans, wide-mouth Mason jars, plastic containers with screw tips, and plastic containers with snap sides. Wash all containers in hot, soapy water before using them.

Soft cookies are fun to make because of their cake-like batter and frosting. I’ve made soft orange mounds with fresh orange juice frosting. If you make a soft cookie like this, store them in a single layer to avoid damaging the frosting. The un-frosted variety may be stored in layers in an airtight container, with wax paper between the layers.

Crisp cookies should be stored in a container with a loose-fitting cover or lid, according to the Pillsbury Complete Cook Book. A decorative jar may do the trick. I’ve had several of them and the lids didn’t fit tightly, perfect for the batches I made. A holiday tin may also work.

Experience has taught me to be extra-careful with meringue cookies. The storage goal is to keep moisture away from them. Use the most air-tight container you can find, such as a plastic box with snap sides or special jars. Glass and plastic jars with snap-type lids are available from discount stores.

Bars are a different story. Minnesotans love to make bars because they’re easy, quick, and flavorful. Unlike meringues, your storage goal with bars is to keep them moist. Leave the uncut bars in the baking pan and cover them with aluminum foil. Cut just before serving. These treats also freeze well.

Remember the Pillsbury cook book’s advice: “Use a separate container for each cookie variety to avoid mingling flavors.” Happy holidays and happy munching to you and your family!

Copyright 2013 by Harriet Hodgson

The easiest way to make rice well every time is to use a rice cooker. If you don’t have one, or don’t want one, though, here’s a no-fail recipe

for rice that one of my grandmothers taught my mother, who taught me. This one, I use mainly for seasoned rice dishes because things can be

added to it before boiling, or broth (a plain soup) can be used in place of water.

This is for 4 substantial servings (4 rice bowls).

You will need:

1 large saucepan, or a short pot.

2 cups of white rice, preferably persian, glutinous, or converted, depending on how sticky you like it.

2 tablespoons of butter, margarine, rendered fat, or vegetable oil.

water or broth as needed (usually 3 to 3.5 cups)

salt to taste

Directions:

1.Put the rice in the bottom of the saucepan, and wash it thoroughly by rinsing, and then pouring off the cloudy water. Repeat until you

can recognize grains of rice through the water, and then pour this last rinse out.

2.Put your middle finger in the saucepan until it touches the bottom, and put in water or broth until the level reaches the second line of

your finger.

3.Add your salt and oil.

4.Place on the stove, and cover loosely, which means there should be a centimeter of space between the side of the cover and the edge

of the pot or saucepan.

5.Turn on the stove at medium/low heat, and leave it alone for about 20 minutes.

6.Check to see if it’s done, and if not, come back every 5 minutes.

7.If you need to check, and can’t tell from looking at the top, stick a spoon in the middle, and push gently to the side to see if there is any

water left. If there is, then move the rice back to cover the hole. Try not to touch it too much.

8.If you run out of water before the rice is the level of softness you want, in the well you make in it for checking, just pour a quarter cup

of hot water to the middle, and move the rice back over to cover the water.

9.When it’s done, turn off the heat, and cover the rice completely, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

10.Stir, and then serve.

Then, there is the other absolute sure-fire way that my other grandmother taught me. This is how I cook rice when I want it somewhat plain.

You will need:

However much rice you want up to 5 cups.

A pot of water, salted, with about a tablespoon of oil

A strainer

A large bowl

Directions:

1.Set the pot of oiled and salted water on high heat.

2.In a large bowl, rinse the rice repeatedly, until the water is somewhat clear.

3.Drain as much water as you can from the rice, and then wait ’til your water on the stove boils.

4.When the water reaches a fast, rolling boil, gently pour in the rice.

5.Stir to make sure the rice doesn’t stick together, and then wait.

6.Occasionally stir the rice, and after 10 minutes, check to see if it’s done.

7.Check every two minutes after that, and when it’s as soft as you like, turn off the heat and then pour the contents of the pot into a

strainer.

8.Shake the strainer a bit, to get out as much excess water as possible, and then return the rice to the now empty pot.

9.Season to taste, and then serve.

Rice cooked this way can also be used for rice balls, unless it is parboiled rice. Parboiled rice should never be used if you prefer it sticky on its own, but is the best to use when making the deep fried breaded rice balls.

More Rice Tips

For golden coloured rice, stir a teaspoon of turmeric into the water before the rice begins to cook.

Seasoning blocks or bouillon give a nice flavor to rice. It will need to be stirred after cooking to evenly distribute it though.

Use leftover rice to make fried rice. It can also be used to add a bit of starch to a meatloaf in place of bread crumbs.

Never let cooked rice sit out for more than a couple of hours without keeping it very hot. Rice turns very quickly. To serve it at parties that may last awhile, but keep it from burning at the bottom, put it in a pan atop a pan of water that is over a tea light or other warmer. To cool it off quickly before it turns after a meal, transfer it from the pot to smaller containers.

If you are on a salt restricted diet but don’t like your rice too sweet, use a couple of dashes of pepper and salt free chicken broth to enhance

the taste.

We all have heard the “5 A Day” slogan from the United States Department of Agriculture for years now. But, did you know that the recommendation has been raised to 7 to 13 servings PER DAY? That may seem overwhelming to the average parent!

Why do we need so many fruits and vegetables anyway?

Fruits and vegetables are full of important nutrients that can help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

DID YOU KNOW:

1. Over 20 million children and adults have diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association.

2. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 64% of adults are overweight.

3. According to the American Heart Association, more than 80 million Americans have some form of heart disease.

4. According to the Bogalusa Heart Study, by the age of 12, an estimated 70% of our children have developed the beginning stages of hardening of the arteries.

5. Nearly 50% of obese adolescents remain obese as adults according to the International Journal of Obesity.

These are staggering facts!

Be sure you and your family are on the right track to better health with these 5 ways to adding easy vegetable and fruits to your diet:

1. SNACKING: Be sure to keep fresh fruit and vegetables on hand on the LOW shelf of your refrigerator for easy access by the kids. Prepare an appetizing after school snack like Ants on a Log (celery with peanut butter and raisins) or Potted Plants (small bowl of hummus with baby carrots sticking out and parsley on top for “leaves”) Kids LOVE fun foods! Why do you think they sell so many foods with cartoon characters on them?

2. MIRROR: Let your children see YOU eating vegetables and fruits. The more kids see parents eating healthy foods, the more they will model that behavior. “Do as I say, not as I do” model DOES NOT WORK! You need fruits and veggies everyday just as much as they do. So, EAT UP!

3. COOKING: Simply adding a handful of veggies to an omelet or some berries to oatmeal can be an easy way to add more produce to your diet. Try adding pureed carrots and squash to spaghetti sauce or make a smoothies with low-fat yogurt, berries, ice and even some green veggies like kale and cucumber. (My kids drink this right up and they would NEVER eat kale by itself! I even make the smoothies into popsicles in the summer months.)

4. GARDENING: Planting a garden in the backyard is a terrific way to get the kids involved in what they eat. Growing vegetables gives children a sense of pride and encourages them to eat what they have grown. My children can not wait to get into the garden and pick fresh vegetables and herbs for our summertime dinners!

5. MEAL PLANNING: Make it a priority when planning meals to include as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Serve vegetable soup or a side salad with your meal or a fruit cup with frozen yogurt for dessert. Make kabobs for the grill or roast root vegetables in the oven for a tasty side dish.

Making simple changes to your family’s diet not only will improve their health, it will improve their happiness as well.

Halloween is not only a fun holiday for children, but dogs and their owners as well! Dressing up, trick or treating and eating tasty treats can be the best perks of Halloween for humans and dogs alike. There are also many potential hazards and sources of stress for your dog during this holiday that can be easily avoided by following these few simple tips.

Dressing your dog up is one of the best parts of Halloween. From pirates to pigs, fairies to elephants, something about a dog dressed up in a costume is just too cute not to do. However, making sure your dog is comfortable and calm in clothing is key before deciding on a costume. Start by taking a simple article of clothing such as a pumpkin bandanna, or a light weight t-shirt like our Ghost Dog Tee. If your dog seems to like dressing up and is not bothered by the clothing, then a costume could be the next step! Make sure to choose an outfit that fits your dog properly. If it’s too tight, it can cause discomfort and cut off circulation. If it’s too loose it can get stuck on objects or cause your dog walking issues from tripping over the excess fabric. The best way to ensure a proper fit is to take your dog’s measurements then compare with a size chart. After you have accurate measurements, you can pick out one of our adorable costumes to dress your fur baby in!

Another safety hazard for dogs is all the candy laying around. Many people leave candy out in a bowl for trick or treaters, and a lot gets dropped from children running house to house. Make sure to keep extra close attention to what your dog is eating and keep them away from all candy and wrappers that could cause harm. In order to prevent your dog from going after any food in sight, stock up on dog friendly treats like our Trick or Treat Rawhides. These natural dog chews are safe and tasty for your dog to chomp, while providing an extra special Halloween treat! One major point of stress on Halloween for your dog is the constant ringing of the doorbell. Most dogs tend to get overexcited when the doorbell rings, so imagining it ringing all day! If your dog tends to get worked up over the doorbell it may be best to keep them at a distance by using a dog or baby gate to confine them to an area in the house they feel comfortable in away from the door.

Original Regency Gold Wood Restorative Polish was first used in England, in 1895. Today’s formula is based on the formula used way back then. It’s fair to say, the only thing new is the bottle.

What I really like about Regency Gold is that I do not have to wear gloves to protect my hands. It is so gentle. Non Poisonous, Non Toxic. Safe to use around pets and children and really kind to my hands.

Its unique formula is great for removing or hiding Heat Marks, Water Marks and Ring Marks from furniture old and new.

You know the problem, right? It may have been caused by water coming from a vase over a period of time forming that annoying white “ring mark”. Or someone may have put a hot cup down onto a delicate table, forgetting to use a coaster. In my bachelor days I would have used a larger vase to hide the water mark in the first instance and in the second, I would have simply covered it with decorative cloth – or two.

Not now though. Married life can bring improvements and if not improvements, certainly changes to ones habits. Now, I take out my bottle and pour some into a bowl or a jug and soak a piece of soft cloth in the Polish. I like to use a piece of old Tee Shirt or Flannel Sheet. Then I squeeze as much of the Regency Gold out of the cloth as I can and then I rub the offending mark until I can make it disappear. It can sometimes take two or three applications of Regency Gold if it is a serious mark but it usually does the trick.

It will not work well if the wood itself has been damaged by the water and/or the heat but there again, nothing else will. If it is that bad it will need refinishing.

Try Regency Gold on all of your finished wood and furniture. Great on fiber glass and vinyl too. Also granite and marble and slate.

Technological improvements like the Kinect for Xbox and Nintendo Wii have made it possible for almost as good as the real thing simulation of games like bowling. The keyword here is ‘almost’. No amount of technological improvements and simulation software can match up to the real thing. After putting in hours and hours of bowling while looking at your gaming console and television screen, perhaps it is time that you tried the real deal. Find out what you are missing out by enjoying a fun game in your living room, on the big screen television.

Bowling Skill Requirement

If you are ready to step out of the comfort of your living room and head out to a bowling alley at the local club, this is the right time to do. Bowling is a game that requires a combination of skills and personalities to come together. It requires you to be alert, active and be smart. Even if you are not any of these, just let a few bowling sessions kick in and these characteristics will naturally evolve out of your mind and watch in amazement as your body reacts to the fun that is bowling.

If you have played bowling on your gaming console, then you already know the concept and how it works and what ball goes where and what is the deal with the pins. The real bowling is slightly different in that you are actually going to have to throw the ball for real! Does this mean you foresee a future in the immediate weeks of you spending hours and hours of poring over bowling guides and watching online videos of other people teaching how to bowl? Not really. Just understand some general tips and off you go to the bowling alley! If you don’t like reading then just drop into a bowling alley and watch others play it. There is no better way of learning bowling than watching others play.

Bowling Center

Before you head out to a bowling alley, the simplest question is to find a bowling alley, and one that is close to you. It is important that the bowling alley is close to where you live and does not take hours to drive to. We are saying this because bowling is such a good game that you might enjoy liking it so much that you want to make it part of your daily routine. Bowling is fun, it gives you good exercise and you get to hang out with your friends and make some new friends. So, chances are high that you will end up bowling on a regular basis, so find a bowling centre that is close to you.

Results have also shown that UniqueHoodia can help cut your calorie intake by as much as 2,000 calories a day meaning weight loss is much faster and easier than by dieting alone. For example it is so easy to come home from a hard day at work take off your jacket check the mail then turn on the kettle and grab something to eat and make weight loss yourself comfortable. They will be able to provide you with meal plans that suits your specific needs. These steps are cleaning up your body, eating smart, and exercising.

Whilst you initially feel great, afterwards you envitably feel dissatisifed and guilty. There are so many fad diets out there that promise you amazing weight loss that it can make your head spin. Avoid Sugar before bed. (You were avoiding sugar anyway right?) Consuming sugar right before bed leads to a blood sugar roller coaster ride, potentially waking you up in the middle of the night due to a blood sugar low. You can even ask for any losing weight tips that may help you.

Using herbal cure to treat weight gain problems reduces the risk of side effects on user. Don’t skip breakfast; eat a bowl of cereal, oats or some fruit to simply give your stomach to work with. Many articles, weight loss programs, and other so-called experts try to distract you with all sorts of other “tips” and various information. Unfortunately, unless you’re a doctor, physical therapist or a personal trainer, you may not know how to go about choosing the right set for your needs.

So the question is… is it really the gastric bypass helping people lose weight, or the post-surgical period creating a lower hungerstat? Consume at minimum eight eyeglasses a day for best success. Infrared will heat up your body without sweating first, and then it heats the ambient air temperature around you.

Typically, patients are advised to avoid strenuous activity for up to six weeks. You can then expect this pattern to be effective in maximizing fat loss. Taking an excessive amount of time in between foods makes you hungrier for the next meal. Your goals may differ from losing 10 pounds to losing 6 inches on your waistline.

People who go on a regular fast usually eat naturally and normally. Make sure that the company you select is known for selling a range of herbal supplements that are safe to consume and made of all natural ingredients. But saying that it could help you to lose weight too – well that was just pushing it too far. Food is the necessary evil for him, for his existence, not a source of enjoyment!

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The world of regulations can seem like a bowl of alphabet soup at times. US money laundering regulations are no exception. We have compiled a list of the top ten money laundering acronyms and their definitions.

AML – Anti money laundering is the term for activities aimed at curbing the practice of money laundering. Money laundering is an area of focus for regulators, and a major tool in the fight against drug trafficking and terrorist financing.

BSA – The Bank Secrecy Act was the original US regulation targeting money laundering. In the beginning the regulation was primarily focused on tax evasion and organized crime. BSA focused on establishing a paper trail for cash transactions over $10,000. Many people refer to the entire collection of anti money laundering regulations as the BSA.

KYC – Know your customer is the concept of understanding who your customer is. Various aspects of the law require financial institutions to verify the identity of customers. Banks must also understand what normal activity is for given customers. Without knowing what behavior to expect it is difficult to identify what activity is suspicious.

CIP – Part of KYC, the Customer Identification Program was introduced in the USA PATRIOT Act. CIP requires financial institutions to gather five pieces of information on new customers. They must collect name, date of birth, a physical address, social security number (or tax id number), and proof of identity. CIP programs make it more difficult for criminals to open accounts without attracting attention.

CTR – A Currency Transaction Report is filed for any cash transaction greater than $10,000. CTRs will also be filed for multiple transactions by the same person that total $10,000 in a given period. People who break transactions up to avoid the reporting threshold raise suspicion. So long as the source of funds is legitimate, there are no negative consequences to a CTR filing. For example a cash intensive business such as a bar that deposits business receipts will not be suspicious.

SAR – When a financial institution (very broadly defined) suspects that a transaction may be the proceeds of illegal activity, they are required to file a Suspicious Activity Report. An individual will not be notified if a SAR is filed against them, so as to avoid tipping off potential criminals. SAR filings are sent to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, who determine if further investigation is warranted.

FinCEN – The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is the US Government entity tasked with fighting financial crimes including money laundering. SAR reports are filed with FinCEN. Periodically FinCEN provides analysis based on the information provided in SAR reports.

USA PATRIOT Act – The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act was enacted shortly after 9/11/2001. As the name implies, the law provided extensive tools for law enforcement in the fight against terrorism. The law also made significant enhancements to money laundering laws. Notably it required the creation of CIP programs.

PEP – Politically Exposed Persons are very high-ranking foreign government officials and their associates. Because of their high-ranking the logic follows that they are a higher risk for corruption. There is no standard list of PEPs like there is for OFAC specific designated nationals. Financial institutions must take a risk based approach to dealing with PEPs and are not expressly forbidden from having them as customers. At a minimum, financial institutions must perform enhanced due diligence on PEPs.

OFAC – The Office of Foreign Asset Control is not directly related to money laundering. OFAC enforces economic sanctions against foreign countries. Under OFAC rules, banks are prohibited from conducting monetary transactions with certain foreign countries. Assets of specific individuals and organizations may also be frozen. As OFAC rules deal with the transmission of money in relation to terrorist financing, many institutions combine these functional departments. OFAC also maintains a list of specific designated nationals which financial institutions are prohibited from doing business with.

The holiday season is right around the corner and you want to plan your annual holiday bash but money’s tight and your budget slim. What gives? Here are five truly frugal but totally fabulous tips to throw your best holiday party yet!

B.Y.O…W?

Any party host knows that the biggest bill of the night usually is the bar tab. Why not skip it altogether and suggest each guest brings their favorite bottle of wine? Simply put on the invites something along the lines of: “Bring your favorite bottle of vino to share!” You and your guests will get to enjoy a wide array of divine wines without blowing your entire party budget.

Cheap & Chic Decor

Think cheap and chic when it comes to party decorations; string white Christmas lights up the banister, use pillar candles as centerpieces, and fill vases with round holiday ornaments.

Opt for Cocktail Hour

To save on the (hefty) food bill, host your party long before or well after the dinner hour; otherwise, your guests may show up expecting to fill their bellies. Instead of a full-blown feast, serve tasty appetizers and hor d’oeuvres that guests can snack on while sipping (see tip #1). Need some cheap but tasty ideas? Try a massive cheese platter with fresh fruit and mini baguette slices, bite-size gooey chocolate brownies, baked onion dip, or mini crab cakes.

Plan White Elephant

While mingling will be a big part of the party, why not plan something fun and memorable (not to mention cheap)? Mention on the invitations you plan on doing a white elephant exchange and have each guest bring a silly gift.

Tasty Party Favors

Don’t want your guests to leave empty-handed? For inexpensive party favors that are sure to be hit, fill a big bowl with flavored candy canes or homemade cookies and let each guest take one on their way out.