By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The creators of the ''Got Milk?'' campaign are getting ready to make a big push to keep chocolate milk on kids' minds and on school lunch menus, a plan that has some educators and obesity activists none too pleased.
The new ad campaign from the dairy industry, set to launch Monday, emphasizes that sugary flavorings are ways to get kids to drink milk. Without them, some youngsters won't drink regular milk and won't get its nutrients, the ads say.
The ''Raise your hand for chocolate milk'' campaign starts Monday with an ad in USA Today featuring chocolatey brown colors and the launch of a Web site that asks people to sign a petition declaring their support for chocolate milk in school.
But some educators and obesity experts say kids get enough calcium -- essential for bone growth -- and will drink white milk if it's the only milk offered. They say kids get too much sugar, which is heightening America's obesity problem, and schools shouldn't serve chocolate milk at all.
The idea behind the campaign is to draw a distinction between chocolate milk and the soda and candy that have come under attack in schools, said Vivien Godfrey, CEO of the Milk Processor Education Program, the industry marketing group that developed the campaign with the National Dairy Council. Godfrey said the effort will cost between $500,000 and $1 million.
She said most kids choose chocolate milk, but without it they drink juice, soda or water, which don't have the same nutrients. The facts -- that chocolate milk does have nutrients -- are getting lost in the debate over school lunches, she said.
''If there's even a chance chocolate milk might get taken out of schools, that really can do more harm than good,'' she said.
It's not clear how many schools have chocolate milk or are pulling it. But parents and school districts are becoming increasingly concerned and asking for more information, said Margie Saidel, a vice president with Chartwells School Dining Services, which manages food programs in 600 districts and supports chocolate milk.
But experts like Marlene Schwartz, deputy directory of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, want chocolate milk tossed. She said kids have too much sugar already and chocolate milk has no place in schools.
Dairy products are a common source of added sugar in children's diets, so that's why parents and educators consider removing them, she said. But the research does not point to any calcium shortages when chocolate milk is removed in schools.
''I don't believe children are going to go on a thirst strike and refuse to drink anything,'' she said.
Kids happily drink white milk -- now the only offering at the Boulder Valley School District in Boulder, Colo., said Ann Cooper, the school's director of nutrition services, who calls herself the ''renegade lunch lady'' for her efforts to promote more nutrition in school lunches.
She estimates that the extra calories from chocolate milk -- as much as 40 or 60 calories on top of a typical 110 calorie 8-ounce serving of white milk -- could add up to 5 pounds of weight gain over the 180-day school year. That's why the district no longer offers chocolate milk.
Chocolate milk does have its defenders, even among nutritionists.
''It's better to get the milk in with a little bit of sugary flavoring than have them pick almost any alternative,'' said Connie Weaver, head of the department of Food and Nutrition at Purdue University and a spokeswoman for the American Society for Nutrition. She has received research funding over the years from the dairy industry, but not on chocolate milk, she said.
A student petition got a Barrington, Ill., distrcit to compromise on its chocolate milk ban.
A soon-to-be fifth-grader, 10-year-old Haley Morris drafted her own petition in support of flavored milk and got about 70 signatures.
Superintendent Tom Leonard decided on a compromise: ''Flavored milk Fridays'' where the district offers chocolate or strawberry milk one day a week. The district is testing the program through January to see if kids drink more milk the days flavors are offered.
''All of my friends and I, we just wanted chocolate milk back to drink because we like chocolate milk better than white,'' Morris said. and this information from here
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Industry Pushes Chocolate Milk in Schools
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Healthy Chocolate Cookie
It seems too good to be true that there is the option of reaching out for a healthy chocolate cookie when one feels like a snack. In fact, it is difficult to associate the decadence of chocolate with something that claims to be healthy. And yet, there is a huge variety of healthy chocolate cookies available in the market today.
Each of us go through that time of day when we crave a snack. Market research shows that children and adults alike reach out for unhealthy snacks most of the time because they are unaware of the healthier options.
Almost everyone loves chocolates but we feel guilty each time we eat even a small piece because of the fat and calorie content. Not anymore. Healthy chocolate cookies are made from various ingredients that increase the health value of the cookies and yet preserve the delicious chocolaty flavor. There are cookies made of whole grains, whole wheat, bran flakes, oats, low fat, etc. The main thing to check is whether these cookies are able to maintain a rich taste of chocolate as well.
Research has shown that the cacao bean, from which chocolate is made, is not only rich in fiber but also has antioxidant properties. If correctly prepared, chocolate cookies can provide an individual's daily requirement of antioxidants and flavonoids. The use of natural sweeteners and fiber rich options adds to the health quotient of these cookies. The best part is that despite all these healthy changes, the cookie still is as satisfying and delicious as it was during childhood. After all, chocolate cookies are a childhood favorite for most of us and bring back fond memories of a time when we did not need to count calories.
The leading manufacturer of the healthy chocolate cookie is Xoçai. The XoçaiTM Powerhouse Cookie retains the decadent taste of rich chocolate while offering a healthy snack option that is full of the natural goodness of acai berry, natural sweeteners and whole wheat flour, whole cacao beans and cocoa butter. The XoçaiTM Powerhouse Cookie offers enough antioxidants to cover an individual's daily requirement. Visit http://ilovehealthychocolate.com for more information on the healthy chocolate cookie.
Looking for healthy chocolate cookies? Then look no further than Ilovehealthychocolate.com. Check us out online!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Quinlan_Murray
Dark Chocolate is Wonderful Medicine
Dark chocolate is a food with many health benefits. Yes, that's right, a health food. Let me explain the unique properties of dark chocolate and how it can really benefit your health! Now when I speak of dark chocolate, I mean just that, and not other chocolates which are filled with fat and calories. This is real unprocessed chocolate.
Antioxidants are part of healthy chocolate. You need antioxidants to a certain extent in your body to keep optimum health. The main antioxidant I am thinking of here is Cacao. Cacao contains a great number of antioxidants. It is very versatile in that it can lower your blood sugars, helps arthritis since it has an anti-inflammatory effect, and it is also a rich source of magnesium for the body.
The high ORAC score, known as Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, is what cacao contains.This is what cleans the system of what is known as free radicals.Free radicals are what creates an environment in the body for diseases of many types.
Blood pressure and heart health can also be improved for many people consuming a steady diet of dark chocolate. Your cholesterol health, with a small daily consumption of dark chocolate is likely to improve as well, all due to rich antioxidants from Cacao.
Have depression problems? Chocolate may also help this problem a great deal. How does it help? Well, serotonin release, and endorphins are a response that is triggered from consumption. Serotonin is a brain chemical which plays a big role in our emotions,sleep, and memory. Endorphins are another chemical released from the brain which is our painkiller center. They are also a type of hormonal substance.
And lastly, chocolate can help you to lose unwanted pounds. Consumption of a small amount of chocolate between meals, helps to curb the appetite, and help other food cravings you may have. Thus, overeating is avoided, and likewise your weight is reduced, and therefore, you feel better!
Jennifer Kirkman is the owner of many websites, two of the main ones are http://www.diabetesandrelatedhealthissues.com, and also http://www.dietplansandweightloss.com Visit these sites for much more information on diabetes and diabetes problems, and proper nutrition.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Kirkman
Monday, July 20, 2009
Amish Cake Recipe - Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake
I was born and raised in Indiana where there are still many old order Amish in the area. In fact my father hired the Amish to build our family home and my sister-in-law sells Amish furniture in her store. I came to love and respect them and especially their cooking. They sure can produce some good meals on those old fashion wood burning stoves! Here is a cake recipe that I got from the late Mrs. Coblentz who was an excellent Amish cook; so good, in fact, she wrote a syndicated column about her life sharing recipes from her kitchen. Chocolate Chip Cake is a sheet cake topped with chocolate chips and nuts.
CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE
1 3/4 cups sifted flour
2 tbsps cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
6-oz chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped hickory nuts (or pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 x2-inch baking pan; set aside.
Sift together flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and the water alternately mixing batter and beating smooth after each addition. Spoon into the prepared pan and spread batter evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and the nuts over the top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
NOTE: There is no need to frost this cake; it is delicious as it is. You can, however, use your favorite frosting if desired. It is also good with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Enjoy!
For more of Linda's old fashion recipe collection, visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com
For her diabetic recipes and information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson
Chocolate Wedding Favors - Choosing the Right Kind For Your Guests
Candy wedding favors are always a popular choice, and as far as edible wedding favors go chocolate is a pretty safe bet! However, choosing the right kind to suit you can sometimes be hard, so use this as a guide.
Molded Chocolate Favors
The way your guests feel at your wedding is important, and the small touches can have a huge impact. Choosing the right shape for your chocolate favors is important, and there is a huge range available. Hearts are the obvious choice, but there's no reason why another shape wouldn't go perfectly with your style of wedding.
Wrapped Chocolate Wedding Favors
Wrapped coins and hearts are just two ideas when it comes to popular wrapped favors. You have almost complete control when it comes to the design and type of wrapping that you want to use.
Personalized Wedding Candy
What's becoming more and more popular nowadays is personalized wedding candy. This is an extra special version of classic edible wedding favors! You can customize the wrapping that you use, and a popular option is to include either the names of the bride and groom or of the guests. You could have the mold personalized. Just remember that this could cost you a little extra.
Finding Chocolate Favors to Suit Your Wedding
The cost of your wedding will influence, to some extent, the candy wedding favors you use as well as the containers you present them in - certain items costing more than others.
The number of guests you have will ultimately have an impact on the way you present your favors. Presentation is important, though choosing either a crystal glass or a plastic one can still look great - it all depends on the wedding style and budget!
To help you choose the perfect wedding candy for your big day you can make use of some of the numerous online catalogs. Many brands offer well-presented favors, including luxury chocolates at bargain prices. Just start looking around and you'll soon find a design that suits the style of your wedding.
Candy is a great way to thank your guests for coming, and also the perfect way to please the kids. Visit my site, Candy Wedding Favors, for unique wedding candy ideas. You will be able to see our selection of personalized chocolate bars : the perfect personal touch to any wedding day.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charissa_Bear
How to Enjoy Chocolate? With Chocolate Chess Pie and Hoosier's German Chocolate Pie
Bring on the chocolate! And bring on the pies; Chocolate pies that is! The Hoosier's German Chocolate Pie combines three of my favorite ingredients; chocolate,coconut,sweetened condensed milk. The Chocolate Chess Pie is a rich wonderful chocolate pie, especially when topped with whipped cream.
HOOSIER'S GERMAN CHOCOLATE PIE
This is from an old Indiana Rural Electric Co-op Newsletter.
4-oz pkg German sweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter
14-oz can condensed milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 deep dish unbaked 9-inch pie shell
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cups pecans
Melt chocolate with butter over low heat; stir until blended. Remove from the heat and gradually blend in milk. Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, eggs, and vanilla together. Gradually blend in chocolate mixture. Pour into pie shell. Mix coconut and pecans and sprinkle over filling. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is puffed. Filling will be soft but will set while cooling. Cool at least 3 hours before cutting. If top starts to brown too quickly during cooking, cover loosely with foil for last 15 minutes of baking.
CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE
1 baked 9-inch pie shell
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsps vanilla
Whipped cream for garnish
Place oven rack in the lowest position then preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, cocoa, and flour until it is lump-free. Stir in the melted butter. Mix the eggs, one at a time, into the sugar mixture and mix until smooth. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the baked and cooled pie shell. Bake on lowest rack in the 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve garnished with whipped cream.
Enjoy!
For more dessert recipes check out http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com
For Linda's diabetic recipes and information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The World's Best Chocolate Cake Recipe, Bake This and They Will Love You Forever
Ingredients
(This is to make a large birthday cake, you can scale down for an ordinary cake)
200 grams of stork or other baking margarine
200 grams of caster sugar
4 medium / large eggs
3 tbs of cocoa powder
Approx 75 grams of cornflour
100 grams of self raising flour
1 tbs baking powder
Vanilla essence
For the Icing
75 grams of margarine
Icing sugar to make a stiff mix
Water
Vanilla essence
Step 1
Using a mixer or food processor, cream together the sugar and margarine until it is light and fluffy. Add 1 tsp of vanilla essence and mix thoroughly.
Step 2
Add the 4 eggs, 1 at a time, mixing thoroughly until each egg is fully blended in. Leave mixer on for around 5 minutes.
Step 3
Into a weighing scale, put 3 heaped tablespoons of cocoa powder. Add cornflour to make up to 100 grams, then add 100grams of self raising flour. Finally add 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
Step 4
Sieve the flour mix into your mix. Fold in, then mix with mixer until fully incorporated.
Step 5
Split mix between 2 lightly greased non stick 8 inch baking tins. Bake in over at 175 degrees centigrade for around 20 minutes. Test by lightly shaking the tin to see if it wobbles like a jelly. (if it does give it 5 more minutes.) If its firm, slide in a skewer to check the mix is cooked. It should not have any cake mix on, but will have steam from the mix. As long as there is no mix on the skewer, remove from oven to cool.
Step 6
While the cake is cooling, mix the margarine for the icing with 1 tsp of vanilla essence and enough icing sugar to make a stiff mix. Add 1 tsp of water at a time and mix in, the mix will let down and become creamy and smooth. Set aside until the cake is cold. DO NOT attempt to ice the cake when warm, the icing will go runny.
Tip - when icing, do not spread the icing, as this cake is so light it will break under the pressure. Just add spoonfuls of icing around the bottom layer, then put the top on and rotate slightly to spread the filling.
Step 7
Decorate the top of the cake with sieved icing sugar or cocoa powder. Get a cup of coffee, then eat a huge slice!
To make a celebration cake you can ice the outside of the cake and decorate it with chocolate curls, or ice and fill with whipped cream, or make a chocolate fudge icing mix, or use cream and cherries for a black forest gateaux. What ever floats your boat really.
Variations
You can also make this recipe into a victoria sponge, just take out the cocoa and substitute with more cornflour. Then ice with vanilla icing and jam. Or, use lemon essence and lemon icing for a tangy variation.
Magpie Jewellery is a great website with a huge range of beads findings and jewellery, and we like cake too! We import all our stock direct from the manufacturers to get you the best prices. Magpie Jewellery is a great resource site for jewellery designers, beaders, hobbyists and beginners, with free beading patterns, great beading articles and loads of great products.
Visit us now at http://www.magpiejewellery.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caroline_Sykes
Healthy Chocolate - The Most Unlikely Nutritional Supplement
Hands up who's a chocoholic?
Come on, come on, don't be shy - it's not really your fault.
The chances are that you have been eating chocolate all of your life. Who hasn't got a photo in an old album somewhere, of themselves as a baby, with chocolate spread ALL over their face?
It is so deeply ingrained into the psyche and culture of the modern world that nine out of ten people admit to craving chocolate and five out of ten say that they can't live without it!
We have it on celebratory occasions when we are happy and with friends, but also when we are unhappy and by ourselves. That wouldn't be so bad if we didn't know that chocolate is really NOT that good for us. But it wasn't always that way.
From as far back as 1500BC, the cocoa bean has been known to the Aztec's, Mayan's and other ancient civilisations, for its nutritional and medicinal properties. It was taken for a wide variety of ailments and conditions and also as an energy enhancing drink.
It turns out that raw, unprocessed cocoa is one of the most highly potent natural supplements on the planet! The cocoa, or cacao plant as it is properly known, is a very complex plant with over 300 individually recognisable vitamin, mineral, nutrient and high value antioxidant properties.
It was only around 350 years ago, when seafaring explorers started to bring cocoa back from their travels, that the European's started to process it to make it more palatable for everyday consumption.
As the years went by, more "improvements" were made which cancelled out most of the remarkable nutritional value of this complex food source. Milk, sugar, waxes and other unappealing fillers were added to make a product far removed from its core ingredient.
But now this has been reversed by one manufacturer, who has produced a pure, unadulterated chocolate that maintains more of cacao's highly potent antioxidants and nutrient values, than ever before.
Yes, it is now possible to eat a chocolate that is not only not "BAD" for you as we understand regular chocolate to be, BUT can actually be very "GOOD" for you. It is an all natural, nutritious source of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, vitamins and minerals which can works wonders in your body.
Recent trials have shown that the potential benefits of eating pure cacao products include; healthier cardiovascular function, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, reduced insulin dependency, improved respiratory function, better joint flexibility, better dental health, suppression of cravings and promoting weight loss.
Healthy Chocolate is not like the confectionery or the candy that we have come to know and love (for all the wrong reasons) but a fully functional food. But better still, it tastes absolutely delicious.
Everyday, more and more people are coming to realise, that our bodies need some kind of nutritional supplement if we are to remain healthy and active. A plethora of recent studies have shown that 'a new twist on an old friend', is showing remarkable results. Healthy Chocolate has been rediscovered as one of the most naturally nutritional food sources on the planet.
Alan Rogers left the corporate world behind in 2007 with belief that everybody has the ability, and the right, to be responsible for their own destiny. Through http://www.freshstartmlm.com he is now helping and working with others, who also believe that having a Home Based Business is the only way that you can truly "start living the life that you want to live".
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_D_Rogers
Monday, May 25, 2009
Chocolate Snacks
Chocolate Desires
There is an old joke about a man who found a lamp on the beach. As you might imagine, when he rubbed it a genie comes out and allows him one wish. The man says that he wishes to be irresistible to women. So the genie turns him into a box of chocolates.
You might almost say that chocolate is addictive - some would leave out the 'almost'. In fact, chocolate is one of the most popular flavor on the planet. Hershey alone makes over 39 products based on chocolate like Hershey's Milk Chocolate and Cadbury Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bar and Skor - a literal chocolate fest. Let's face it, it's a chocolate world.
Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get, your life however is like a box of active grenades! Stewie Griffin, Family Guy
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When you are looking for chocolate, you can look in every country of the world. Companies like Amano Artisan Chocolate in the U.S. and Ferrero SpA in Italy and J. S. Fry & Sons in the UK and Caffarel in Italy and Soma Chocolatemaker in Canada make us a chocolate world. And you can find lots of chocolate for sale on the internet at places like these: Alethea's Chocolates - Assorted handmade chocolates, online and phone orders. Morgen Chocolate - All natural, handmade, European style, truffles and molded chocolates in seasonal designs. The Chicago Chocolate Company - Carrying a selection of chocolates in forms ranging from truffles to bars, to roses. J.Emanuel Chocolatier - European-style chocolates available from stores in Morristown and Chester in Morris County. Truffles, crunch, dipped fruits, and other chocolates can also be ordered by telephone. Ultimate Confections - Hand dipped homemade specialty chocolates. Gift boxes, baskets and bags for any occasion. Located in !
Burbank, California. Hauser Chocolatier - European style fresh cream chocolates and dessert sauces. Pack-A-Box feature allows customized selections. Norman Love Confections - Purveyors of chocolates and truffles, infused with cinnamon, ginger, lime, pumpkin, pistachio, and brandy. Includes wedding favors, gift baskets, and a chocolate club. Browne's Chocolates - UK manufacturer of chocolate truffles, violet and rose creams, after-dinner mints, and thin chocolates. Tobermory Chocolate - Scottish handmade chocolates, worldwide shipping. Includes information on trade enquiries and tourism in the town of Tobermory. Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Co. - Manufacturer of and offering vintage chocolate in resealable packaging. Includes recipes,information on stock price, and cocoa history and facts..
And if you are wanting chocolate in any unusual shape, you can try chocolate skate. And check out the chocolate warehouse for chocolate quiche, chocolate skittles and chocolate velvet.
You are not alone in your addiction. People have been loving chocolate for at least 3000 years. And now, you have more choices than ever to enjoy your cravings.
My Discount Stuff: Your online source of informational ebooks on a wide variety of topics. http://www.freewebstore.org/MyDiscountStuff by: Tara Benton
Fresh Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate
Strawberries dipped in chocolate are the perfect gift for your family, friend, and special someone. Hand dipped in gourmet chocolate, these strawberries are the most demanding and wonderful gift for anyone around. Occasions, events and celebrations are part of our busy lives, but now traditional gifts like purchasing an expensive jewelry, selecting a tie, or choosing a book; are no longer practiced. An innovation in gifts is brought to you by some creative people in form of dipped strawberries”. Before this wonderful idea people were using strawberries to decorate desserts, making juices and shakes, adding in cakes and eating as a fruit. Chocolate covered strawberries are now liked and admired by anyone as a gift or as a wonderful dessert.
Imagine the pleasure of tasting a juicy, big sized strawberry dipped in White, dark or milk chocolate! Decorate them with sprinkles of different colors and arrange them to give as a gift for any occasion. These are ideal to give on birthdays, wedding anniversaries, Best wishes, Get well soon, new born baby, get together, graduation, thank giving or many more daily events.
Chocolate covered strawberries are healthy desserts, since strawberries have no fat, cholesterol or salt, they are high in vitamin C and a good source of potassium and fiber. They are low in calorie. Chocolate Dipped Strawberries are fun to make and more entertaining to eat. Dip strawberries according to occasions and celebrations. Wish someone a chocolaty strawberry birthday with colorful sprinkles over them. Garnish each strawberry with drizzle and candies in festive party colors. Definite to be a perfect for all ages!
Dip the berries in the melted semisweet chocolate and drizzle with the melted white baking chips. Incredible, mouthwatering dipped strawberry gifts are simply divine! Each luscious strawberry is hand-dipped and covered with nuts, coconut or sprinkles. The end result is a blissful combination of flavors. Even though they are sugar free, they are sweet and delicious.
Cover the fresh, red and ripen strawberries in unforgettable taste of gourmet dark chocolate and cover them with white chocolate to decorate and make designs over them. The end result of these double dipped fruity strawberries is a heavenly combination of colors and flavors.
Another innovation in dipped strawberries is by sinking them in rich white yogurt and decorating with a hint of orange, strawberry and lemon flavored swizzles, and creating a taste that is simply unbelievable. This can be presented as a formal business gift, and a superb gift for a good friend and colleague.
Peanut butter lovers have another new dessert for their night meals and parties. Double-dipped and decorated with swizzles or peanuts, hand-dipped strawberries convey a combination of flavors, and will tempt the recipient. Arrange and place this gift carefully in a beautifully and decently decorated handmade box of dozen strawberries and deliver to your loved one. Sure to please them and perfect to remain long in memories.
by: Sandla Sandi
