McDonald's Happy Meals get 'Happy,' new yogurt option

From the Chicago Tribune:

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@mumbly_joe

By Mary Ellen Pomdmolik Tribune reporter

2:44 p.m. CDT, May 19, 2014

McDonald’s is expanding the mom-friendly choices in its Happy Meals line, announcing Monday that it will offer Go-Gurt as option.
 Beginning July 4, Go-Gurt low-fat strawberry yogurt will be available in Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals as an alternative to French fries or to the apple slices that have been part of kids’ meals since March 2012.
 It is the company’s latest effort to win over parents concerned about their children making nutritional choices early in life that will later lead to balanced diets. McDonald's is under continual pressure from critics, who point to the company's food offerings as a contributing factor to the nation's obesity crisis.

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The Go-Gurt recipe formulated for the Oak Brook-based restaurant giant will have 50 calories and 6 grams of sugar per 2.25 ounces, according to the company.

McDonald's said in a statement that it is responding to customers who want "variety and wholesome options for kids to enjoy in their Happy Meals."
 The fast-food chain also will introduce a new animated character, Happy, later this week as part of an effort to encourage healthy eating habits among children. The character made its debut in McDonald’s marketing efforts in France in 2009 and is also used in other parts of Europe and Latin America.
The company's annual meeting is scheduled for later this week.

Granola - A Kimba's Kitchen Specialty

Homemade granola for the speakers of at the 2014 Rhode Island Obesity Symposium!

4 cups rolled oats

4 cuts assorted raw nuts and/or pumpkin seeds (I use almonds, walnuts, pecans and pumpkin seeds)

1 stick butter

1/2 cup 100% pure maple syrup

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with PAM.

2. Melt butter in saucepan. Then remove from heat and mix in maple syrup. Pour over oat and nut mixture. Stir until everything is covered/wet with the butter (this takes multiple turns as it is a lot of mix for a little fluid).

3. Pour onto baking sheet and evenly cover the entire sheet with the granola.

4. Bake for 25 minutes, then rotate the sheet 180 degrees and bake another 10-20 minutes more (the time depends on how brown you like your granola).

5. Remove sheet from oven and place on wire rack. Let cool completely, before storing in containers. Put containers in the cupboard not in the ice box. Enjoy with yogurt, as cereal or even a top a frozen treat like ice cream!

Pocket book pain

Sushi lovers beware - the price of your beloved roll at the sushi bar is on it's way up. Drought in California has cut the production of medium grain rice - aka sushi rice - in at least half. California is one of the largest producers of medium grain rice in the country and also the world,  and it's a deficit that other USA growers in Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana will not be able to make up. Hence, the price of sushi will be on the rise if you have not already witnessed the price increase.