Hello Cupcake is a great little app filled with cupcake designs made using ingredients and lollies readily available from the supermarket. With designs for any occasions, you can make them for the kids or involve the kids to create these simple but ingenious designs. It includes video tutorials to walk you through the creations- see sample below.

Hello Cupcake also comes in book form and can be purchased from our online store.. here.

Great news for those who love chocolate! A new study has found that drinking a cocoa-rich beverage or eating chocolate each day may help brain health in older adults.
 The focus of the recent study was on seniors with mild cognitive impairment (difficulty with memory, language, thinking or judgement.) The study found that those who consumed high and medium levels of antioxidants, called flavanols, from chocolate or cocoa drinks outperformed others on tests of attention and other mental skills.

Obviously, such consumption would need to be part of a calorie controlled and nutritionally balanced diet. Other studies have linked the beneficial effect of dark chocolate with protection against intestinal diseases like colon cancer, as well as a reduced risk of developing heart disease. (NY Daily News)

This is simple idea from WordofMouth. They list a range of easy recipes for families and for cooking with children. It's an easy idea that can be adapted to create other animals

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2

 :
* 4 SunRice 5 Grain Rice Cakes
* 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
* 1 sliced banana for the cheeks
* 1/2 carrot thinly sliced, then trimmed into triangles for ears
* shredded coconut, for whiskers
* 4 raisins for the nose
* 8 currants for the eyes

Method:
1. Spread rice cakes with peanut butter.
2. Arrange remaining ingredients to form the kitty faces.

Note: Rice Cake Kitties are best eaten immediately.