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When made with the right ingredients, hot chocolate can be a soothing and health-enhancing drink, perfect for nourishing your body during colder months.

This recipe for a hot chocolate smoothie is ultra simple. The end result is rich in flavonoids and potassium, nutrients that are essential for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Be sure to include nutmeg and cinnamon - both combine beautifully with banana and raw chocolate powder. Read more

Rich in cancer-fighting carotenoids and healthy doses of plant protein, iron, folate, and fiber, this succulent sweet potato and lentil salad is well worth trying and particularly nice on cold winter days.

I learned this recipe from a similar version that was presented in an issue of GOOP, a newsletter put out by actress Gwyneth Paltrow. - Ben Kim Read more

This is a delightful recipe that some friends shared with us several years ago. It provides a perfect blend of sweet and savory, and pairs beautifully with freshly cooked rice, quiona, or any other grain dish. Read more

In early 2011, a fellow tennis player in Barrie, Caitlyn Lawrence, now a university student in South Carolina, asked me to participate in a career-related Q&A for a class project. I thought that some of the following would be useful to others considering a career in health care. - Ben Kim Read more

One sad reality that jumps out at me with every trip to the health food store is that the vast majority of energy bars on the market provide about the same nutritional value as most candy bars, but with some processed protein powder thrown into the mix and at twice the cost of a good old Snickers bar. Read more

As a follow-up to my outline of the three most important determinants of cardiovascular health, this post reviews six reliable measures of how healthy your heart is. Read more

Here's another favorite, one that I listen to all year round. It's actually titled "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," and was written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono back in '69 or '70 as a protest to the Vietnam war. Read more

Sometimes called mignardises, these protein-rich cashew treats are typically served in high-end restaurants. With this recipe, you don't need a big wallet to enjoy the best mignardises around. Just a few balls goes a long way, so plan on making just a few balls per person. If you have leftovers, keep in mind that they freeze well; simply let them thaw out for about ten minutes before devouring. Read more

Now that we're just a few weeks away from the holidays, I thought I would post a few of my favorite Christmas tunes, beginning with the following rendition of "My Grown Up Christmas List," performed by Kim Bum Soo, accompanied by Yiruma on the piano: Read more

I've long been a believer in the idea that all of us are born to be creative artists. Playing music, drawing, acting, dancing, writing, designing, building, even playing sports at a high level - when we nurture our creative instincts through any of these artistic experiences, we stand a good stance of feeling deeply fulfilled, and we almost certainly add value to other people's lives. Read more