FOR YOUR HEALTH: Five foster care facts

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(NAPSI)—When a child or youth is placed into foster care, their safety and well-being become the shared responsibility of the community. Organizations such as the nonprofit Treehouse are an important part of the solution. Staff and volunteers work to provide childhood experiences everyone deserves, connection to resources and a successful launch into adulthood.

With close to half a million youth in care throughout the country, numerous challenges remain. Here are five things to know so you can take action.

1. PTSD for Youth

There is emotional trauma in both being removed from home and the uncertainty that follows. PTSD for youth who have experienced foster care is twice the rate of war veterans.

2. School Challenges

Students in foster care change housing placements an average of three times, and with each move, they lose about six months of academic progress. High school graduation rates for youth in care are about 50 percent nationwide, and less than 3 percent earn a bachelor’s degree.

3. Racial Disparities

Children of color are far more likely to enter the foster care system than their white peers. They are more likely to be removed from their home, stay in care longer and are less likely to return home.

4. After Foster Care

Across the country, close to 26,000 young adults exit foster care each year. Nearly all lack the community network necessary for a supported launch into adulthood. More than a third will experience homelessness at some point by age 26.

5. Partners in Hope

Treehouse’s Graduation Success program is dramatically increasing high school graduation rates—with 77 percent of participants completing school. Through a number of programs, youth partner with Treehouse from birth to well into their 20s.

Visit www.treehouseforkids.org to learn more or make a donation. Your donation supports Treehouse programs from Graduation Success to Holiday Magic, which provides thousands of kids a meaningful holiday gift. You can even honor someone you know who has been impacted by foster care.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Christmas Dreams Come Early For Wife Of Work-Life Balance Expert

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(NAPSI)—It could be said that everything Troy Amdahl learned to love he learned in kindergarten. No kidding. He met Kristen, his wife of 29 years, at age five, remained friends, took her to the senior prom, married and raised four children.

Recently, Amdahl had a post on his Facebook page go virile for an act of kindness for his wife that he never, in his wildest dreams, could have imagined.

Amdahl, along with Dave Braun, is one of the OolaGuys, and has co-authored several international bestselling Oola books on finding the proper work-life balance. With a simple message, “Live the life you deserve,” they recently published their newest collaboration, “Oola for Christians: Find Balance and Grow.”

A self-avowed “Christmas curmudgeon,” for decades Amdahl approached the holiday season with a debate: when to put up the Christmas tree. Kristen, on the other hand, loves Christmas and everything about it—decorating the house, gatherings with their large family, making homemade gifts, the Hallmark movies and, most importantly, the meaning of the season. Yet, through it all, Troy tried to rein in the holiday cheer.

For all of Amdahl’s lessons as the Oola guy, he was about to walk the talk.

The couple had recently moved out of their home while renovations were being completed. That’s when the idea hit him. He thought about how he wanted to try to give back some of the joy and happiness to this woman who has been by his side for his whole life.

Unbeknownst to Kristen, Amdahl put a call in to their decorators to fully decorate two stunning trees: one “blank canvas” for the many family ornaments the kids had made over the years, and another Pinterest-worthy tree to surprise his wife as she walked in the door.

He never expected the response he got when they returned to their home on Halloween. Their son was there to capture the magical moment when his mom saw the first tree and cried tears of joy. When she saw the “other” tree, she lost it. Jumping up and down and crying.

“Why did I put these restrictions around when, what and how,” mused Amdahl, “when enjoying Christmas early gave my wife such joy?”

“Love well the people who love and support you,” Amdahl says. “Invest in their dreams, even if they are different from your own.” By his wife’s reaction, he continues, “My only disappointment is that I didn’t do this years ago. Heck, if it makes someone I love this much this happy, it can stay up all year as far as I’m concerned.”

You can purchase “Oola for Christians: Find Balance and Grow” at https://amzn.to/2K3sbMx.

  • BookBites is a continuing series bringing readers information and ideas for their next read. For more reading ideas, visit BookTrib.com and subscribe to the weekly newsletter.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Veterans Commemorate 50th Anniversary Of Vietnam War With ‘Alive Day’ Stories

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Photo credit: www.DAV.org

(NAPSI)—Army veteran Ron Hope was piloting a helicopter in Vietnam to extract a company of soldiers, when he was shot down. His left brachial plexus—the network of nerves that sends signals from the spinal cord to the arm and hand—was crushed. He also broke both legs, suffered compound fractures in six vertebrae and had third-degree burns covering 55 percent of his body.

The Texas native was honorably discharged from the Army and turned his focus to recovery. He went on to enroll at Tarleton State University and dedicated 40 years to serving his fellow veterans. Each year on July 15, Hope hosts what he calls a “celebration of life” gathering to mark his Alive Day and remember the battle buddies he lost. “I met a lot of good people in Vietnam. Unfortunately, I don’t have many of them left, but I still remember them and those we left behind.”

Alive Days are now common among veterans who have survived catastrophic wartime injuries, whether visible or invisible. These special days mark the anniversary when they almost died serving their country. Many Vietnam-era veterans have reached 50 years’ worth of Alive Days. DAV (Disabled American Veterans), a nonprofit charity that helps veterans get their benefits and services, honors those milestones through a new online series of articles and podcasts featuring Vietnam heroes.

For example, Marine veteran Bobby Barrera had been in Vietnam for only six weeks when a massive explosion rocked his vehicle, causing severe burns over 40 percent of his body and leaving him without a right hand or left arm. While his family marks the anniversary of the day—Sept. 16, 1969—every year, Barrera says, “My real Alive Day was when I married my wife, who gave me a renewed reason to live.” With her support, he went back to school and they started a family. He also found meaningful work with DAV, helping other veterans and their families.

Another Vietnam veteran, Jim Sursely, thought only of sports as a teenager—football, baseball and basketball. But while driving down the street in his Minnesota hometown, he saw a sign that read, “Uncle Sam Needs You.” Sursely went to see an Army recruiter and three months later, was inducted into the military. A year into his service, Sursely stepped on a landmine, immediately losing both his legs and left arm.

After accepting and adjusting to life as a triple amputee, Sursely moved to Florida, where the new construction business brought more accessibility and opportunities in real estate. Today, he and his wife run their family business and he is one of the top real estate professionals in the area. Sursely is proud to say that he enjoys life with his four children, 12 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. And he continues to honor his Alive Day and looks forward to celebrating his 51st next year.

To read more about these and other Alive Day stories and learn about the support available to veterans of all generations, go to www.DAV.org.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: When Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Out, You Can Ease Pain Without Opioids

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(NAPSI)—“Will it hurt?” is often one of the first questions people ask when told they need a medical procedure.

One problem: the mere thought of pain can intensify its feeling. It’s enough to make some people put off medical care—including minor dental surgery.

Doctors and dentists understand. They’re healers by nature and don’t want to inflict pain on their patients if they can help it.

Fortunately, dental pain management has come a long way in the past century. Novocain was formulated in 1905. And when highly effective painkillers such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, and acetaminophen with codeine became available, dental surgeons began prescribing them for pain relief from wisdom tooth extraction and similar procedures.

“Today, we know the danger that comes with opioids—and that absolutely anyone can become addicted,” says Gregory Theis, DDS. Dr. Theis is director of dental services for Delta Dental of Wisconsin, the state’s largest dental plan.

“Tragically, that includes teens and young adults who were first introduced to opioid painkillers with a legitimate prescription, often following wisdom tooth extraction,” he adds.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 45% of initial opioid exposure is linked to a dental procedure such as wisdom tooth removal or other oral surgery. For some, that exposure can lead to a lifetime of dependency and drug misuse.

A large study by Stanford University School of Medicine found that 6.8% of young people who got an initial opioid prescription from their dentists sought additional prescriptions for opioids after filling their first one. Just 12 months later, 5.8% of those individuals were diagnosed with opioid abuse. Among a comparable control group, only 0.4% of young people who didn’t receive an opioid prescription were diagnosed with opioid abuse during the same period.

With a greater understanding of opioid dangers, dentists and their professional organizations such as the American Dental Association (ADA) are acting to combat abuse and limit unnecessary prescriptions.

Their campaigns are working. From 2012 to 2017, U.S. dentists have reduced their opioid prescriptions by nearly half a million.

“Educating dentists, our customers, and our members on the dangers of opioid abuse is a top priority right now,” says Dr. Theis. “We’re teaching people that over-the-counter painkillers like naproxen and ibuprofen can be very effective for dental pain management.”

What if you’re terrified of experiencing any pain—and your dentist says you need your wisdom teeth removed? According to Dr. Theis, that’s one procedure you may be able to delay—or avoid entirely.

Dentists once routinely extracted wisdom teeth: the third molars that usually emerge between ages 17 and 24. But that practice is changing.

“Unless the wisdom teeth cause problems with the jaw or other teeth, or they become infected and are painful, patients may be able to delay the procedure a few years, until the teeth break through the gums,” explains Dr. Theis.

When the molars emerge from the gums, removal is often far less complicated and less painful. That means general anesthesia and strong painkillers can often be avoided.

And sometimes, he adds, you can just let those wisdom teeth erupt and function like other teeth. Or you may be one of the lucky 22% of the population who never develop wisdom teeth at all.

If you ever do need dental surgery, be your own wellness advocate—ask for pain relief alternatives to opioids. If you must take them, use precautions:

  • Take only the prescribed dose or less.
  • Beware of side effects with other medications.
  • Stop taking painkillers as soon as possible.
  • Safely dispose of leftover medications.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: How Americans Get Enough Protein While Eating Less Meat

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(NAPSI)—If you’re eating meat on a daily basis, it appears you may be in the minority—according to new research. A survey of 2,000 Americans examined respondents’ eating habits and found that less than half (47 percent) said meat is a major part of their diet.

Instead of chowing down on pork and beef for dinner, 71 percent of respondents are open to including more plant-based foods in their diet, with 25 percent choosing to follow a flexitarian diet—a semi-vegetarian diet that focuses on healthy plant proteins and other whole, plant-based foods but encourages meat and animal products in moderation—according to the survey commissioned by Herbalife Nutrition.

The change in diet isn’t a huge surprise, as beef and pork consumption has been steadily falling since 1975, according to the USDA.

What Are Americans Eating?

For those who don’t consume meat as a major part of their diet, they shared that they supplement their protein intake with shakes and protein bars (65 percent), as well as by eating food known to be a high source of protein (56 percent)—foods such as soy, peas, beans and rice.

Many dietitians agree that the USDA’s minimum recommended daily consumption of protein is just that, a minimum, and not enough for optimal performance. Instead, multiplying one’s weight by .7, will get individuals closer to their actual daily protein needs in grams. For example, a 100 pound person should consume 70 grams of protein a day.

“Protein is an important component of every cell in the body, helping to support healthy bones, muscles and organs,” says Susan Bowerman, registered dietitian and senior director of Nutrition Education and Training at Herbalife Nutrition. “So, whether you obtain your protein from shakes, bars, animals or plants, your focus should be on the quality of the source, to help ensure your body is receiving maximum benefit.”

In recent years, additional plant-based protein options, such as “meatless meat,” have been growing in popularity and have become mainstream. The trend, according to the study, is driven by Millennials and accepted equally all generations.

“For those who want to eat more plant foods but don’t want to give up the taste of meat, there are plenty of ‘meatless meat’ options,” continues Bowerman. “While bean and grain-based burgers have been around for some time, there are newer products made with plant protein powders that provide the taste and texture that meat eaters crave.”

Why Are People Changing Their Diet?

There are numerous reasons people make changes to their diet. According the study findings, those who identified as flexitarians stated that their food choices were a result of wanting to be healthier (52 percent), wanting to be environmentally-friendly (40 percent) and ethical (31 percent).

Youth are helping drive the change to more plant-based meals; as 36 percent of flexitarians said they follow the lifestyle because their child(ren) had requested the change.

Plant-Based Proteins: A Sustainable Alternative

According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, raising livestock for meat, eggs and milk generates 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the second highest source of emissions and greater than all transportation combined.

Furthermore, the American Society of Clinical Nutrition states that worldwide shortages of cropland, fresh water and energy resources already require most people to live on a plant-based diet.

Consuming plant-based protein is something that’s already widespread. More people now understand that plant-based diets are not devoid of protein—in fact, plant-based proteins, as opposed to animal protein, are naturally cholesterol-free and they are relatively low in saturated fats.

From a sustainability standpoint, plant-based proteins—especially soy—are the smart way to go because when comparing the amount of protein produced between soy crops and livestock, the soy uses less water than pork or beef, requires less land and produces less carbon pollution.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – Ask The Doctor: Early Morning Challenges With ADHD

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(NAPSI)—ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by impairing levels of inattention, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. For people with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe, occur more often, and interfere with or reduce the quality of how they function socially, at school, or in a job.

Does your child with ADHD struggle in the morning?

Does your child with ADHD barely complete basic daily tasks, such as getting dressed, brushing teeth or simply eating breakfast? If so, you are not alone. In a survey of 200 parents with children diagnosed with ADHD, more than 90 percent felt that ADHD symptoms negatively impacted their early morning routine.

For families with children affected by ADHD, the early morning routine is challenging at best, chaotic at worst. Problems can impact every member of the family and set a negative tone for the rest the day. Dr. Ann Childress, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Inc. has many patients—and families—who struggle every morning simply to get out the door. Here are some of the most common questions she receives from these families—and her responses.

Why does my child with ADHD have so much difficulty in the morning?

The early morning routine can be especially challenging for people with ADHD. Getting ready for the day requires ongoing focus and depends upon our ability to remember and manage multi-step information, a capacity psychologists call working memory. Both children and adults with ADHD struggle with deficits in focus and/or working memory.

Getting ready for the day also requires us to finish many complex activities in a short time, such as completing a hygiene routine, making and eating breakfast, or packing a backpack, all before the school bus pulls up or the car pool arrives. Research shows that, when compared with typical peers, people with ADHD find it harder to gauge the passage of time—and thus find it more difficult to complete these early morning activities on time.

My child takes medication for ADHD that usually works. Why are mornings still so hard?

For individuals who rely on a stimulant medication to help them during the day, the early morning can still represent an ADHD blind spot. What does this mean? Most stimulant medications are taken in the morning with breakfast and they may take some time to work (anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours).6 Thus ADHD patients will not necessarily experience the benefits of ordinary stimulant medication in the early morning hours, making the morning routine one of the most difficult parts of the day for the patient-and for his or her loved ones.

My entire family has been negatively affected by one member’s early morning ADHD symptoms. What can I do to help?

Parents and caregivers can use behavioral strategies to improve specific behaviors that may prevent children from getting ready in the morning. Tactics to help children complete morning activities may include the following, either alone or in combination:

  • Setting multiple alarms to encourage timely completion of different tasks
  • Using behavior charts and incentive programs
  • Creating and using sequencing charts to outline the steps of critical activities
  • Utilizing checklists.

Some families choose to alter how they administer stimulant medications. In these cases, one parent or caregiver will wake and dose the child in the wee hours, approximately two hours prior to the family’s usual wakeup time. Next, the parent will encourage the child to go back to sleep, hoping the medication will take effect before breakfast.7 However, this routine often proves disruptive for both parent and child, both of whom may have difficulty returning to sleep.?

If you think ADHD has an impact on your mornings, consider taking a quiz at theADHDmorningquiz.com. The interactive quiz helps identify ADHD symptoms that make the morning routine a challenge. You’ll also be given access to a Doctor Discussion Guide to help start the conversation about mornings with ADHD.

Tips for Managing ADHD in the Morning

  • Be a morning realist. Setting unrealistic goals can set you up for failure. Being realistic about the early morning routine and adding a little more time to get things done will benefit the entire family.
  • Alarms aren’t just for waking up. Set ‘as you go’ alarms to make sure you’re not running overtime on each task. Remember to be practical about how long things may take.

Talking to Your Doctor

Once you’ve made the appointment with your doctor, start writing down what you want to discuss about your mornings with ADHD. Here are some suggestions from the Doctor Discussion Guide that you’ll find when you take theADHDmorningquiz.com:

  • Describe any challenges during the early morning routine.
  • How do these difficulties affect the rest of the day?
  • What specific ADHD symptoms are a problem in the early morning?
  • What actions have you taken to try to make mornings go more smoothly? How have those helped (if at all)?
  • Would it be helpful to have an ADHD medication that works when you wake up?

To learn more about morning challenges with ADHD, please visit www.adhdmorning.com.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – Medicare Enrollment Season Is Here: 5 Tips To Make Sure You’re In The Right Plan

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(NAPSI)—Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 to December 7, 2019. This is your yearly chance to shop for insurance coverage that best meets your needs. People covered by Medicare will have even more plans with a host of new benefits to choose from for 2020.

Here are five things to keep in mind for Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period.

  1. Review your 2020 coverage options. Medicare Advantage plan details change each year, so the policy that was the least expensive or best match for you in 2019 may not be right for 2020. Changes to premiums, deductibles and co-pays can be costly. A recent eHealth analysis of people using eHealthMedicare.com to compare Medicare plans found that fewer than one in ten were enrolled in the lowest cost plan for their personal prescription drug regimen. Those who switched to their optimal drug plan stood to save an average of $900 per year.
  2. Look out for drug coverage changes. It’s common for insurance companies to tweak their list of covered drug and prices. That can mean higher out-of-pocket expenses. Check to make sure that the medications you need are still covered by your plan in 2020, and pay close attention to any special rules you need to follow to get the most coverage for your medications. Online tools, including eHealthMedicare.com’s prescription drug coverage comparison tool, can help you find the best option for 2020.
  3. Make sure your doctors are still covered. The doctors and hospitals that participate in your Medicare plan’s network often change each year as well. Make sure your preferred providers are covered under your current plan or any new plan that interests you. The amount you’ll pay when you get care from a doctor or hospital that does not participate with your plan will be higher than what you’ll pay if you stay within your plan’s network, and some health insurers won’t cover out-of-network providers at all, except in an emergency.
  4. Compare benefits. Along with price comparisons, be sure to review the full range of services and benefits offered by competing Medicare plans. These can include everything from preferred pharmacy and mail-order prescription discounts to dental, vision, hearing and even fitness benefits. And for 2020, many Medicare Advantage plans will offer supplemental benefits that provide additional assistance to people with chronic illness, such as non-emergency transportation, virtual medical visits, caregiver support, nutritional counseling and meal delivery, and air conditioning, among others.
  5. Work with a professional to understand your choices. To make sure you’re viewing a wide range of plans available on the market, work with an expert in Medicare products that represents more than just one insurance company. It doesn’t cost anything extra. A licensed agent can help you understand and make sense of all your options and select coverage that best matches your needs, budget, and lifestyle.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Debunking Common Medicare Part D Myths

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(NAPSI)—It’s important to evaluate your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan every year. Your plan benefits can change, including your prescription drug coverage, premiums, deductibles and pharmacy benefits. As you do your research, you may run into a few misconceptions. Walgreens vice president of specialty and retail pharmacy operations Rina Shah debunks five common myths about Medicare Part D.

Myth 1: Your Medicare prescriptions cost the same at all pharmacies.

Fact: You often pay less on copays when you fill a Medicare Part D-covered prescription at a preferred pharmacy in your plan’s network. These savings can quickly add up.

Myth 2: Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans can require you to fill prescriptions by mail.

Fact: Medicare prevents plans from requiring patients to use a mail-order pharmacy exclusively.

Myth 3: Once you pick a plan, you don’t need to review it each year.

Fact: Changes in the prescriptions you take, plan design and coverage may cause your existing plan to no longer be right for you. Your insurance provider sends a letter that describes any changes to your plan. It is important to review these changes as they could impact your total cost.

Myth 4: It’s a good idea to pick a plan that a friend recommends.

Fact: While your friends may have good recommendations, their prescriptions and doctors are likely different from yours. Because copays for drugs are an important part of the overall Medicare costs, what works for your friend may not be the right choice for you.

Myth 5: Changing your plan means you must change your pharmacy.

Fact: Getting a new plan doesn’t always result in having to use a new pharmacy. When evaluating your plan options, always consider your preferred pharmacy as an important part of your evaluation.

When you start to research coverage, make sure your pharmacy of choice is in your plan’s preferred network. Walgreens is a preferred network pharmacy with many plans nationwide, which means you can save money on your copays.

For more information on tools to make prescription management easier, visit Walgreens.com/Medicare.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Removing the mystery from a prostate cancer diagnosis

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(NAPSI)—According to the American Cancer Society, about one in nine American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. A leading cause of cancer in men, more than 173,000 new diagnoses are expected in the U.S. this year. Fortunately, this disease can be treated successfully, especially if caught early.

What To Do

If you’re 50 or older or have a family history of prostate cancer, you should speak to your doctor about whether screening for the disease is right for you.

Understanding Prostate Cancer

“In the early stages, the most common symptoms of prostate cancer are no symptoms at all,” says Deepak A. Kapoor, M.D., founder of the non-profit, Integrated Medical Foundation, and President of Advanced Urology Centers of New York.

There are four stages of prostate cancer. Stage one is diagnosed very early and confined to the prostate. At this stage, the patient is unlikely to be experiencing any symptoms. He may not need treatment beyond regular follow-up blood tests, exams and possibly biopsies. The disease is very treatable. When diagnosed early, the five-year relative survival rate is almost 100 percent.

Why Do Some Men Resist Routine Screenings?

Many men are embarrassed by the digital rectal exam, concerned about treatment or fear they can’t afford it.

Some Answers

Testing: Since the 1980s, prostate cancer was being diagnosed with a simple blood test, the PSA. It checks the level of prostate-specific antigen in your blood.

In the past, there was controversy about whether having a prostate cancer screening done was beneficial or if it produced more harmful effects due to complications from over-testing. PSA testing was the best thing available for a long time.

New tools now exist that provide much more information, giving predictability about the aggressiveness of the cancer and data to help urologists safely manage their patients’ disease. With this information, urologists have higher numbers of appropriate candidates on active surveillance regimens. Using tests such as the Gleason grade score, overall patient health and risk factors—age, race, ethnicity, family history and exposure to Agent Orange—urologists can determine with confidence how aggressive the cancer is and which patients will do well on active surveillance. They will also know which therapy options will be the optimal for the patient.

Making it easier for doctors and their patients to do this testing is the full-range of diagnostic equipment and supplies available through the trusted advisors at Henry Schein Medical, a provider of medical and surgical supplies to health care professionals.

Treatments: There are many ways to treat prostate cancer, including hormone therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and cryoablation. The newest innovation being successfully utilized is immunotherapy, which uses your own immune system to identify, target and destroy the cancer cells without harming the body’s own “good cells.” Your doctor can help you decide what’s best for you.

It is important to remember that you have the most options available when prostate cancer is diagnosed early and is in the most treatable stage. It is important for men to be vigilant with their routine screenings.

Paying: Many insurance policies will pay for diagnostic tests and in some places, such as New York State, there’s no co-pay or co-insurance cost sharing responsibility for diagnostic prostate cancer screenings (with such policies). This puts PSAs on the same level as mammograms, thanks to efforts of advocates and doctors such as those at Advanced Urology Centers of New York, one of the largest urology group practices in the country.

Learn More

For more facts, visit the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org and Integrated Medical Foundation (IMF) https://imfcares.org/. IMF provides screenings, education and support services FREE.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Summertime Living is Easy with Plant-Based Butter-ed Foods

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(NAPSI)—From blueberry pies with flaky buttery crusts to grilled buttered corn on the cob, summer is filled with delicious foods that bring people together. Now summertime eating is getting a makeover by swapping that pat, dab or dollop of regular dairy butter with dairy-free Plant Butter.

The trend toward plant-based eating has become a full-fledged food movement! With prominent foodies—chefs, celebrities, and authors—sharing their personal stories of switching to plant-based diets for taste, health, and better-for-the-environment reasons, more and more consumers are embracing delicious, nutritious foods derived from plants.

What’s a plant-based diet? It’s focused on foods mostly made from plants—not just vegetables and fruits, but also nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes and beans. Plant-based diets also tend to be healthier because they are rich in fiber, good fats and added nutritionals, like vitamins.

Plant-based foods are showing-up in grocery stores across the country—including the dairy aisle. Like Country Crock® Plant Butter—a dairy-free, plant-based butter that tastes like dairy butter. It’s made from plant-based oils and features avocado oil, olive oil, or almond oil in sticks and tubs. It’s gluten-free, kosher, and is suitable for vegan diets as it’s stamped “Certified Plant Based” through the Plant Based Foods Association.

So what about a dessert to round out that summer BBQ? A berry swirl butter cake made with Country Crock® Plant Butter is easy to make and delicious. It is sure to stir up some talk when folks find out it’s made with Country Crock’s dairy-free Plant Butter! Try more recipes on www.countrycrock.com.

Berry Swirl Butter Cake

Makes: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 cup (2 sticks) Country Crock® Plant Butter, softened (you can use Country Crock® Plant Butter with Olive Oil, Avocado Oil or Almond Oil)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ cup seedless raspberry jam

1.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment allowing extra to hang over the sides. Grease parchment.

2.) Beat Country Crock® Plant Butter with sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3.) Beat in eggs, one at a time, then milk and vanilla. Add flour and baking powder and beat on low speed just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4.) Stir jam until smooth. (If jam is thick, microwave 20 seconds then stir until smooth). Drop dollops of jam all over the top of cake and use a knife to swirl the jam through the surface.

5.) Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes before lifting cake out of the pan to cool completely.

Learn More

For more facts, tips and recipes, go to www.countrycrock.com.