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Mom's work hard all year round, so why is mother's day only celebrated one day? Whole Foods Market in Coral Gables has decided to show mother's some love early, and begin celebrations tomorrow with a free healthy brunch buffet and make-your-own body care class.

So leave the kids with dad for once and grab your friends, coworkers, and fellow mom's and head over.

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- Martha Stewart on Match.com: Real Life = Great Comedy (Videos)

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Coming in at $20 presale ($34 at the door), Fit and Fun as a Family at Jungle Island is one of the most affordable events at South Beach Wine & Food Festival designed to raise awareness about fitness and healthy eating amongst Miami's youngsters. On top of that, the event is a great way to see your favorite celebs up close and personal -- big names like Giada De Laurentis, Andrew Zimmerman and Rocco DiSpirito were in attendance and we totally saw Ana Quincoces from Real Housewives of Miami. Fair warning though, if you are coming to see these celeb demos, come early. The lines are long to get into the seminars and start forming up to an hour before the show starts. Parking also filled up fast and by 11:30 a.m., cars were being routed to Miami Children's Museum and event attendees were being shuttled back to the festivities. If you're willing to fork over some cash, you can park in the marina lot just south of Jungle Island for $10 and change.

The good news is, there are lots of other great activities for kids above and beyond the celebrity cooking demos. Cabbot was out there teaching kids where milk comes from, buddy fruits delivered fruits to little ones via trendy food pouches, and Badia raffled off kid-friendly tours of their spice farms. Urban Oasis Project shared its mission to make fresh, healthy and local food available to all with an interactive edible garden display where children excitedly made the connection that yes -- there are strawberries growing on that bush!

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Courtesy of World Red Eye Productions

2012 Fun and Fit as a Family

What makes a successful culinary scene? Demand for innovation, quality and a steady pipeline of talent. Working to instill that passion in the next generation of foodies is Florida Blue who will present Fun and Fit as a Family February 23 and 24, sponsored by Carnival featuring Kellogg's Kidz Kitchen. Hosted as part of the 12th annual Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, the event will bring together celebrity chefs, culinary personalities and health professionals for a weekend of interactive learning surrounded by Jungle Island's sustainable natural environment.

Culinary demonstrations on healthy cooking in the Kellogg's Kidz Kitchen sets chefs up to be kids' celeb icons-- a refreshing change of pace from the Miley's of the world. The 2013 roster includes demonstrations from Giada De Laurentiis, Rocco DiSpirito, Robert Irvine, Aarón Sánchez, Andrew Zimmern, and Reed Alexander & Lorena Garcia.

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Flickr

Like an impending tornado, the flu is circling, looming and ready to strike. The CDC estimates that 128 million doses of the flu vaccine have already been administered as of this month, which is a whopping 95 percent of the total manufacturers planned to produce all year. Boston even declared a public health emergency this week based on the severity of their outbreak.

And don't think sunny Florida is immune. According to the CDC, flu activity is already widespread down here. So other than the obvious vaccination (if you can score one), how the hell can we protect ourselves from this nasty bastard?

Read also:
- Seven Super Cheap, Healthy Vegan Foods
- Paradise Farms Spends USDA Grant to Grow Healthy Mushroom Snacks for Miami Kids

Well food, of course! It's nature's cure.

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Courtesy of Coco Limon

Birthday Month, every office has one. The term, named by the office birthday expert Pam Beesly, refers to 'that' month when there is a birthday in the office nearly every other day. This often translates into being crammed into the kitchen eating sheetcake under a fluorescent light followed by the obligatory, 'Why did I have two slices of that?' guilt for the rest of the day. This cycle repeats and can leave workers with countless sugar crashes and an extra five pounds.

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Zachary Fagenson

Casabe's dining room. Designed by Martha Stewart?

Tucked inside what appears to be a small home along Coral Way near 17th Avenue, Casabe 305 Bistro looks like somebody ripped a cottage out of Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard, gave it a three week juice cleanse in San Francisco then dropped it off in Miami with a Latin menu in tow.

The focus here is natural health food with a Latin twist. Ingredients found in Asian cuisine - tamarind, miso, hijiki seaweed and enoki mushrooms - are scattered throughout a well-balanced menu. The only part about that may leaving you confused are the high prices: $15 for tilapia, brown rice and vegetables. Nearly $20 for four shrimp on a bed of couscous. $34 for a New York strip steak. All of it may make you again question how practical it is to have a world where everyone eats local, organic, 'real' food.

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Seal of approval?

Before you head to the GreenWise organic section at Publix, you might want to read a bit further. Is your money going as far as you think it is?

The debate continues as a new study is inconclusive as to whether eating organic produce and meat is healthier or safer.

So why pay premium prices for products that might not be better?

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All photos by Emily Codik

Jugofresh's Thai Rico: Pineapple, avocado, basil, coconut water, vanilla extract and agave

A fit, well-dressed man entered Jugofresh, the organic, unpasteurized, raw juice bar in South Beach, and eagerly approached the store's owner, Matthew Sherman.

"Can you recommend something for me today?" he pleaded. He then tapped his hand on his belly and continued to explain, "I went to The Bazaar at SLS Hotel last night. It was an all out, tapas-style night. I just feel so bloated."

Sherman, a holistic life coach and founder of the bustling juice bar, asked whether he had had any water this morning, and then finished by recommending one of the menu's agua tuya -- a listing of water-based juices, including caliente picante h2o ($4.50), a mix of alkaline water, maca extract and cayenne extract. His client paid and left happy, content with the quick solution for last night's indulgence.

This client is just one of many fans and followers that turn to Sherman for advice. The juice bar has only been open a few months, but it's already developed quite the following.

One of my first visits was on a Saturday morning. Jugofresh is conveniently located just down the block from Green Monkey, the cool yoga studio where locals flock for workouts centered in balance and meditation. The 9 a.m. class had just finished, and most yogis headed to Jugofresh to fill up on raw juices post-workout. Chatting about coconut sugar and bee pollen as casually as discussing the weather, the clientele is clearly buying into whatever Sherman is selling.

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Johnson & Wales University announced yesterday a long-term collaboration with the Tulane University School of Medicine to improve the nation's health through the unity of chefs and doctors in a culinary health curriculum.

This may be the first time a leading medical and culinary institution have combined forces to battle the poor health and poor eating habits of millions of Americans. It's like a match made in heaven...or maybe a cupboard.

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Outside dining area at Essensia.

​Walk through the Palms Hotel lobby and you'll find two large double doors at the end. They open onto a vast dining terrace belonging to the restaurant Essensia. Walk down some stone steps, onto a pebble-covered pathway, and stroll past loads of lush foliage peppered with tropical flowers and parrot cages. Beyond the greenery, you'll find the restaurant's newest little helpers.

Six large, raised plant beds sit nestled outside, near the water. Hidden away from the harmful elements are organic, chemical-free plant beds.

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