we're back now with more of "today" on a thursday morning. it's the 7th day of june, 2012. and it's a doozie here out on the plaza. bright, sunny skies, nice warm temperatures. and all of those people on the plaza as well. somebody did something a little weird. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and savannah guthrie. coming up, we're going to ask the question and i think most people would answer it yes, is it important to get your yearly annual -- or your annual physical? >> i would think so. >> right. i think most of us would say yes, right?

that's what we've been told. >> i got mine a few days ago. >> i hate to tell you this but there's been research done, and now some are saying in some cases they may be doing more harm than good. i'm sure you're going to want to pay attention. dr. nancy snider mayderman who joining us to weigh in to see if it's as important as we've been taught. another very important question, the burning question literally of the ages. gas or charcoal? >> oh. well, i know what you think. >> that's right. a lot of folks, how easy it was, people were doing that, but now charcoal is back, baby. it's back big. lou manfredini is here, going to show us new types of grills. remember that big green oval egg? there's other versions that are out there. ceramic smokers. ooh, smokin'! >> and you never, ever left

coal. >> i never left charcoal. >> what kind of grills do you have? >> i just got a fourth one. >> oh! really? >> you're a little fired up about that segment. we're doing something really -- well, maybe it's going to be crazy, but we're going to try something tomorrow. we are giving the entire 9:00 hour, we're devoting it to "today's professionals," okay? star, donny, dr. nancy. they're going to be here. of course, they're going to talk about the hottest stories that have everyone talking. they're also going to give one lucky a complete lifestyle makeover. >> they do makeovers now? >> yeah, but i mean a lifestyle makeover. not just your hair and makeup. something even harder, your life. we'll find out all about that. >> we will be watching. first let's go inside. natalie's standing by at the news desk with a check of all the headlines. >> good morning. an update on the economy as fed chairman ben bernanke testifies before congress. the economy remains front and center in the presidential campaign. last night republican mitt romney accused of president of being out of touch and failing to fix the economy.

and for his part, the president told a beverly hills fund-raiser there's been progress on the economy but said there is more work to do. and the two meanwhile appeared in comedy sketches at the "cmt music awards" about who should host the show, toby keith or kristen bell. and they agreed that both should host the show. frightening moments wednesday for students and adults in ken condition moments after they left on a trip to washington, d.c. their tour bus overturned just minutes into the trip. about two dozen people on the bus were hurt. a san diego company says it has created the first blood test to diagnose depression. the test analyzes biomarkers or psychological changes that take place when a patient is depressed. the tests should be available throughout the u.s. in about a year. the boy scouts of america have agreed to review a proposal that would let individual units accept adult leaders who are gay. but a spokesman says there is no expectation that the ban on gay leaders will be lifted any time

soon. tributes this morning for famed sci-fi writer ray bradbury who died tuesday at the age of 91. best known for "fahrenheit 451," many of his stories were said to have been fueled by nightmares that he had as a child. steven spielberg said of bradbury, in a world of science fiction and imagination, he is immortal. a massive reminder of japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami has washed ashore in oregon. officials have confirmed that this 66-foot-long floating dock came from an area in japan hard hit by the tsunami. it traveled more than 5,000 miles across the pacific. officials say the dock, though, tested negative for radiation, suggesting it broke free before the nuclear power plant accident triggered by the tsunami. academy award winners nicole kidman and mira sorvino are calling for an end to violence against women. they spoke at an event to support the u.n. agency that

promotes equality for women and an end to attacks against women and girls worldwide. kidman called violence against women a gross violation of human rights. and a heartwarming homecoming to show you after female soldier returned from a six-month deployment. on hand to greet her, her very excited beagle named daisy. the reunion now a big hit online. aww. that is true love. daisy was just a puppy when she was deployed about 3 1/2 dog years ago and is now making up her lost time. so cute. it's amazing how animals never forget. it's now five minutes past the hour. let's go back outside to al with a check of your weather. >> that is so sweet. >> so sweet. >> 35, 45, 65. are you guys all related? >> yes. >> yeah? what's the deal? you're the mom. and the two sisters. very nice.

happy birthday. let's see what's going on. show you for today, we've got a risk of some strong storms from colorado all the way on up into nebraska. we're looking at strong storms, a possibility of some tornadoes. you can see the rain starting to fire up. and then as we make our way to texas, look out. heavy thunderstorms now firing up as well. a lot of rain expected there. anywhere from two to four inches of rain. north of san angelo and dallas. and florida, you've got a lot of tropical moisture streaming in. we're talking along the west coast of florida between tampa and fort myers up to five inches of rain over the next 24 hours. that's what's going on around >> good morning. the temperatures will climb further than it did yesterday. we should make it into the upper 70's this afternoon.

and that's your latest weather. savannah? ♪ "today's daily dose" is brought to you by cheerios cereal. >> this morning on "today's daily dose," do you really need your annual physical? it's a staple in the medical world, but the exam is considered important to good health. however, studies show it's unnecessary and in some cases may be dangerous. dr. nancy snyderman is nbc's chief medical editor. >> i like your glasses. >> i was going to say, i really like your style. >> this was not planned. but anyway, back to our point about the physical. i mean, a lot of people think this is just routine maintenance. >> it is routine maintenance but doesn't have to be. interestingly, it started in the 1950s when companies required

that their executives get annual physicals so that it could insure them and get policies. so it started tumbling into normal society thinking oh, well, i have to go see someone every year like you take your car in for maintenance. but now we know we waste billions of dollars checking otherwise healthy people for things that aren't going to hit you until you're 50 or 60. >> i'll be devil's advocate. a lot of people think if you have insurance, if you have the money, why not get it? >> because every time your insurance pays for it, guess who pays for it in the end? you pay for me to abuse the health care system to get stuff that i don't need. it costs all of us in the end. >> and the notion that it may be dangerous. >> let's take the controversial psa test a couple of weeks ago. it goes up. it's not a great screening test, as we know, phenomenally sensitive, we may pick up infections, benign problems, not necessarily prostate cancer. spikes a little bit. a guy goes in, has a biopsy, has

a complication, he may get surgery. so there's a cascade effect when we go hunting for something. like getting a ct scan to look for lumps and bumps in your body. i can guarantee you right now you have something that on a routine ct scan would look abnormal. and then the question is what do you do? well, you follow it up with tests. and then you go. >> doctors feel if i don't follow up, then i'm potentially facing malpractice. >> another part of the problem. and sometimes it's patients saying no, i'm not leaving until you give me blah, blah, blah. >> let's run through some of the annual screening tests that some regard as unnecessary. i guess some people say ekg scans. >> classic ekg. ekg at risk is going to tell you relatively little. if you are at risk for heart disease, you have symptoms, you want a stress test anyway. the old chest x-ray just gives you radiation and now we learn years later it may cause cancer. the psa i just mentioned.

mammography is in that same controversial category because as you know a couple years ago the screening guidelines changed from 50 to 40. the other two on the list, pap smears, women have been taught that every year you need one. but if you are in a monogamous relationship and you have not had an abnormal pap smear, you really only need one every three years. and for routine blood tests, the only thing you really need is to know your cholesterol early in life, say 20 or 21. and then keep it in a normal range and get it checked every five years. colonoscopies if you're not having a problem, every five to ten years. >> i guess the question is whether advertising, too, contributes to this. because now it's sort of the internet, you can diagnose your own disease or you see advertising for drugs that talk about certain illnesses. do you think that drives up the demand? >> i think we are a disease-searching society and we expect something to fix us, either something high tech or a pill. i would warn people, what you want to do is take care of yourself. and then when you get to a

certain stage in life like 50, you start doing routine screening tests to just get your baseline. obviously heart disease, cancer, strong family history for things, that changes things. but if you don't have those risk factors, use the system prudently. >> all right. some good common sense this morning. again, love your outfit. >> thank you. >> dr. nancy snyderman, thanks. next, gas or charcoal? which grill is right for you? and later taking care of your skin with the best body products. but first, these messages. hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol

as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios ...is to create it. [ female announcer ] now create a new future for your skin. only aveeno positively radiant has total soy, for a whole new level of radiance. it's clinically proven to visibly reduce blotchiness, brown spots, and other past damage, while broad spectrum spf 30 helps prevent future damage. healthier, more radiant skin. it's in your future now. [ female announcer ] positively radiant. and for brighter skin, try skin brightening daily scrub. only from aveeno. try skin brightening daily scrub. olivthe taste of tuscanyyou starting at just $10.95. new chicken with tortelloni or grilled sausage with orecchiette. and choose two tuscan extras. all served with unlimited salaand breadsticks. the taste of tuscany. at olive garden.

[ male announcer ] a blt is... good. a blt with hellmann's... is the best. hellmann's is made with real ingredients like cage-free eggs, and exceptional oils and vinegar. ♪ hellmann's. bring out the best. right? get. out. exactly! really?! [ mom ] what? shut the front door. right? woop-woop! franklin delano! [ male announcer ] hey! there's oreo creme under that fudge! oreo fudge cremes. indescribably good.

♪ fire oh, yeah, old school. this morning on "today's home," the grill debate. gas or charcoal? which is easier? better? which gives you better flavor?

well, "today" contributor lou manfredini, the host of the syndicated show is here with his top picks. >> good to see you. >> nice to see you. propane has been moving up, moving up. >> oh, yeah. >> but charcoal is back, baby. >> i don't have to tell you about the benefits of charcoal grilling. it tastes better. it's more of an event. it's more of an event. and the idea behind it is that you get more flavor out of it. and with what we're going to show you today, it's more attainable from a price perspective and you still get high-quality products. >> i know a few years ago the big green egg, pan, ceramic smoker and there are a lot more of these on the market. >> kamado behind the huge ceramic egg. it's a big cooker. what you can do is purely lump charcoal. can you get this grill up to about 750 degrees. can you bake, can you grill, you can smoke. you can attain a temperature with the charcoal, can you get -- you know, heat up pretty quickly and hold it there for hours at a time. >> it holds the heat.

>> right. and it really is terrific. i'm going to show you in a bit, we did banana bread, and it's delicious. the kamado joe is about $7$799. >> and weighs. >> it's heavy. >> this is the primo? >> this is the primo. one of the knocks in a shape, this one what i like is it's the only american-made one out there. and the oval shape gives you a larger cooking surface. >> that's not that much of a surface. >> there's different sizes. there's what they call a big joe as well. but this one here like the big joe has multiple surfaces that you can cook. these are pizza stones that you use on top. you can fill this. you can see the large cooking surface. and available is this nice table, the cedar table. and so you really have this wonderful unit. again, very heavy, to your point, al. this unit all in is about $1,800. >> okay. >> so it's a big investment, but more and more people that i talk to have have these, once they

get them, i love it. it's almost like a cult. it's like a cult. >> i've got a weber kettle that's so old, it's got a wood handle. >> well, there you go. what's amazing about the weber company is that they make high-quality products. they have for years. this weber performer, about $369. it's their standard kettle but with a side table. it has a gas lighter so it helps get things going. >> right. >> on the side here it's got an area for you to store your briquettes or whatever it may be. it makes the whole kettle experience a little bit better. >> i've got to tell you, i love the lump hardwood charcoal. >> that is the secret to any charcoal grilling. the flavor you get, and i know you know this, you can play around with the types of wood that you use to get different flavors. >> now, equal time gas grills. >> still a fabulous choice. this is a company out of nevada, minden, nevada, the minden grill company. what's unique about this, $479

for a high-quality grill. it's very well made. if you lift that up there, al, it's a side burner. >> oh, nice. >> and it's shippable. >> is this a griddle? >> this is a griddle that's removable. it's an accessory, but it gives you all these different options. the beauty behind the gas grill is the convenience of going -- i live in chicago. we grill all the time. we go outside, we fire the thing up in the wintertime. our weber -- >> isn't weber based in chicago? >> it is based in the chicagoland area. the weber genesis is probably the granddaddy of the gas grills. what's really unique about weber is that there's this whole genesis line. this particular unit is about $799 with the side burner. it's the e-310. you can buy parts for this thing 20 years from now. >> you can't say that about us. >> no, no. no. we're going to need some parts. they've got new knee things you can do. anyway, with these, we've got people that have grills that are 20 years old. they can still get the parts.

when you make this investment, when you're saying, wow, lou, $800, $1,000, it's for a long time. >> lou manfredini. >> happy grilling. >> whether it's gas or charcoal. >> you decide. >> we don't discriminate. you grill, we decide. we've got a lot more coming up right after these messages. ♪ ♪ i woke up to a new day ♪ every little thing gonna go my way ♪ ♪ i woke up to a light bulb on ♪ every little thing is possible now ♪ [ female announcer ] kraft singles have no artificial flavors and they're always made with milk

so all you taste is something amazing. ♪ life is amazing with the love that i found ♪ ♪ [ stomach growls ] [ female announcer ] skipping breakfast to get ahead? research shows that women that eat breakfast like the special k breakfast actually weigh less. what will you gain when you lose?™ [ female announcer ] hamburger helper stroganoff. beefy. creamy. stroganoffy. helpers. forty dishes, all delicious. guys, check this out. [ crowd ] yay! aww! yay! aww! [ water ] see? and it removes 99% of lead and microbial cysts. [ crowd cheering ] and the crowd goes wild. [ imitates crowd cheering ]

[ female announcer ] with depression, simple pleasures can simply hurt. the sadness, anxiety, the loss of interest. the aches and pains and fatigue. depression hurts. cymbalta can help with many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away

if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. simple pleasures shouldn't hurt. talk to your doctor about cymbalta. depression hurts. cymbalta can help. and the cravings begin... again. for nights like these there's special k chocolatey delight cereal. an unguilty pleasure. what will you gain when you lose?

i scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. >> it's a great way to beat the heat. it's summer. there's some cool combinations out there. these are some of the newest ice creams on the market. they're a little, shall we say, unorthodox. >> it looks yummy. >> the combo. >> the first one is -- >> pop tart. >> right, it's the pop tart ice cream sandwich. that looks good. >> why don't you pick it up, savannah? >> should i? i was trying to be classy. >> that works well. >> the next? >> chocolate candy shop blizzard. you realize dave zincenko is having a heart attack. it's got mini chocolate, fudge, caramels and soft serve vanilla ice cream. >> next is the ice cream pizza. that's from friendly's. that looks good.

i'll get in there. >> and this one, we were trying to figure out -- >> i like that one. >> it's a sushi ice cream cupcake. >> which we really couldn't figure out. >> if you look at it from the top, it kind of looks like a roll. >> the inside of a roll. >> a sushi roll. the only reason i'm not is because i've got something i've got to do some testing later. >> okay. >> i've got testing to do. i'm studying for a test later. >> okay. and then finally, this is the ice cream burger. >> burger. >> with chocolate ice cream in the middle. this one looks good. this is watermelon from baskin robbins. >> it matches my jacket. >> it does. it would look good on your jacket. >> and no brain freezes. impressive. coming up, award-winning beauty products for your skin. >> easy chinese recipes. in "today's kitchen," we're making dim sum. i'm here with karen and her bffs

and we are talking about activia. i've been eating activia and i feel great! i'm used to having irregularity. i feel like that's normal. if you are not feeling like trying this on, that's not normal. activia helps with occasional irregularity when eaten 3 times a day. feeling regular to me was a new feeling... i came to find my 'new normal' and i love it! ♪ activia and try new silky, fruity activia harvest picks. another way to enjoy activia. to your kids' wet skin. neutrogena® wet skin kids. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum barrier for full strength sun protection. wet skin. neutrogena®. [ stomach growls ] [ female announcer ] skipping breakfast to get ahead?

research shows that women that eat breakfast like the special k breakfast actually weigh less. what will you gain when you lose?™

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> for whether morning. a little distance from canada into the great lakes. outside chance something could popped up. mixture of sunshine and clouds today. high temperatures similar

♪ dressed up. chris brown, triple threat, singer, songwriter, dancer. the 23-year-old has collaborated with everybody from justin bieber to lil' wayne. tomorrow on "today," he's going to be performing live on the plaza. the last time he came, we had to shut the streets down. >> the block. >> yeah, we literally did. if you're planning on getting here, come early. i'm al roker. >> they're hanging out already, i'm sure. >> with natalie morales, savannah guthrie. just ahead, it's that time of year for lots of

indoor/outdoor parties. from showers to backyard barbecues, we'll help you make your party stand out without breaking a sweat. don't party too hard, my crew. we need you. and then, of course, getting that summer glow with the best body products on the market from self-tanners to moisturizers. we're going to show you the award winners. and then in "today's kitchen," a lesson in dim sum. those bite-sized chinese dishes. and we'll show you how to make them at home. >> love dim sum. >> we all do. all right. excited about that. first, al, you've got a check of the weather for us. >> we'll see what's going on as far as your weekend. tomorrow, rain in the pacific northwest. showers along the gulf coast. slight risk of strong storms northern plains and new england. showers continue in new england on saturday and the upper mississippi river valley. sizzling and hot in the southwest and texas. sunday, sunday! more wet weather in the lower gulf. we're looking for showers along the western plains. a risk of strong storms again through much of minnesota.

plenty of sunshine in new england and the northeast. that's what's going >> good morning. it will be a nice day today. with a slight chance for it rain shower. a mixture of sun and clouds. and that's your latest weather. >> all right, al, thanks. coming up next, summer entertaining in style. we've got some really fun ideas coming up right after this. dirty floors can't resist the power of snuggling. let's do this." how does it look? ridiculous. why don't you just try hugging the dirt off that floor? ha! that's silly!

this dirt snuggler is gently cleaning and polishing the floors at the same time. and why would you want to treat dirt "gently"? honey? i'm thinking. don't overthink it. everything you need, and nothing you don't. that's cleanin' with the power of pine sol, baby. i have a great fit with my dentures. i love kiwis. i've always had that issue with the seeds getting under my denture. super poligrip free -- it creates a seal of the dentures in my mouth. even well-fitting dentures let in food particles. super poligrip is zinc free. with just a few dabs, it's clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. super poligrip free made the kiwi an enjoyable experience. [ charlie ] try zinc free super poligrip. right? get. out. exactly! really?! [ mom ] what? shut the front door. right? woop-woop! franklin delano! [ male announcer ] hey! there's oreo creme under that fudge! oreo fudge cremes. indescribably good.

[ male announcer ] hwhat makes me feel eme undtruly decadent? [announcer:] new revlon colorstay whipped crème makeup. its unique formula flexes with skin for a flawless finish. the feel of nothing but silk on my skin. [ male announcer ] if you like movies that make you laugh... [ sirens ] ...tv dramas... ♪ ...timeless classics, or whatever else, then you'll love netflix. netflix lets you watch unlimited movies and tv episodes on your pc or tv via game console or other devices connected to the internet. browse genres, and get personalized suggestions. it's instant, it's unlimited. and it's only 8 bucks a month. start your free trial today.

and the cravings begin... again. for nights like these there's special k chocolatey delight cereal. an unguilty pleasure. what will you gain when you lose? the next generation and then countless more. how do you kill them? frontline plus. it uses two ingredients. one to kill adult fleas and ticks. plus another to eliminate flea eggs and larvae, annihilating the next generation of fleas. and, frontline plus works non-stop for thirty days. no wonder it's the number one choice of vets for their pets and yours. ask your vet about frontline plus. accept nothing less.

it's the time of year forbr backyard barbecues. if you want to make a statement, we have the lifestyle editor for guilt.com. >> good morning. >> let's get started with our beautiful umbrella. this creates a great setting. >> doesn't it? we always say if you pitch an umbrella, they will come. >> it's true. >> this is from world market. and it's just $55. >> it's great. >> outdoor fabric, i think that's one of the best things about it. it's really come a long way. and it's so cute. they have lots of great patterns. >> i love that. matching outdoor pillows. >> but you can use it on a table, in the sand. but once you get your guests jupd nooet the

underneath the umbrella, you can cool them off. these dispensers are great for guests to serve themselves. this is really high quality. it's from west elm and really good-looking. >> fun. the drink, i hear that your guilt fans love. >> yes. you know, this is one of my favorites. it's by lorena. not only does it taste great, but it actually, natalie, looks beautiful on a table with these old-fashioned battles. >> very refreshing. >> really fun. >> all different flavors, nonalcoholic. very good. >> now, i've got to tell you about these glasses. we are obsessed with these at guilt. they're called the govino, go anywhere wine glass. >> they're plastic. >> yeah, they're the plastic version of anyone's favorite stepless wine glass. they're sommelier approved. just $12. >> love it. >> to add a little color, we love these glasses. $70 for a set.

they also make a great housewarming or hostess gift. let's move on. lighting is important indoors and outdoor important, too. lanterns. >> these lanterns are real showstoppers from "z" gallery. $49 for the big up withes. these are great indoors or out. >> a pool. great place settings here. >> we love the melamine plates, a fancy word for plastic. these monogrammed plates and the colorful bird and animal plates by thomas paul from all modern. these paper products. >> so cute. goody bags. >> they're from the orson gigi company. you've got these goody bags and cupcake holders and the old-fashioned paper straws. >> fun. >> they're festive whether you're having a kid party or adult party.

>> adults who want to be kids again. you also say it's important tony about what you put on the floor. >> mats are incredible. this is an indoor/outdoor rug meets beach mat meets picnic mat. >> beautiful. >> they're from cocoatrends.com. you can roll them up. >> the colors are great. >> take them anywhere. really affordable and good-looking enough to use in a kid's room. >> different patterns. >> and you can hose them down. >> over here, let's talk about our barbecue grills. first these great chairs set around the table. >> aren't these great? >> fantastic. >> they're are special. they look like the classic adirondack chair but they're made out of recycled milk jugs. can you get them at stonecrest furniture. starting at $59. >> great. >> they're indestructible and folding. >> and i love these grills, by the way. no longer just the boring grill in the backyard here. you've got all these great colors. >> i never thought i'd call a grill adorable, but it is, and it's portable. you can take it anywhere.

>> it's not al's grillmaster. take it to the beach. put those beverages here. >> yeah, we love these portable sort of, you know, party tubs. and this is seagrass with galvanized metal inside. it's just $49 and you'll use it again and again indoors or out. >> fantastic. don't forget to have your lawn games. we don't have time, but thank you so much for creating a great set. we're ready to party now. >> thanks, natalie. coming up next, the best body products for firm, glowing skin right after this. inspired by tuscany's freshest and savoriest.

olive garden brings you the taste of tuscany starting at $10.95. try our new chicken with tortelloni or grilled sausage with orecchiette then choose two of four tasty tuscan extras. like a bruschetta and our roasted asparagus. enjoy it all with our unlimited fresh salad and warm breadsticks. starting at just $10.95. for a limited time at olive garden. when you're here, you're family. [ female announcer ] nature valley granola bars, rich dark chocolate, toasted oats. perfect combinations of nature's delicious ingredients, from nature valley. ♪ nature valley granola bars, nature at its most delicious. ♪ every little thing has meaning ♪ ♪ i woke up to a light bulb on

♪ every little thing is possible now ♪ [ female announcer ] we've added a touch of philadelphia cream cheese to our kraft natural cheese to make it creamier. so whatever you make isn't just good, it's amazing. ♪ life is amazing with the love that i've found ♪ [ female announcer ] and to make a creamier sandwich, try new kraft touch of philadelphia slices. but what about your wrinkles? neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair. its retinol formula visibly reduces wrinkles in one week. why wait if you don't have to. neutrogena®. [ male announcer ] a blt is... good. a blt with hellmann's... is the best. hellmann's is made with real ingredients like cage-free eggs,

and exceptional oils and vinegar. ♪ hellmann's. bring out the best. ♪ (belhi.ings) good morning. big news. we're spreading the word about new honey bunches of oats fruit blends and their unique taste combinations. like peach/raspberry... and banana/blueberry. we're telling everyone. with one flavor in the granola bunch and one on the flake. try some. mmm! two flavors. in harmony. yummy. four nutritious grains and two big fruit flavors to make your day bunches better.

♪ this morning on "today's beauty," pampering your body. "prevention" magazine held its annual celebrate your beauty awards. and after reviewing more than 1700 products, we are showing off the winners in the best body products. jennifer, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> this was exhaustive testing. there were 1700 products. how did you choose the winners? >> our readers chose them along with a panel of dermatologists and cosmetic chemists. we narrowed down the finalists and we had almost 300 readers use the products under the supervision of a dermatologist who's taken pictures before and after. >> let's start, best body wash, without further ado. >> this is really exciting because this is an all-natural body wash that beat out all the other traditional body washes that we tested. so it lathers, but the lathers

which can be drying and irritating comes from coconut oil and a sugar beet derivative but still lathers up. it also has green tea and olive oil and ant oxidants which are great for making your skin look better and firmer in summer. >> great. next, hair removal. you've got a razor. you didn't do waxing. >> we tested waxing and a bunch of razors. this one came out on top. everybody knows a razor rue movmove removes hair, fine. when you're stroking it over your skin, it delivers protein and vitamins that condition your skin and make it softer. >> wow, that's pretty high tech. >> yeah, our testers liked it, too, because the head wasn't too large so they could get around all the corners. >> it has, like, five blades in there. >> you get a really close shave. the blades around sitting on the shower edge where there's bacteria. >> that's the race car razors right there. self-tanners.

a lot of people have many misadventures with self-tanners. why was this one good? >> they're hard to formulate is what the judge who is a cosmetic chemist told us. we want one that makes your skin healthier. this has vitamin b and d. it does great things for your skin. if it turns you orange, it's a no go. our testers like it had because it looked really natural. what's cool, you undo them. they're like a large sheet, a towel. and you can use the whole thing to wipe around your body. and you won't have streaks which is great. >> and the smell? >> no corn chip smell, no burnt toast smell. i've used this. the next day you smell like yourself, but you have a tan. it's great. >> okay. sticking with our sun theme, we've got the best sunscreen. what was it? >> l'oreal paris, sublime sun. every dermatologist will tell you sunscreen helps you look younger, protects your skin. this one is one of those clear

continuous sprays. you hold it down and you can sweep around your whole body and you can go upside down and do your own back. >> it's an aerosol, it's not a lotion that sprays out. >> this one, it's a continuous spray, but it is white when it goes on. that's actually why our readers liked it the best. some of those clear sprays, it blows off into the wind. this one has a lotion so you know that you're protected. >> best body lotion. >> yeah, positively ageless body lotion from aveeno. this one's cool because it has antioxidants that will make your skin firmer and younger looking. our readers liked it because they got to see the before and after pictures of what their skin looked like. >> can you tell a difference? >> in six weeks they had less spots and a better tone. hand cream. nobody likes a hand cream that makes their hands greasy. that was the reasl reason this was a winner. they had fewer spots after six weeks. >> understand has of hope. good title, too. jennifer goldstein, thank you so

much. >> thank you. next, easy chinese food you can make at home. first, this is "today" on nbc. there she is ! 3q hey, i got a leak ! yoo hoo ! wait a minute, come back ! um, miss ? up here! right. like 85% of us, you have hard water stains and that cleaner's not gonna cut it. truth is, you need something powerful. you need lime-a-way. it's 4 times more effective at removing limescale than the leading bathroom cleaner.

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♪ this morning in "today's kitchen," what's for dinner? how about dim sum for the whole family that's easy to make. the host of "easy chinese san francisco" on the cooking channel. good to see you. >> good to see you. thanks for having me. >> you know, we love going to chinese restaurant dim sum because it's little bites and you can fill up pretty good. >> little parcels of deliciousness, pan fried. who doesn't love dim sum? >> nobody i know. and if they don't, i don't know them. we're starting off with a pork belly. but you say it's kind of hard to deal with ground pork. >> yes, ground pork. i'm going to make you one of my dim sum favorites, a classic.

>> is this steamed dim sum? >> it's steamed. it's really healthy. it's called pearly pork balls. >> could you replace another ground meat if you wanted to? >> you could do turkey, chicken. >> but it doesn't sound as good to say pearly turkey balls. >> it doesn't have the same ring. this is really easy. some chefs, it takes years for them. you're going to learn this in about three minutes. we're going to use pork belly. mince it down. i've got a good amount of fat. about 30% fat here to lean meat. if you're watching your health, of course you could use ground lean. i've already started grating shallots in there. but you do want a bit of that fat because it's going to be tender and juicy once it steams. one shallot and then a teaspoon of grated ginger. i love ginger. >> i do, too. >> you want a bit more? >> yes. >> all right. then i'm going to grate in

bulli bullion. it adds lovely flavor. you just add a little bit in. and then my favorite which is chinese five spice. it's really wonderful. but if you don't have chinese five spice, just salt and pepper. that would be absolutely perfect. traditionally, all we'd have is just salt, pepper and good quality meat. that's it. start to give this a good mix. all right? and then i'm going to introduce some rice wine. good enough to drink. about a teaspoon in there. give that a good mix. and then to bind it all together, a little bit of egg. so one egg yolk. it doesn't want to go in. and then some corn starch as well. this helps bring all the flavors together. a little grind of ground white pepper and pinched salt. work it away so you can make meatballs. >> basically meatballs. >> exactly. we've got some made here, already rolled.

get your hands dirty. what we do is coat it in a little bit of corn starch. just a light dusting. >> almost looks like a truffle. >> absolutely. and at this stage, it would be gorgeous and delicious. we're going to roll it in some sticky rice. >> is this already cooked? >> it's raw rice. and it's basically already been soaked overnight in some cold water. >> okay. >> so it basically helps to cook as it steams. >> i see. >> at the same time as the pork. yeah. exactly. so basically roll it like that. beautiful. and then just put it into the bamboo steamer like that. now, sticky rice is really delicious. it's a lovely stickiness about it. as simple as that. you've got to put it on high steam. fill the wok up with water. steam about 20 to 25 minutes. >> cover it? >> yeah, cover it. this is one i've already done. put that over there. and there you have it. >> wow! >> it really does smell with the very best of chinese cooking.

it's the five spice. >> ooh, mommy. ooh, daddy. >> it's easier than waking up in the morning, no? >> yes, it is. now, how do you serve this? >> i've got here some condiments, some chili sauce, soy and vinegar with ginger. this is really traditionally how it's served. try a hot one. >> try a hot one. >> these are really good. and then also here, while you're trying that, help yourselves. >> okay. >> thank you. >> i've also got some easy entertaining ideas here. i've got some roasted chicken wings. and basically, make a simple marinade, easy chinese. some ginger, some garlic, some brown sugar, soy and honey. you marinate that with a little bit of miso and put it on the oven or on the grill. >> that's a chinese phrase, isn't it? just kidding. thank you so much. recipes are on our website.

today.com. >> thank you. >> always good to see you. >> thank you very much. >> delicious. coming up, kathie lee and hoda have ambush makeovers for two lucky ladies in the crowd. zbl i'm going to practice my chopsticks. first, your local news and weather. have a great day, everybody.

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