I am happy that I have such fond memories of the season.  I hope to continue many of the same traditions when I am blessed with a family of my own.  Part of the holiday tradition in my house is the baking of grandma’s special cookies.  These were the cookies we left for Santa as little tykes.  As we grew older my mother would bake them for class Christmas parties.  Now, it is something I make for my own office holiday celebrations.  The secret ingredient is sour cream.  It may not sound like that is a particularly tasty ingredient for cookies, but trust me — it’s absolutely yummy!  Here is the recipe; I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Sour Cream Cookies
yields about 4 dozen

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup margarine (one stick) - make sure it’s a trans fat free variety
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream - use a light or fat free version for a healthier cookie
A little cinnamon and sugar (blended together to sprinkle on cookies before baking them)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda together and sift the combination three times.

Mix sour cream, margarine, and sugar into the bowl; make sure it well-blended and smooth.

Mix the eggs in with the vanilla; slowly add a little of the sour cream mixture and alternate adding a little of the flour mixture; keep alternating until all of it is added.

Blend this mixture into a thick batter.

Scoop rounded teaspoons of the batter onto a well-greased cookie pan.

Sprinkle a little of the sugar/cinnamon blend on top of each cookie (taste the mixture and make sure that it is sufficiently sugary or cinnamon-y to your liking).

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden on edges.

Remove from cookie sheet and cool.

Some doubt whether organics are really healthier then their conventional counterparts. Others cite higher costs (though costs have dropped considerably over the past few years). But many regard organics as worth the cost because they lack potentially harmful pesticides, fertilizers and hormones.  Plus it is better for the environment, for the animals, and for the farmers who produce and raise the food.  But, is it always better to pay the extra money to buy organic?

Organic Produce
Perhaps the most important reason for wanting to eat organic produce is so that you are not constantly ingesting pesticides.  The thought of involuntarily eating a substance that is designed to kill a living things can be quite alarming to some people.  However, there is no evidence that conclusively shows that organic produce is better in this respect. 

Even organic foods have small amounts of pesticide.  The American Diabetic Association suggests that eating a variety of food is more important to your health than eating only organic food.

The most conclusive evidence that organic produce is better is that it has higher levels of phtyonutrients than non-organic produce.  Phytonutrients are the nutrients found in the skin of many fruit and vegetables.  They are strong in antioxidants and also help us maintain healthy immune systems.  

Organic Milk
Organic milk and other dairy products are produced from cows that given hormones.  Since milk is the seminal “kid drink,” many parents are now leaning towards organic milk so that their kids are getting something that is wholesome as well as nutritious.  But is organic milk better?  Some contend that organic milk is higher in nutrients than non-organic milk.  However, others point out that you are probably getting those missing nutrients in the other foods you eat. 

Organic Fish
Organic fish may perhaps be the trickiest of all of the categories.  When referring to animals, organic means not only that the animals were not fed hormones but that they were allowed to live in their natural habitat.  There has been a push by the fishing industry to have their stock qualify as organic. 

The United States does not certify fish as organic because the natural habitat cannot be controlled and regulated.  In an odd twist to the organic world, this most natural variety of fish will probably never get that label. What about farm-raised fish? The labeling of farm-raised fish as organic is problematic because while their conditions can be regulated, they are raised outside of their natural environment.

The Agriculture Department is currently reviewing recommendations on what type of fish, if any, will be allowed to be labeled organic.  So when you see “organic fish,” it’s a misnomer.  You may purchase farm-raised fish because the conditions that they are raised are regulated.  Or you may choose to buy wild fish because that is the most natural type of fish you can get. 

In this case, there is no health benefit to so-called organic fish. 

Photo courtesy of Cucina Bella.

Milk
Though milk is a necessary part of a healthy diet it has become somewhat of a dirty word for a lot of people.  Whole milk is high in fat content and it is widely believed to be one of the main culprits in the ever-broadening American waistline.  Many people prefer no- or low-fat milk to whole milk.  Still others choose to skip milk altogether.  It has gotten to the point where the woman at the local Dean & Deluca looks at me with some mixture of disgust and disbelief when I ask for extra milk and cream in my coffee. 

Milk also has high levels of cholesterol which can lead to coronary heart disease. The fact is milk actually does do your body good.  (Our mothers were right when they gave us a glass or two of milk to drink every day when we were young.)  Milk contains high amounts protein, as well as Vitamins A, B12, D, K, iodine, biotin, pantothenic acid, and potassium among other nutrients.  Women should keep in mind that in order to stave off common illnesses like osteoporosis, we should consume 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk per day.   

There was even a study by Dr. Michael Zemel, PhD, of the University of Tennessee, that suggested that milk helps you lose weight.  The key to milk consumption is that it should be consumed as part of a well-balanced diet and also be no- or low-fat whenever possible.  That way you get all of the essential nutrients without having to worry about the extra fat and cholesterol.    

Fish
One of the biggest scares in what you “shouldn’t” eat came a few years ago when it was advised that eating fish can be dangerous when consumed by young children, women who are or may become pregnant and nursing mothers.  The reason for this warning was that fish was found to contain high levels of methylmercury and high levels could lead to many health issues.  One of the most alarming was the risk for pregnant women.  Since methylmercury was found to possibly lead to the development of learning deficiencies in the unborn children, many doctors and organizations went as far as to say that pregnant women shouldn’t consume fish at all. 

Fish not only can but should be consumed by everyone, including women of child-bearing age. The reason for this is that most Americans are not getting enough Omega-3, an essential fatty acid that many types of fish contain.  The FDA suggests that people (especially pregnant women) do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish, because they contain very high levels of mercury.  The FDA also suggest that people limit their fish intake to 12 ounces (or two servings) of fish per week.  The amount per serving should accordingly be reduced for children. 

Butter
For years most of us have been indoctrinated to choose margarine, or some other form of butter substitute because margarine is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.  Butter was touted as heart-clogger and a waistline-killer.  I, like many, have always considered butter bad.  I knew that if I ate too much of it I would be a potential candidate for early-life heart disease.

It was not until I read reports touting the benefits of butter did I realize that it may actually be a much better option than margarine as a matter of health.  It contains many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.  It is also a good source of fatty acids and (contrary to popular belief) does contain some of the good cholesterol as well.    

Butter also aids in the absorption of other nutrients (see the Wall Street Journal article mentioned above).  Therefore, it is better to have butter with your veggies than to eat them without anything at all.  Of course, I am not advocating having sizable amounts of butter at each meal, but it just goes to show that something that has long been taught to be “bad” may in fact be good. 

I think the moral of the story is moderation is key when eating. Butter, milk, fish and dozens of other one-time “bad” foods are now ”good.” Additionally, despite the constantly changing nature, one should err on the side of caution and heed official recommendations about the type, amount, and quality of the food we eat.  In the end, you still have to eat and drink what you feel comfortable with.  If you know that milk adds on the pounds or that you are not willing to take the risk of possible birth defects by eating fish while pregnant, it doesn’t matter what I, a newspaper article, or the FDA says.  However, as with everything in life, you should thoroughly research things so that you are not operating on long-held myths or on data that has since been changed with more recent research. 

Photo courtesy of the BBC

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women excluding non-melanoma skin cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. All women are at risk of developing breast cancer regardless of their family history, In fact, 90% of women who develop it have no family history of the disease. Even men can develop breast cancer.

Some factors place certain women at a higher risk of developing breast cancer than others. Women under the age of 35 are not in the “risk” category, though women over the age of 60 are. Family history is a factor. If women in your family have been afflicted with the disease, you may develop it as well. Other risk factors include: early onset of menstrual cycle, having children after age 25, and not having children at all.

All women, regardless of risk factors, should do the following to decrease their chances of developing breast cancer: regularly exercising, eating healthy (including reducing hydrogenated and saturated fats and increasing intake of fruits and vegetables), limiting alcohol, and not smoking.

How To Help

In the spirit of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, several companies have partnered up with institutions dedicated to researching and eradicating the disease, and getting the message out there. During the month of October these companies will donate various portions of the proceeds of pink items they sell to the charities that they are partnered up with.

I bet you never would have expected M&M?S? to get an honorable mention on FitFare. But pink M&M’S, specially colored to be sold in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, will get just that. Buy these specially colored candies this month and the manufacturer will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The company pledges to donate a minimum of $250,000.

York Peppermint Patties is also following suit. They pledge to offer $125,000, funded by the sale of their limited edition pink candies, to the Young Survival Coalition?, a group that brings people together to further the issues that are unique to young women that survive breast cancer.

Tictac also join the candy for a cause group. Five cents from the sale of every specially marked pack of pink Tictac, will go to support CancerCare, an organization dedicated to cancer education and counseling. The company pledges to donate up to $100,000 from the proceeds of these sales.

Better Homes and Gardens has released their Pink Plaid Cookbook in a special edition filled with the same tasty and healthy recipes as the 2005 edition plus new recipes and a 32-page supplement that tells stories of survival. The publisher, Meredith Books, is donating a minimum of $250,000 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

KitchenAid? encourages everyone to “cook for the cure.” It doesn?t get any cuter than this! You can buy anything from pink toasters and mixers, to pink cutlery scissors and ice cream scoops. The company will donate various amounts, up to $50 depending on the price of the product, to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Tips:

As a smart shopper you should thoroughly research each item you buy to find out (a) what portion of proceeds goes to charity, and (b) the organization and type of research you are supporting. For instance some organizations are strictly catered to researching a cure, whereas others have goals that include general awareness and education.

Let’s help eradicate this awful disease. Buy pink products, support research, get regular mammograms, and spread the knowledge.