Issue Date: November 21, 2004
Smart holiday treats
Overindulging in empty calories is a holiday hazard. Here are ways to pack treats with nutrients, using delicious dried fruits, nuts, spices, whole-grain cereals and even chocolate. Fruits and nuts are rich in antioxidants; cinnamon suppresses blood sugar spikes; chocolate may help your heart and your mood.
Contact Jean Carper, whose new cookbook is "EatSmart," at JeanCarper.com.
Peanut Butter Clusters
10 ounces Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 cup dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup regular oats, uncooked
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon
Microwave chips in a bowl on high power until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Add remaining ingredients; mix thoroughly. Using your hands, firmly roll into 1-inch balls. Cool.
Yield: 3 dozen balls.
Per ball: 64 calories, 2g protein, 3g fat (2g saturated), 7g carbs, 0g fiber, 19mg sodium.
Coconut-Apricot Truffles
1 1/2 cups whole, unsalted almonds
2 cups dried apricots
2 tsps. cinnamon
2 tsps. almond extract
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
In a food processor with the knife blade, thoroughly combine first four ingredients until the mixture forms a dough-like ball. Using your hands, firmly roll into 1-inch balls. Roll in coconut.
Yield: 3 dozen balls.
Per ball: 55 calories, 1g protein,3g fat (0.5g saturated), 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 4mg sodium.
Orange-Fruit Nut Truffles
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 cup orange-essence dried plums (prunes)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chocolate-covered raisins (or plain raisins)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a food processor with the knife blade, blend all until a dough-like ball is formed. Using your hands, roll into 1-inch balls. Optional: Top each with a walnut piece. Yield: 3 dozen balls.
Per ball: 62 calories, 1g protein,3g fat (0.5g saturated), 8g carbs, 1g fiber, 1mg sodium.
Mint Chocolate Clusters
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. mint extract
1/2 cup pecan pieces
2/3 cup Cheerios
1/3 cup M&Ms mini baking bits (or raisins)
Microwave chocolate chips in a bowl on high power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir in mint. Thoroughly stir in remaining ingredients. Using a teaspoon, drop 1 1/2-inch pieces on wax paper. Cool.
Yield: 2 dozen pieces.
Per piece: 68 calories, 1g protein,4g fat (2g saturated), 7g carbs, 1g fiber, 8mg sodium.
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The best rate, guaranteed
Have you ever booked a hotel online, only to find a better deal on another site? With so many Internet companies selling rooms at the same properties, hunting for bargains is a chore. That's why more hotels have started offering best-rate guarantees.
The Cendant Hotel Group offers a "Best Rate or Free" policy promising customers a free first night if they find a lower rate within 24 hours of booking a room online or through the toll-free reservation line of any of their Ramada, Howard Johnson, Days Inn and other hotels.
Most major hotels offer similar guarantees. Some online travel sites have followed, offering to match lower rates or cancel reservations without a fee. But check the fine print. Guarantees apply to comparable rooms; you won't get a suite for the cost of a standard room. Bookings must be for the same dates and the same number of guests. Group rates don't qualify. And the promise lasts only one day.
Most major hotels will match a lower price you find online.
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Great to see you ... really!
Whoever said "'Tis the season to be jolly" obviously didn't have to endure holiday family get-togethers, especially so soon after a heated presidential election. Taking a cue from Santa, here's a short list to help you turn a get-together from naughty to nice.
Get guest-savvy. Make sure enjoyable, easygoing relatives will be in attendance to help you deflect and avoid the argumentative, negative ones.
Plan an escape. Have a come-back that allows you to gracefully move past a subject you hate ... and away from the annoying relative who raised it. For example, counter "Why aren't you married yet?" with "I'm waiting to meet someone just like Uncle Jim, who, by the way, I need to say hi to." Then vamoose!
Keep busy. Helping in the kitchen or circulating to refill glasses will prevent being cornered in a no-spin zone.
De-stress to avoid distress. Schedule a massage or stretch class before a family event. The better you feel, the easier it will be to laugh all the way into the New Year.
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Viagra for what?
A recent study conducted in a German hospital and at Mount Everest's base camp evaluated the effectiveness of Viagra in boosting exercise capacity when the lungs get less oxygen, as in acute mountain sickness. Comparing Viagra with a placebo, they found it improved cardiac work capacity at both locations. Viagra works by reducing vascular resistance in the penis, and researchers recently found a similar response in blood vessels in the lungs. This study was small (only 14 participants), and mountain sickness is a complicated condition. Still, the preliminary findings are intriguing.
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