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With these and other recipes, be sure to use all-organic ingredients where you can. They are better for you and your family and better for the environment as well.

• Pinwheel Cookies

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients well and roll out into a 1/4 inch thick sheet.

For the filling:

1/2 pound chopped dates
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cook the filling into a paste and cool. Spread the paste filling onto the rolled dough sheet and then roll up into a round, jelly-roll style. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for about an hour. Grease a cookie sheet and cut dough into narrow cookies. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on a cookie rack and serve.

• Peppermint Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
All-natural red food coloring (check health food stores)
Peppermint Candies
2 tbs. sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the egg and the extracts. Combine dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture. Divide the dough in half. Add the coloring to one half of the dough and mix well. Roll small pieces of the dough, both colors into a 4-inch long rope.

Place two strips, one red one and one white one side by side and press together lightly, then twist. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and bend to make a candy cane shape. Moisten each cookie with a touch of water and then sprinkle with a mixtures of the crushed candies and a bit of sugar. Bake about 10 minutes and cool on a rack.

• White Pumpkin Drop Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
1 16oz. can pumpkin
2 eggs

Stir together completely to combine, and then add:

4 cups flour
2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 12oz. bag of white chocolate chips

Mix together and drop evenly on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 16 minutes or until done. Cool on a rack before icing.

For the icing:

1 container of cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Combine together and drizzle over cooled cookies. Enjoy!

Happy Eating!



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The natural food aisle has gone tea crazy. What am I talking about? Kombucha pronounced kum-boo-cha is a fermented tea that, doesn’t have the backing of the Food and Drug Administration, but has been around for thousands of years and health nuts are crazy about it.

It is believed the tea is a cure-all. It detoxifies the body and its acids and bacteria known as probotics are helpful in digestion, suppress appetite and rejuvenate the skin.

Kombucha is made from a culture that is kept growing and alive similar to yogurts properties. Steve Lee, the founder of Kombucha Wonder Drink did an interview with the Albany Democrat-Herald and stated that “the fermentation process means the drink has a slight alcohol content, but generally less than .05 percent.” He also adds,” Kombucha Wonder Drink is pasteurized; a process that raw kombucha fans say kills the probiotics that give the drink its health benefits.”

But still some say the organic acids are enough to be a cure-all for them. This wonderful tea can be purchased at any health food or health conscious market. Pick some up and see what it does for you.

Happy Kombucha Drinking!

Learn more at




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Make yourself try one new thing a week, be it a new drink or a new activity. Even if it turns out to be gross or not your cup of tea, it was worth it to give it a go. Never short-change yourself the opportunity to try something you wouldn’t otherwise, who knows you might find your “new” regular drink or routine.




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•Lemony Green Beans:

1 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed, or three 9-oz. pkg. frozen whole green beans.
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil.
3 large shallots cut in thin wedges.
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced.
1 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper.
Lemon wedges

1. In a 12-inch skillet cook beans in lightly salted boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes or until barely crisp-tender. Drain; rinse beans with cold water. Set aside.

2. in same skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add green beans. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon peel, salt, and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 8 servings.
(Each serving: 80 cal., 5 g fat)

•Jeweled Spaghetti Squash:

1 3-to 3 1/2 lb. spaghetti squash.
1/2 cup water.
1/2 cup orange juice.
3/4 cup dried tart cherries.
2 Tbsp. butter.
1/4 cup chopped walnuts.
1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1. Halve squash lengthwise, discard seeds. Place one squash half; cut side down, in microwave-safe baking dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap, turning back a corner of wrap to allow steam to escape. Micro-cook, covered, on high (100% power) for 20 to 22 minutes or until tender, turning once. Keep warm. Replace water; repeat with remaining squash.

2. Using a fork, scrape stringy squash pulp from shells into a bowl. Discard shell.

3. In saucepan bring orange juice to boiling. Remove from heat. Add cherries; let stand 10 minutes. In skillet cook nuts in hot butter over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally.

4. Add cherries and juice, toasted walnuts, parsley, salt and pepper to squash pulp. Toss to coat. Serve warm. Makes 8 (about 2/3 cup) servings.
(Each serving: 135 cal., 6g fat)

•Rosemary Beef Tenderloin:

1 recipe of Dijon Spread…(in a small bowl combine 2 tbs. Dijon style mustard; 1 tbs. olive oil, 1 tbs. snipped fresh rosemary; 3 cloves of garlic, minced; 3/4 tsp. salt; and 1/4 tsp. pepper)
1 2 1/2 to 3 lb. center-cut beef tenderloin roast or boneless pork top loin roast. (Order center-cut tenderloin from the butcher or meat counter ahead of time. The center cut holds its shape best during roasting.)
1 4 to 6 oz. log garlic and herb goat cheese (chèvre), cut crosswise in 8 slices, or half an 8-oz tub cream cheese spread with chive and onion.
Snipped fresh rosemary.
Garnishes such as figs, additional rosemary, steamed beets, or steamed baby artichokes.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare Dijon Spread. Spread over roast. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan.

2. Place roast in oven. For medium rare doneness, roast the beef, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature registers 135°F on an instant-read thermometer. Cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Meat temperature will rise about 10°F on standing. (For medium doneness, roast, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until meat reaches 150°F. Cover and let stand as directed above.

3. Cut roast into 8 slices about 1 to 1 1/2 inch apart, cutting to, and nut not through, bottom of the meat. Tuck a slice of goat cheese into each cut (or spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese into each cut). Sprinkle with additional rosemary. To serve, slice through the meat between each cheese portion. Serve roast with figs, steamed beets, and steamed baby artichokes. Makes 8 servings.
(Each serving: 275 cal., 14 g fat.)



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On January 23rd, 1960, two deep sea divers named, Lieutenant Don Walsh of the US Navy (marine specialist); and oceanographer Jacques Piccard were the first to reach to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. And located north of New Guinea and about 250 miles southwest of Guam off the Mariana Islands. Their diving took them about 36,000 feet below the sea level line. Unfortunately their efforts would be the last due to the depths of the abyss and no other person has been able to copy their feats into the deep and see the area with their own eyes.

Due to the fact of not having the resources or just plain not having the nerve to copy Walsh and Piccard’s journey to the bottom of the deepest part of the ocean there is now a way to view the area from the comfort of your own home. With Google Earth and the Cousteau Society you can install a program and check the "Ocean Layer" with just a click of the mouse. All you need is to download Google Earth, install and open the program and make sure the Ocean Layer and Terrain Layer is check off.

With this program you can also view footage from the Cousteau Society missions as well. You can also check out how the ocean looks to sea life and other salt water creatures that inhabit the ocean waters.

To learn more about the Cousteau Society or to donate to the Calypso's Restoration Project. visit the Cousteau Society Website here.



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Keep in mind that these contaminants are common in U.S. water supplies:

ARSENIC: a poison that also can cause cancer is found in all 50 stated but is highest in the Southwest.

ATRAZINE: a widely used pesticide, may cause hormone disruption, cancer, muscular degeneration and cardiovascular damage. Found in all 50 states, it’s most common in the Mississippi River Basin during spring runoff.

LEAD: a heavy metal can cause brain damage and developmental problems in children and it adversely affects blood pressure, kidneys and red blood cells.

METHYL TERTIARY-BUTYL ETHER (MTBE): a gasoline additive can leak into groundwater from underground fuel storage, spills and storm-water runoff and may cause cancer.

PATHOGENS: such as Cryptosporidium, E. coli and Giardia are carried by animal and human waste. They can cause gastrointestinal illness that can be life-threatening for individuals with weakened immune systems.

PER CHLORATE: is a contaminant from rocket fuel that harms the thyroid and may cause cancer.

TRIHALOMETHANES (THMS): including chloroform, are byproducts of chlorine treatment and are linked to cancer, miscarriages and birth defects THMs can occur after heavy rains, when chlorine reacts with organic matter such as leaves and animal waste.



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