By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

DR. SIMPSON DONS CHEF HAT, CONTINUES HOLIDAY TRADITION

Reader’s Note: For the last several years my predecessor John Wolf, D.O., has written a special recipe column this time of year. Dr. Wolf has told me that each year this Christmastime recipe column would get more comments from readers than any of his regular columns that dealt with the various human maladies to which we are all are subject. This being the case, I felt it would be a good idea for this neophyte columnist to follow in the footsteps of my esteemed forerunner, who attributed the popularity of the annual recipe column to a simple fact: “We all eat, while only some of us have concerns about any given health problem.”

Before I give you this year’s “nutty” recipe, I need to supply a little background information. A recent finding of the ongoing “nurse’s study” of over 84,000 women by the Harvard School of Public Health demonstrated that women who ate nuts on a regular basis were less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. Women who ate over five ounces of nuts per week weighed less, and exercised more than women who ate no nuts, or a minimal amount of them. The cause for this statistical finding is unclear, but it does suggest that women should eat more nuts.

With that in mind, I will share one of my favorite holiday cookie recipes with you, Almond Crescent cookies. This dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for a few days. Small children will like to help with making the crescents without having to wait for the dough to be made.

Soften the butter and then beat it together with the sugar and almond extract until smooth. Premix the flour and salt and stir it into the mix. Finally, stir in the almonds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To form the cookies, take a large teaspoon of dough and roll it into a short rope with the palms of your clean hands on a lightly floured surface. Then form the “rope” into a crescent shape. Place the cookies two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes.

When the cookies have cooled slightly, sift some confectioner’s sugar over the tops or drizzle with some melted semisweet chocolate chips, or BOTH!!

These are delicious, melt in your mouth, and in moderation, are good for “us girls”! We can share these cookies with men and boys but the nut benefit has not been demonstrated for their gender. Make nuts available as snacks for your family. They are high in fiber, but should be consumed in moderation because they are also high in calories.

Enjoy your holidays, and thank you for allowing me to share this favorite of mine with you. Have a safe and joyous holiday season.

"Family Medicine" is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701. You can also email questions of general interest to Dr. Simpson at simpsonm@ohio.edu Past columns are available online at http://www.FamilyMedicineNews.org.