MONEY MATTERS WITH SHEILA -- SODA TAX?

Last week health editor Janice Kerr gave us tips for reducing our muffin tops. One suggestion she made was to cut out the sugar. We have a triple whammy hitting us in this country right now -- an obesity crisis, a health cost crisis, and an economic crisis. In some ways, the three are related. It’s been suggested we could help kill three birds with one stone by adding a penny an ounce tax on sugar sweetened beverages.

Recent medical studies out of Columbia University and the University of California have estimated that such a tax could prevent nearly 8,000 strokes, 26,000 premature deaths, and 100,000 cases of heart disease, results far less taxing on our bodies, our medical system, and our wallets -- in other words, that triple whammy could morph into a triple win. And all for a few pennies more each week.

Of course, there are those who say people would just turn to other high calorie beverages or drink beverages loaded with artificial sweeteners. The tax would increase the coffers in Washington and maybe offset some of the healthcare costs and help with the deficit, but it would do little to help the obesity problem.

Thanks, Sheila! What about you, readers? How do you weigh in (pun intended) on this issue? Good idea or not? Let’s hear from you. Post a comment to enter the drawing for a book from our guest author on Friday. -- AP

COOKING WITH CLORIS -- APRICOT MOCHA CAKE

If you follow this blog, you know that our food editor Cloris McWerther comes up with the most incredible, to-die-for desserts, especially when she marries chocolate with other ingredients. But we here at American Woman magazine are also conscious of the fact that too many Americans are eating too many grams of sugar and too many calories. So, how do you have your cake and eat it without putting on the pounds. 

This is a topic that Cloris and health editor Janice Kerr have been discussing at some length. As a result, Cloris began experimenting with some of her recipes, cutting down the sugar and replacing some of the flour with whole wheat flour. Below is one of her successes. It contains 1 cup less sugar, replaces 1/4 of the flour with whole wheat flour, and uses skim milk instead of whole milk. We dare you to tell the difference. -- AP

APRICOT MOCHA CAKE
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup cold espresso or coffee

In mixing bowl sift together first 5 ingredients. Set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in microwave. Stir in milk and vanilla. Fold into flour mixture. Pour into greased 9” x 9” pan. Combine brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Pour espresso or coffee over dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Yum! Now keep in mind we’re not claiming this is a diet dessert, but it’s less guilt-inducing than many of Cloris's creations. And as with so many other things, it’s OK to indulge once in awhile as long as you do so in moderation. From Cloris, Janice, and me, bon appetit! -- AP