November 25, 2011 | 6:40 pm

‘Tis the Season!

Posted by Sima Cohen

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Now that the stores are all sold out of pumpkin pie, our food comas have set in, and Black Friday is coming to a close, I think it’s fair to remind everyone that as a Jewish community we get to have Thanksgiving every Friday night when we celebrate Shabbat, and to keep it as a heartfelt tradition because it is a HUGE blessing to us. It is an opportunity to come together as friends and families and celebrate one another; celebrate our relationships with one another and our relationships with our God. And although stuffing ourselves like Turkeys isn’t often the goal (although it is sometimes the outcome) we can enjoy the fruits of our labor and the people we love as often as we’d like.

The holiday season is far from over, and with Hanukkah just around the corner, most of us like to enjoy some hot tea or cocoa when the temperatures drop. For those of you with a sweet tooth, I have some good news: a cup of hot cocoa contains 2 times more antioxidants than a serving of red wine, 2-3 times more antioxidants than green tea, and up to 5 times more antioxidants than black tea! Although we should be getting most of our healthy antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, a cup or two of hot cocoa every now and then can be a warm and delicious way to keep cancer, heart disease and aging at bay. So warm up with a low-cal cup of hot chocolate and a sweetener of your choice, and have yourself a guilt-free holiday!

Peace and Thanksgiving,
Sima