Flashback: Mariah Carey Crashes TRL with Insanity; Ice Cream; & Stripping

Everyone who knows me knows I Love Mariah. In 2001, due to overworking herself, as well as music industry politics and drama surrounding her life, Mariah had a bit of a meltdown. The TRL incident, as well as some disturbing voicemail messages left for her fans on her website, foreshadowed her not-too far along hospitalization. Poor Mariah. At the time, it was quite alarming as a fan.

 Though the world made a laughingstock of Ms. Carey, as she definitely is a bit crazy (in a good way), it was clear to fans that had followed her career that something was clearly wrong (this was not typical MC craziness).  However, with Ms. Carey now in fine spirits and a glowing new mother, we can now look at this video and laugh at the craziness.

Yesterday was the 10th Anniversary of what may be TRL's most outrageous moment. For the nostalgia, here it is!!

Sumac - The Wild Lemonade!

Have you heard of this incredibly useful, tasty berry? Chances are you've heard of poison sumac. Here is a photo of Poison Sumac:

Note the white berries. There are many types of Sumac, and this is the only toxic one. All the other Sumac specimens have clusters of red, fuzzy berries.

Any Sumac with red fruit is safe, edible, and if gathered at peak, delicious!

The berries are most often dried and used as a tart spice in many Indian and Mediterranean dishes, but what I will be sharing today is a recipe for a sort of home-made wild lemonade called sumac-ade! This drink is delicious, easy to prepare, fun to gather, and loaded with Vitamin C.

Preparation of the beverage is simple. The first step is to harvest the berries. The large clusters easy to collect. I usually just snap off the twig that bears the cluster by bending it quickly, although some people might feel more comfortable use pruning shears or a knife. You want to get the berries when they are dark red and fully mature, so that they have fully developed their tart flavor, but before the rain has had the opportunity to wash the flavor out.  A dark red/purple coloration usually indicates that the flavor of the fruit has developed fully; yet some of the best clusters I've tasted were light pink. As with any wild fruit, taste will vary from location to location, and even within the same plant. 

A potential mistake is to harvest the berry heads before they are ripe, in which case they will produce an unpleasantly bitter brew. More commonly, the problem is that the berries are collected long after their flavor has been washed out by rain. 

Take your Sumac clusters, place them in a pot, pour cold water over them, then crush them up a little with a spoon or potato masher and then let the pitcher sit in a cool place for a while. Pouring boiling or hot water over the berries will cause the drink to become bitter. Always use cool water. The longer the berries infuse, the stronger the drink will be. When the flavor is to your liking, just strain the drink through a cheesecloth to remove seeds and hairs. Sumac-ade is pleasantly tart with a light pink color. Add sugar or honey to taste. I use Agave.

All in all, however, the sumac is a wonderful tree, deserving of much more attention for culinary use. Unfortunately, the fact that most people associate sumac as being poisonous doesn't help it's reputation. That does leave more for me, but either way there's plenty of sumac to go around. Why not try some this summer? :)

 

Recipe: Savory Pumpkin & Roasted Veggie Bisque Soup

Just whipped this recipe up while experimenting in the kitchen this past week, and it's proven to be quite the hit! This soup is savory, creamy, with a hint of sweetness and a slight kick.

You will need:
Olive Oil
4 Cups Pureed Pumpkin
6 Cups Coconut Milk
Large Handful of Dandelion Greens, washed. (If you are not the foraging type, substitute with your favorite green)
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
1 Red Pepper
2 Cups Mushrooms
1 Large Onion
6 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Spices to taste (Very Important! This is what makes the soup delicious!)
Spicy Curry
Garam Masala
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

1. In large pot, bring coconut milk, pureed pumpkin, and dandelion greens to a boil. Once boiled, bring to a simmer.
2. Chop onion & red pepper and mince garlic cloves. Heat over medium heat in skillet with 2 Tbsp Olive Oil.
3. Once onion and peppers are soft and beginning to brown, add mushrooms. When mushrooms are brown and vegetables are roasted (slightly browned), add to soup pot
4. Let soup simmer. Add cilantro. Now comes the tricky part. I very rarely measure my spices. As individual taste may vary, so will preference of spices. Continually add dashes of each spice (Except the nutmeg). Taste periodically and continue to add dashes of spices until soup develops desired levels of savory and spicy.
5. Continue to stir the soup periodically. After soup has simmered at least 15 minutes, add nutmeg. Stir and simmer 5 more minutes. Turn off heat, stir and serve!
6. Garnish with fresh red pepper, dandelion blossoms, fresh cilantro, or whatever you like! This is a very eastern inspired soup. If you or your party guests desire adventure for their palate, this soup is for you!

Foraging Recipe: Lilac Jam!

April showers bring May flowers. Some of the most beautiful of May's flowers include lilacs. Surely you know the fragrant flower clusters by name, sight, and scent..but did you know they make a kick-ass Jam? Lilacs are the very essence of spring. Here is a recipe that will allow you to bottle up the taste of spring for months to come. 

The ingredients you'll need:
 2 cups, loosely packed lilac blossoms, without green parts & stems
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
3/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water (a second time)
1 pkg. Sure-Jel pectin

Directions: Put 3/4 cup water and the lilac blossoms in a blender and blend well. Add the lemon juice and notice how the lilac paste turns a richer purple as soon as the lemon juice hits the dull purple paste. Add the sugar and blend again to dissolve. Next, stir the package of pectin into the second 3/4 cup water in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil, continuing to boil hard for 1 minute. Pour the hot pectin into the blender with the lilac paste. Blend again and pour into jars or small storage containers. Let cool, then cover with lids and store in the freezer. The jam will turn a deeper purple as it sets up. You can dip out the jam whenever you want some.

And, it tastes like spring, too! This will keep in the freezer for about 1 year! :)

Gender: The Social Construction,

     From the moment we are born, we are raised to believe we will have to follow certain unwritten rules that are dependent on our sex. This construction of  "femininity" or “masculinity” normally begins with the color of our clothing. We dress our girls in pink and for our boys, blue. Growing up children are given toys that reinforce these rules. Girls are given dolls and play kitchen sets, because as a girl, you must learn to be gentle, and to be "domestic". Boys of course are given guns and G.I. Joe’s, because as a boy, you must be tough, powerful, and strong. If a boy falls down and cries, they are told that little boys should not cry. If a fight occurs, a boy is told to fight back, except if it is a girl. this reinforces that girls are supposed to be "weak", but since other boys should be "strong" it is okay to hit them. Little girls are told they should not be too loud and shouldn't get dirty or fight, because it's not what girls are "supposed" to do.

Question for everyone.. why should we not give kitchen sets to little boys and give the the same amount of coddle we give girls, and why should we not have little girls participate in sports? Why does there have to be a division between the two genders at all? There has been studies in which children were raised in an entirely gender-neutral environment, and observed. These children possessed no identity problem. It is no secret that many of us have identity problems because we are defining ourselves by our gender, and whether the traits of being “masculine” or “feminine” fit us or not. If we are a boy and are too "feminine" it is a problem. If we are a girl and are too "masculine", this is also a problem, but not nearly as much so as for a "feminine" boy. How sad it is that many people put so much weight upon a socially constructed machine to determine who we are.

Society constantly imposes that we be either “masculine” and “feminine”, whether it be in the media or ideals transferred onto us by our parents or peers. Many women have focused on challenging the idea of “femininity”. Over the last decades, women have become more involved in sports, they are no longer expected to always wear skirts or dresses, women have taken more powerful positions within society and taking more control over their lives without the reliance on a man. However, what about us men?? Society has not done much, or at least enough to allow men to challenge the idea of “masculinity”.  Think about this...a woman can wear jeans without fear, but can a man wear a skirt if he chooses? Many men are afraid that by challenging or not conforming to the stereotypical image of a man or being “masculine”, that they somehow become more feminine. It is as though there can only be one definition of what is it to be a man, and that this definition cannot expand or be flexible. If a man is sensitive, that is feminine. If a man is moody, that is feminine. If a little boy wants to play with a doll, that is feminine. Now keep in mind, these are all socially constructed examples of what it means to be a women. It is true all stereotypes have an origin. plenty of women are moody, sensitive, and many little girls like dolls. BUT that is mainly because they've been socially molded to be so since birth. Men haven't.

 Feeling as though we need to conform to being masculine or feminine serves no real purpose in society, except to continue on a sexist tradition. Masculinity and femininity do not have to be two separate entities or at opposite ends of the spectrum. I think we need to reconstruct what it is to be “feminine” or “masculine”. We must realize that both men and women possess traits that would consist of both, and that this is healthy, and in fact better for both men and women. If our little boy wants to play with a princess doll, that is okay! If our little girl wants to play army-woman, that's okay! Our world would be a much better place if we could be free to be who we truly are, without risking ridicule for doing the "wrong" activity or expressing the "wrong" emotion for our sex. If we raised our children as gender nuetrally as possible, we are paving the way for less sexism and stereotyping in the future. Through this, not only will it make for a better society, but it will benefit familial, romantic, and platonic relationships and benefit ourselves by allowing our society progression. 

Don't Give UpThose Fancy Starbucks Drinks You Love! - Order them a "Healthier" Way!

Since acquiring my own in-home coffee bar, I have little interest in visiting Starbucks, save for a social call now and then. Many of us will agree that Starbucks makes a mean Frapuccino, Mocha, & White Mocha. Perhaps you're more of a Latte or Tea Latte fan. Either way, visiting Starbucks can be a heavenly experience, but the effect on your waistline is..shall we say..less than praise-worthy. Here are a few tips to minimize your caloric intake at Starbucks, while also trading a few ingredients for healthy alternatives.

First Step: Find out what is in your drink of choice. Chances are, aside from Coffee, there is milk, sauces and/or syrups, and whipped topping.

Second Step: Get decaf if you can. Caffeine, in healthy individuals, can be healthy in small does, but if you are ordering a Venti, that is quite a bit of caffeine. If you feel you need the jolt, by all means order Caff. If you are more into the taste experience, and can forgo the Caffeine, do so.

Third Step: Trade off. If you order your drink with whole milk, substitute skim, or even better, I recommend Soy milk. Though Soy milk has more calories than Skim, It is (despite the higher calorie count) much healthier for your body, and will give your drink the same creaminess as whole milk. If you are not a fan of Soy Milk, give it a try. You can't even taste the "soy" when blended with your favorite beverage!

Fourth Step: If your drink includes any sauces or syrups, ask the barista to cut the amount 1/3. This is where most of the calories in your drink come from. If you find your coffee to be as delicious as ever, you can try asking them to cut the amount 1/2 next time. If your coffee is not as sweet as you prefer, then they will make you another free of charge, with the original amount of sauce. Don't be afraid to experiment! Starbucks encourages it. They will replace your drinks for free until you are 100% satisfied!

Note: I advise against using the sugar-free syrup options, unless you are diabetic. These syrups often contain aspartame, which has been linked to a plethora of health problems (Read more here.) Believe it or not, there is strong evidence that real sugar, even that that has been processed, is a better alternative)

Fifth Step: Whipped Cream. A dollop of whipped cream in a Venti beverage at Starbucks adds a whopping 12 G of fat!! If you can do without the whip, go without. If you need the whip to "complete" the heavenly Starbucks experience, ask for just a small dollop, or even better, bring in your own Fat-Free Whip (Available at most grocers), and enjoy!

Please note that even this "healthier" alternative to your favorite drink is still high in sugar and calories. If you're st Starbucks every day, try and cut back some. Your waistline, your heart, and your wallet will thank you!

ReInvention Begins with Self-Redemption

Ever come to a point in your life where you wake up and realize you've become someone you don't like?? I have. I had been in quite the funk over the past several months and until recently, I could not seem to shake it off. After the last of my close friends moved away, I found myself in a darker place than what I had grown accustomed to. No longer was I optimistic, happy, and concerned for my physical, emotional, and social health. I became withdrawn, pessimistic and betrayed my body in terms of health. Within just a few months, I had gained 30 lbs.

Well about two weeks ago I woke up one morning and realized I needed a change. This change was not going to be easy and would require a bit of hard work. This was quite an inspirational moment of reflection. I believe the best part of life is that each day can be looked at as a new beginning. Although changes, whatever they may be, are not immediate nor do they happen overnight, there is always a new day for a new beginning. No matter how hard we may fall, we are always given a chance for a new beginning. The first step is learning that we must forgive ourselves for our shortcomings, and recognize the chance to start over begins with self-redemption.

What is happening within your own life that you disapprove of? Perhaps there is a situation in which you have little control over. While life is abundant with obstacles in which we might feel powerless, take solace in the fact that you are entirely in control of your reaction to such a situation. Look at today as a brand new start and a brand new you. All of us have fantasies of who we would like to be. Perhaps we wish to be better students, better lovers, or athletes. In life, there are many times in which we might question how we will pull through. There may be times where all we can do is look at the process of life as a series of steps, and take each one as they come, celebrating each one as a victory. Although we will stumble, we will not let that stumble turn into a plunge. Live Every Day with Intention.