Staying in Touch with Your Inner Child

I've been told several times by those older than I that I am too "soft" or too "naive".

People tell me I forgive others too easily and I'm setting myself up to get hurt by people. It's not a issue of myself being naive. I am well aware of what I am getting into with situations.

As children, most of us are very happy-go lucky, very optimistic, and very forgiving. Very Trusting. Obviously if we've had a traumatic childhood that is not the case. For those who have had more or less a happy childhood, have you retained any of that child-like wonder? I think that childlike innocence is extremely beautiful. And unfortunately, as we go through life, many of us become hardened by our life experiences. We are wronged, betrayed, and weathered by the cruelty and harshness life can sometimes dish out to us. We hold grudges, we become unforgiving, we become untrusting of others. Also, many people develop a bit of racism or negative ideas about certain races/cultures groups, if certain stereotypes are influenced in our direction. 

This is not to say one should allow themselves to be taken advantage of. I don't allow myself to be taken advantage of by people and never will. We can remove harmful individuals or those who have wronged us from our lives if we are being hindered, as preservation of emotional and mental health should definitely be #1. But... we should also forgive, for all grudges and hatred do are blacken our hearts and blindfold our souls.

I think it's heartbreaking. Obviously this world is not always a beautiful place, but I want to always retain a pure heart. I've never let myself develop that hard shell and I'm proud of myself for that. What is the point of holding grudges or holding hatred or disdain in our hearts??
 
I think it's healthy to retain a relationship with the inner child in all of us, and let him out to play once in while. As children, the world is a magical and wonderous place. Snow falling is one of the most beautiful and exciting things in a child's life. A trip to the zoo, observing an animal outside, discovering the beauty of nature, or experiencing the sheer joy and excitement and warmth of the Christmas spirit. These are simple things that some of us take for granted or grow numb to as we get older and are bogged down by relationships, work, driving, and finances.

But you know what? Next time the snow falls, don't complain about driving, or cleaning your car off. Instead go outside and build a snowman or have a snowball fight. :). On a summer day, take a walk through the woods and admire the beauty of mother nature. Don't send yourself into a frenzy during the holidays because of the impending debt or overload of holiday work you may experience...instead make a cup of hot cocoa, put on a beloved holiday CD, sit near the tree, and look through old pictures of holidays past. Lose the frustration, if just for a short while, and recapture the joy. 

Life is hard, but it is also relatively short. Feed your soul once in awhile and let loose now and then without the use of alcohol or other "adult-related" methods of letting loose. Cheesy, maybe. But most often it's the "cheesy" things in life that warm our hearts. 

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? :)

 

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!