holidays
As someone who personally really enjoys cooking, I can tell you that this is the kind of topic that could go on for days and days; however, you don't have the time and I don't have the writing space to cover all of the spices and seasonings that you should have in your arsenal. For now, take a look at these 10 as an introductory course, so that as you're in the process of grocery shopping, you can get an idea of which ones you should add in order to get a few "ooos" and "ahhs" from your folks once they get a taste of what you have prepared.
1. Allspice
If you're someone who thought that allspice is comprised of several different spices, you certainly wouldn't be alone. Here's the thing, though — it's actually just one spice that's made up of dried berries that derive from an allspice tree in Jamaica. When it comes to what will provide the most intense kind of flavor, whole allspice is best although ground allspice tends to be more popular. What I personally like about it is it tastes like a blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and a hint of pepper.
As far as health benefits go, allspice is good for you because it's packed with antioxidants, can help treat nausea, and is even good at bringing relief to menopause-related symptoms.
What Dishes to Put Allspice In: lamb and beef, Jamaican jerk seasoning, pumpkin desserts, sausages, pickled veggies, and curries
2. Basil
Basil is an herb that hails from central Africa and Southeast Asia. As far as the taste of it goes, it's reminiscent of a blend of pepper and mint. Basil is good for you because it's also high in antioxidants, can help to reduce oxidative stress and its antibacterial properties can help to fight against infections which is always a good thing during cold and flu season.
What Dishes to Put Basil In: If you opt to go the fresh basil route, there are all kinds of ways to use it — pesto, pasta, on top of appetizers (like deviled eggs), in homemade soups, on top of homemade pizzas and even as a garnish for cocktails
3. Cinnamon
A spice that definitely tops my cooking list is cinnamon. It comes from the inner bark of the genus Cinnamomum tree and it tastes like sweet meets wood meets spice. The health benefits of cinnamon are vast. Some of them include the fact that it contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Not only that but cinnamon can lower your risk of heart disease, protect against cancer and fight bacterial and fungal infections too.
What Dishes to Put Cinnamon In: Geez. What can't cinnamon go into? What immediately comes to mind is it's great for breakfast foods like French toast, any dessert that is apple-related, cookies, sweet potatoes, candied bacon, and zucchini bread
4. Ginger
Ginger is a flowering plant that is pretty spicy (kind of peppery and sweet at the same time). It's really good for you because it has strong medicinal properties — ones that help to ease nausea and morning sickness. It also can help to ease indigestion and menstrual cramps. And it's effective when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels and fighting gum disease too.
What Dishes to Put Ginger In: lamb, sauces, noodles, desserts, drinks, eggplant, pasta, and oatmeal
5. Orange Peels
I mean, of course, you know what orange peels are and where they come from, so let's get into some of the reasons why they are so good for you. They are high in fiber, vitamins B and C as well as calcium, along with polyphenols which help to protect your system from various diseases. Orange peels are also known for being able to strengthen your heart, fight off allergy-related symptoms, help you to digest food better and if you chew on a couple of 'em, they can even make your breath smell better. So yeah, orange peels, as a seasoning, definitely had to go on this list.
What Dishes to Put Orange Peels In: tea, salad dressing, glazes, fish, pork, slaw, and (as a hack) to keep brown sugar from getting hard
6. Peppercorns
Here's something you may not know — black pepper comes from peppercorns (well, kinda; read more about that here) and peppercorns are actually classified as being a fruit! The vine that it comes from is called a Piperaceae and the health benefits of peppercorns consist of potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, being a brain booster, regulating your blood sugar levels, providing pain relief, and promoting good gut health. Anyway, because peppercorns are prepared differently than black pepper is, they tend to have a fruitier taste to them.
What Dishes to Put Peppercorns In: salad dressings, fish and chicken dishes, soups and omelets
7. Rosemary
Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb whose actual name is Salvia Rosmarinus. As far as taste goes, it's basically woodsy meets citrus meets mint meets pepper meets pine. It's good for you because rosemary has lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which are attributed to strong immunity, increased blood circulation, alertness, focus, reduced pain, and less stress.
What Dishes to Put Rosemary In: casseroles, stews, salads, meat, potatoes, and bread
8. Sage
Sage is a plant that thrives in the Mediterranean region as well. It comes from the Latin word Salvere which means "to save". When it comes to how it tastes, it's got hints of lemon, mint, and pepper to it. When it comes to why it's good for you, sage is bomb because it's a pretty good source of Vitamin K and antioxidants, it can help to lower your blood sugar levels, can improve your memory, and even combats aging.
What Dishes to Put Sage In: poultry dishes, infused butter, sandwiches, fish, roasted squash, pasta, and stuffing
9. Vanilla Beans
If you've ever wondered where vanilla, as we know it, comes from, it's removed from pods of certain orchids, commonly the Vanilla planifolia. Something that makes it so beneficial, health-wise, is vanilla contains a plant compound called vanillin that is high in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties too. Since this compound also helps to boost brain power, curb your appetite for sugar (check out "Ever Wonder If You've Got A Low-Key Sugar Addiction?") and lower your cholesterol levels, you shouldn't feel the least bit guilty about consuming it.
What Dishes to Put Vanilla Beans In: desserts, jam, syrup, fresh fruit, and marinades
10. White Pepper
Let me tell it, one of the most unsung spices of our time is white pepper. It comes from the pepper plant (which again is a fruit) and is fun to cook with because it has a milder taste to it than black pepper does. What makes white pepper different from black pepper, preparation-wise is for black pepper to be made, unripe pepper berries are picked and dried so that its skin turns dark while white pepper is made from ripe berries that are left to ferment.
Anyway, white pepper has potent anti-inflammatory properties, can help to boost your immunity, promotes strong blood circulation, can help to soothe the effects of a headache, and, believe it or not, can help to keep your breath fresh too. So, as you're putting your holiday menu together, try and add at least one recipe that calls for white pepper. You definitely won't regret it!
What Dishes to Put White Pepper In: creamy sauces, potatoes, seafood, fried rice, and pasta
Featured image by Getty Images
This article is in partnership with Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas.
As we move into the year of 2021, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas… and a time for some self-reflection. We think about our professional accomplishments, how we have personally grown over time, and even the evolution of our love stories. Whether it was the one that got away, the unexpected soulmate, or even the successful self-love story that took root from heartache. We have all experienced these kinds of moments and it is inevitable to think of "what if" and how our lives would be different. If you have been feeling more reflective lately, what you are about to read next will definitely spark your interest. As a part of Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas, the forthcoming film, Christmas Comes Twice, is all about a time for reflection and learning about the possibilities of how a love story could be.
Christmas Comes Twicepremieres this Sunday, December 13 at 8pm/7c. The film stars Tamera Mowry-Housley playing the lead role as Cheryl Jenkins and Michael Xavier playing her love interest, George. Cheryl (Mowry-Housley) is an astrophysicist who has achieved her career dreams but finds herself wishing she made different choices. When the Christmas carnival comes to town, a ride around the carousel takes her magically back in time to the carnival five years earlier, giving her a second chance at a life she didn't know she needed before she must return to Christmas present. Though she didnt' expect to fall for her then-"frenemy" George (Xavier), she finds herself falling for him and finding an unexpected love in the process. We are all the culmination of our choices. This film gives you the chance to travel back in time and answers that "what if" question I mentioned earlier.
I am sure that the "what if" question has popped up for this couple during this holiday season. xoNecole's Social Media Manager, Ashleigh Hardin-Jones, and her partner Adrian Goodman have been staying strong and supportive of one another throughout their 13-year relationship. These high school sweethearts didn't start off with the typical boy meets girl meet-cute, but you could only imagine if things did not happen the way they did, how things would be different for them.
In this installment of xoNecole's How We Met, we were able to talk with our social media manger and her accounting specialist partner on how their love story started and how they have grown more in love with each other over time.
How They Met
Adrian: The courtship happened by accidental purpose. A situation with Ashleigh and another guy, who we both had a class with, went sour. I was asked by the guy to figure out why since me and Ashleigh had classes together. At this time, I had known for a couple years that I liked Ashleigh but she was not interested in me. Even though I felt how I felt, I put my feelings aside to do what was asked of me. We would talk about the situation during school as I played messenger back and forth. Until one day, she gave me her number and told me to call her after school. I called that same day and during our first conversation, it switched from the task at hand to friends talking, then rapidly progressed from every conversation after that point. I think we both mutually initiated and agreed on how our relationship would progress.
Ashleigh: Like Adrian said, it was an accident that I never saw happening. I thank the guy who pissed me off though because there's no way we would be at this point without that situation going wrong. Sometimes a closed door leads to a beautiful beginning.
Courtesy of Ashleigh & Adrian
Making It Official
Ashleigh: My attraction to Adrian developed over the course of a month. So I actually wasn't sure right away. I knew I liked him and I knew we had so much in common. But I was still undecided. But there was an incident where my ex called him cursing him out and telling him things about me that were untrue and I just remember being so scared that he would never talk to me again. I was in tears. That was the moment I knew I really wanted to be with him.
Adrian: After getting to know her better, it was a no-brainer for me to commit to a relationship. We have a lot in common and it made the decision easier. This happened during our 12th grade year in high school.
The "L" Word
Ashleigh: We got into an argument our freshman year of college that caused him to storm out of my dorm room. He was pissed! He's such a nice quiet guy that it's rare to see him really angry like that (I've only seen it two other times in the 13 years I've known him). I sat on my bed contemplating whether or not I cared and out of nowhere I started having what I now know is a panic attack and I burst into tears. I hopped up and ran down five flights of stairs, and out of my dorm building down the street to a bus stop where he was waiting on the bus. I was out of breath and was telling him I was so sorry. After we hugged it out and he apologized too, we realized I had no shoes on. That was love because running outside with no shoes is a no for me.
Adrian: It was this unexplainable feeling that I had never felt before. I was always thinking about her and considering how everything I did may impact her.
"It was this unexplainable feeling that I had never felt before. I was always thinking about her and considering how everything I did may impact her."
Love Lessons
Ashleigh: I've learned how to be self-less. This journey with him has taught me that love does not come with conditions. You have to be willing to compromise, not only for the sake of the other person but for the success of the relationship as a whole. I have also learned that while receiving compliments from your partner is extremely important, the greatest compliment comes from yourself. I spent so much time growing up looking for other people, specifically men, to fill my cup but loving him has taught me that if I don't fill my own cup first — it will always be half-empty.
Adrian: I learned that the way you love is not a one size fits all but more of a unique tailored experience. I had to learn to let go of things that may have worked for my parents that may not work for us and also sometimes to do more than my parents may or may not have done. It's OK to treat yourself and not feel guilty about it. I used to think once we became one that we had to do everything together. It's OK for each of us to have time to ourselves or our own hobbies.
"This journey with him has taught me that love does not come with conditions. You have to be willing to compromise, not only for the sake of the other person but for the success of the relationship as a whole. I spent so much time growing up looking for other people, specifically men, to fill my cup but loving him has taught me that if I don't fill my own cup first — it will always be half-empty."
Love Challenges
Ashleigh: Together, I believe our biggest challenge is overcoming my infidelity. It happened years ago but it still lingers because I broke the trust he had in me. Trying to win back trust is one of the hardest things because it's not an easy fix, there's no guidebook or tips on how to make someone feel secure — so you have to have patience and hope that they will trust you to not break their heart again.
Adrian: My biggest challenge independently is being more emotionally present and available. It has been the hardest thing since I have been programmed for years to not show any emotions. The biggest challenge together has been both having a child a little over a year into our relationship and infidelity not on my part. Having a child that early was not in our plan but we both managed to graduate from college. The infidelity piece is still hard for me because I do not feel that the problems we were having in our relationship at that time warranted this response. I wouldn't have taken this route. I do understand it's not for me to decide how someone will react in certain situations and that is why it has been challenging. We are in a better place and working towards a common goal.
Baggage Claim
Ashleigh: I had a lot of baggage from my past. In the beginning, I spent a lot of time blaming him because of my trauma. I realized that he wasn't my ex and I was being unfair by assuming that all men are the same. My weakness coming into this relationship was bad financial habits. My parents talked about finances but not the bad side of it when it came to bills and debt so I wasn't as knowledgeable as he was. He's truly helped me become less of a spender and more of a saver. As young parents, we struggled financially which helped me realize the difference between wants and needs.
Adrian: I didn't really have any baggage so I had to understand sometimes I triggered things from her past unintentionally. We would have conversations and talk through any baggage issues. One thing I had to unlearn is enough is enough. There is never enough and I can always do more.
Courtesy of Ashleigh & Adrian
"One thing I had to unlearn is enough is enough. There is never enough and I can always do more."
The Sweetest Thing
Ashleigh: I believe our views on family and tradition are in sync. We both have the same ideas when it comes to what those are and what we want them to be. I also love how honest and loyal he is. It's extremely difficult to find a man who will always tell you the truth and stay committed to just you. Adrian's my needle in a haystack.
Adrian: We both value and respect each other's opinions and supporting each other professionally. I love how considerate she is.
Christmas Cheer
Ashleigh: I love decorating Christmas trees and a few years ago we started going to Christmas tree farms to cut our own. I always look forward to it.
Adrian: I really enjoy our new tradition of selecting and cutting down our Christmas tree.
'Tis The Season
Ashleigh: Favorite gift I've received so far from him has been this Caroline Herrera perfume I wanted. I collect perfumes and I'd been eyeing it for a while so I was super excited to receive it. My greatest gift I've given is buying him tickets to the Atlanta Falcons game. He's a ride or die fan so I surprised him a couple of years ago with tickets and a jacket. He was shocked.
Adrian: My favorite gift that I have given has to be a Viktor Rolf Flowerbomb gift set and some Victoria Secret items (I drove all the way to Orlando, FL to get to Savannah, GA from Tallahassee, FL). My favorite gift that I have received was a surprise trip to an Atlanta Falcons game in Atlanta and luckily the Falcons won that day so it made it that much more special.
Follow Ashleigh on Instagram @musiq.leigh.
Don't forget to watch the premiere of Christmas Comes Twice on Hallmark Channel this Sunday 12/13 at 8pm/7c!
Featured image courtesy of Ashleigh and Adrian
Celebrating the holidays is going to look a lot different this year. The holidays can be stressful for many. Now, with a pandemic and an economic crisis, it is filled with uncertainty. All of us are trying to navigate through something. These are trying times, as some of us have lost jobs or loved ones to COVID-19. We all want the comfort of our families, young and old. But we also want to protect the health of our loved ones too.
But no matter the circumstance, when you sit down to eat Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, there is always that one aunty that has to be in your business. It's like they have this impulsive need to ask you a million questions. Why are you single? When are you getting married? Are you planning to have a baby? Their mouth just cannot hold water and rumors spread like wildfire. And from my experience, family rumors are the worst. This same aunty must comment on your body image too. Like it is their God-given right to tell you how much weight you've gained, or you need to eat some food.
The A-U-D-A-C-I-T-Y.
And then there are the estranged family members. It's like being the elephant in the room; noticeable, questionable, and silent. It's something that no one wants to bring up or mention. You can feel the tension in the room. It's thick and heavy, just waiting to be cut with a knife. The drama is real and sometimes is never-ending. And this is what we call a generational curse. One wrong comment can trigger World War III.
For others, holidays are NOT the most wonderful time of year. Maybe you can't be home with your family because of work, school, military deployment, or the current state of the world. Maybe you have lost a family member and you're still grieving. You prefer to be alone and sit with your feelings. And that's OK. Take the time you need. Maybe you have a toxic family member, and you need to protect your peace. That's OK too. Just thinking about my own toxic family gives me anxiety but that's a different story. And maybe you don't have any family at all. `
Family can be loving and warm, but they also can be overwhelming and bothersome. And yet no one wants to be alone for the holidays. For whatever reason, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day are just hard.
So, how do you navigate family dynamics during the holidays, you ask? I can tell you how.
Boundaries
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Boundaries are what keep you sane, especially around the holidays. If you're not creating and practicing boundaries, I insist you do. Boundaries keep you from any stress or hurt you might feel from family interactions. Establishing boundaries with family seems hard, but I promise it's easy. A boundary can look like showing up, being present for a few hours, and sneaking out. It can also be a quick stop by, with an excuse to leave "due to other plans". A boundary can also look like choosing not to engage in certain conversations. This means using your voice to express where you stand on certain dinner table topics. Either way, there is a level of security in keeping your boundaries intact.
Limit Your Time
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Don't feel obligated to spend your entire Thanksgiving or Christmas with your family just because it's the norm or expectation. Have a conversation with yourself and ask yourself these questions. How much time do you want to spend with your family? What part of my day do I want to set aside for family? How does my family make me feel during the holidays? Is it necessary to be with family on this day? You can even pick and choose which holidays you choose to give to your family. Because who said you have to be present for every single Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve anyway. Feel free to put your family on an annual holiday rotation. Trust me, you will thank me later.
Use Technology
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If you can't go home for the holidays or spending time with family is not an option for you, get you some good ole' FaceTime in with your loved ones in a video chat. There are so many options to connect with family through technology. Set a time and date and enjoy a virtual holiday meal with your family. I mean, it's 2020. We have Zoom, Houseparty, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, and Telegram. We have no excuse. This way, you're able to see family, feel the holiday feels, be safe, and still be able to protect your peace.
Gather With Friends
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Nowadays, Friendsgiving has become more relevant than an actual Family Thanksgiving. The presence of nonjudgmental friends having dinner, drinks, and talking. No questions asked. But if questions are asked, it's in a safe space. Friends know the meaning of boundaries, unlike family, which makes gathering with friends much more pleasant than being with actual family.
Do Your Own Thing
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When all else fails, including boundaries, do your own thing. You can enjoy your own company during the holiday season. Yes, you read that right. There is nothing wrong with it and don't let anyone tell you differently. It is perfectly OK to get into the holiday spirit alone. Decorate your home, cook a holiday meal for one, and buy yourself some Christmas gifts too. Enjoy a staycation, order take out, bake Christmas cookies, sip on some hot chocolate or a holiday cocktail, and binge-watch your favorite holiday movies. Take that solo holiday vacation to the tropics because the Caribbean is always nice. We are moving towards less traditional holiday celebrations anyway.
I have learned to do all of these things because of my own family dynamics. I set boundaries with my parents and my brother. When I do see my family, I limit my time with them to a few hours or less. And no, I do not feel guilty. I have FaceTime dates with my dad every now and then. And since I live 2,000 plus miles away in a different state, my friends have become "framily". I typically spend holidays with them. Oh, and this year, I am taking that holiday vacation to the Caribbean.
Every holiday season, navigating family dynamics sends my anxiety through the roof followed by feelings of loneliness. It's inevitable. I long for my family. We all do. Our first memories of any holiday are with our families. The key is to continue to make yourself happy regardless of your family dynamics. It's important to keep pouring into yourself because some family or circumstances may never change. But you can still show your family love and appreciation during the holidays, it's just going to look a little different this year.
And at all costs, please protect your peace.
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