RECIPE

BEGUILING BERRY-FIZZ

bubble tea

By Liz McGehee Bubble tea first sprang to life in Taiwan in the early 1980s. There’s debate over who invented the beloved beverage, but a man named Liu

Han-Chieh seems to be the most widely credited creator. His variation was made with a base of tea, milk, ice and tapioca pearls; however, over the years, fruit-based variations were also introduced.

Sweet, refreshing, icy, and satisfying all at once. If there were such a thing as love at first sip, bubble tea would hold that title for me.

And this berry-filled, fizzy twist is every bit as enticing. Tapioca pearls are nestled at the bottom of this smoothie, yielding a fun and refreshing treat that will keep you coming back for more. Cheers to love at first sip!

Makes 2 (14-ounce) smoothies | 1 hour + GF

INGREDIENTS: TAPIOCA PEARLS

 7 cups water, divided  1/4 cup large tapioca pearls  2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

BERRY-FIZZ SMOOTHIE

 1 cup frozen raspberries  1 cup frozen blueberries  1 cup filtered water  4 pitted Medjool dates or to taste  1/2–1 cup lime sparkling natural mineral water

DIRECTIONS: For the Tapioca Pearls

 In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the tapioca pearls and stir to disperse. Allow the water to return to a boil. Once the tapioca pearls begin to float to the top, lower the heat to medium and cover the pan, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan completely, and allow the tapioca pearls to steep for 25 minutes, or until translucent. It’s okay if their centers are still flecked with a tiny bit of white.  Meanwhile, pour the remaining 3 cups water into a large jar and stir in the maple syrup.  Drain and thoroughly rinse the steeped tapioca pearls with cool water. Transfer them to the jar of sweetened water and refrigerate until ready to use. They’ll keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator.

For the Berry-Fizz Smoothie

Combine the raspberries, blueberries, filtered water and dates in a highspeed blender and blend on high until completely smooth. Stir in the sparkling mineral water, adding 1/2 cup for a sweeter smoothie or 1 cup for a lighter, more effervescent smoothie.

To Assemble

Spoon a generous amount of the tapioca pearls into 2 glasses and pour the berry smoothie on top. Serve immediately with a wide, bubble-tea straw large enough to slurp up the pearls.

ARUGULA

By: Anja Springthorpe

If arugula is not a regular food on your shopping list, you may want to change that. These delicate leaves not only pack a punch when it comes to flavor, but also deliver great nutrition.

Otherwise known as rocket or rucola, it is a close relative to kale, mustard greens and other brassica vegetables. Arugula’s tender, bite-sized leaves are easy to prepare and suitable to be enjoyed either raw or cooked. First cultivated in the Mediterranean, it has become a staple in Italian cuisine.

While arugula’s peak season is early spring and fall, it is readily available in grocery stores throughout the year. It can also be grown at home, either indoors or outdoors. Young leaves are small, delicate and make the perfect addition to any salad. Older leaves develop a distinct peppery flavor that adds depth to pesto, pasta dishes or makes an excellent pizza topping.

Aside from the exquisite taste and visual appeal, its nutritional profile alone is noteworthy. Arugula has little calories but delivers high amounts of nutrients.

Two cups contain less than 15 calories but are packed with around 50% of our daily requirement of beta-carotene, 25% of vitamin C and 20% of magnesium.

This eat fresh contains vitamin B5, which has been found to raise good cholesterol, lower harmful cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Studies confirm that it supports detoxifying pathways in the liver, particularly the detoxification of heavy metals that cause skin condition, fatigue or cancer.

Purchasing arugula is simple. Look for bright green leaves that are crisp but not wilted or slimy. At home, loosely wrap it in a damp paper towel, store in a refrigerator and consume within three days. Once wilted, it should not be added to salads but is safe in cooked dishes, pesto’s or soups.

INGREDIENTS:

 3 cups arugula leaves  ½ cup pine nuts or walnuts, toasted  1 tablespoon garlic, minced  1 cup extra-virgin olive oil  ½ teaspoon Kosher salt  ½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor or blender, combine arugula, nuts, garlic, oil and salt. Blend for 30-45 seconds until thick paste forms. Pour paste into a bowl, add Parmesan and stir until well combined. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container up to one week.

HOW TO INCORPORATE ARUGULA INTO YOUR DIET:

Add a handful to sandwiches or wraps.

Use as topping on pizzas, soups or stews.

Make pesto (See Recipe)

Add some to a smoothie.

ARUGULA PESTO

RAISE THE BAR WITH CLEAN

THE WORLD!

By Liz McGehee

When Shawn Seipler began recycling bars of soap in his friend’s single-car garage, he didn’t know he’d one day run the world’s largest organization recycling hotel soaps or that his company would help save millions of lives around the globe.

Seipler, a vice president of a technology company at the time, was logging over 150 nights in hotel rooms when the idea came to him. He called the front desk to find out what happened to all of their discarded soap only to discover it was unceremoniously thrown away. That’s when Seipler, along with a few close friends and family members, saw an opportunity to change the world.

“The real aha moment at that time came when we realized 9,000 children under the age of five were dying every single day from pneumonia and diarrheal disease—the number one and number two leading cause of death among children worldwide. Yet all these deaths could be prevented if we give them soap and teach them how and when to wash their hands,” said Seipler, a father of four.

Today, Clean the World has saved countless lives, distributing over 41 million bars of soap in 118 countries, and they won’t stop there. In 2017, the organization donated 60,000 hygiene kits to Hurricane Harvey victims in Houston, 50,000 kits to Hurricane Maria survivors in Puerto Rico and 75,000 kits locally to those affected by Hurricane Irma in Florida.

Unsurprisingly, the organization has become a global leader in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), a model for social entrepreneurship and is now reshaping social entrepreneurial education across the country.

But Clean the World is far from an overnight success. “When we started, we would daydream about how big it could get; how impactful it could be globally. But you’re still sitting in a single-car garage scraping soap, and you’re so far away from that goal. We would talk to continue the hope, but we didn’t necessarily think in our hearts that it would happen. I sit here today amazed and grateful.” Seipler said.

Initially, the passion project took a backseat to his full-time global sales position, but Seipler was quickly forced to make a choice between his financial security and his responsibility to change the world.

“Once the cat got out of the bag, leadership did not view [Clean the World] as a charitable thing, rather, they saw it as me starting my own company. It happened earlier than I thought it would. I left within a few months of that career, and we struggled financially for some years.

Seipler and friend, Paul Till, emptied their 401(k)s, life savings, kid’s college funds and pursued their initiative with everything they had—literally. Luckily for millions of families

SOAP SAVES LIVES

For those that want to change the world, Seipler recommends volunteering for causes you love

around the globe, Shawn Seipler and company didn’t give up hope.

When asked about failure, Seipler says, “Failure is a subjective word. What one person considers failure, another may not. People might think, ‘Shawn is this awesome, successful guy,’ but I have had thousands and thousands of failures; it’s a step on the road to success. But what is most important are our families, friends, community and the way we can help others. Treat people with love, respect and dignity; those are the things that are most important.”

Despite Clean the World’s enormous global impact, Seipler feels they are capable of doing more and continues to set new goals for the company. “What keeps me going are the 5,000 children dying every single day, and the two billion across the planet without access to water or a toilet. Though we’ve seen an awesome reduction in dying children since we started, there is still so much opportunity and so much need,” he said.

Based on U.S. market statistics, Clean the World estimates 200 million metric tons of solid waste are produced each year by the combined hospitality segment, making hospitality one of the largest producers of waste. Only a dismal 30 percent of that waste is recycled and processed.

For those that want to change the world, Seipler recommends volunteering for causes you love. This will help you figure out how to solve problems, make connections to those who share the same passion and give back to your community.

HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED WITH CTW? SHAWN SEIPLER SAYS THERE ARE THREE WAYS

 Go to cleantheworld.org and donate. 94 percent of every dollar is put directly into the mission. You can volunteer at one of the recycling centers in Orlando, Las Vegas, Hong Kong or the forthcoming Dominican Republic location.  If you’re a hotel or corporation, you can purchase products to build hygiene kits and participate in the Hospitality Recycling Program. If you’re an individual, ask hotels in your area if they are a part of the program.