Pineapple Pomegranate Smoothie

Pomegranate juice's tartness makes me overlook its health benefits and skip it in favor of sweeter options. Scoring some for free led me to give it another try.

You'll need approximately:

• .5 cup Pom pomegranate juice
• 8 oz can pineapple chunks, juice included
• 1 tbs fresh mint, chopped
• 1 oz Torani raspberry syrup

Freeze the pineapple chunks and juice prior to blending all ingredients. Pulse on high for about 45 seconds then liquify for about 15. Scrape blender bowl if needed then repeat blending until desired consistency is reached.

“If You Tell, I Will Kill You” Book Review

Never have I read a book within one day, but that was before If You Tell, I Will Kill You. Within the pages of this engrossing story Tonya McLin writes, “The discussion of violence disturbs our human psyche.” How true. This former salon owner and hair stylist delves deep within the portals of her mind. She unveils and releases the stigma victims of abuse often feel.

Initially set in the late ’60s, the memoir begins during the author’s early childhood at age three. Under the serenity of the Georgia sunshine and amid the guise of happiness, she is torn from the tranquility of her mother and forced to forge a new life. When it seems the clouds preventing her happiness are about to dissipate, a new storm brews on the horizon.

Besides the author other main characters include Tim, the manipulative anti-father figure, and Nana, her stern yet loving grandmother. For 10 years, Nana and her husband raise Tonya and her seven siblings. Tim is the catalyst for much of the novel’s action. His decisions rock this family’s faith to its core, and Tonya unwittingly becomes his victim. 

Through a revealing mix of religion and remembrance, the author’s narrative allows readers to relive her childhood while she reflects on experiences through adult eyes. Hers a survivor’s story, a true testament to the power of the human spirit.

If You Tell, I Will Kill You represents more than a title. It is the stern warning Tim uses to hold Tonya captive in a prison built using intimidation and fear. As an adult who has “been healed from control and manipulation,” McLin uses her story to inspire and to inform.

Reports of abuse rarely reach the heart of the issue. McLin does what headlines fail to do: She provides victims with a voice and the knowledge that empowerment is possible. She also demonstrates that the effects of abuse last beyond the moment. I did not read this memoir, I felt it.