Raymond's Birthday!

Raymond turned eight years old on August 30th. This is him blowing out the candle on his gluten-free cupcake :-) That was made from a box, but I did wrangle together a homemade frosting. Don't try this at home, because it was just "aww-iight!"

I used 1 box of silken tofu, some carob powder, brown sugar, and Brazil nuts to thicken it. Put the Brazil nuts in food processor with a little olive oil and blend until the nuts look like a butter. Add the other ingredients and blend until smooth. That was it! I only made 6 cupcakes because I'm not eating yet. So I'll make more today.

And Raymond's wish was the sweetest: "I want to live the greatest life ever." (insert Mommy's tears!) That's the plan, baby. That's the plan.

And Jona wanted to get in on the birthday action. He blew out a candle too!

Raymond's favorite movie is Ratatouille, and he's been asking for some since the day he saw it. I made him a Ratatouille Pasta for his birthday!

Adapted from Pure and Simple: Delicious Whole Natural Foods Cookbook, Vegan, MSG Free and Gluten Free by Tami A. Benton.

I added more seasonings than Tami had in her book.

Cook spiral rice pasta according to directions (use Tinkyada brand)

In a pan, saute 4 cloves of garlic in olive oil. Add 1 cup sliced thin green bell pepper and 1 chopped small onion until onion is clear. Then add 2 cups of diced eggplant and 2 cups thinly sliced zucchini. Saute for another 5 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta, at least 1 teaspoon of salt (I used more), Italian seasoning, black pepper (both to your taste), and spaghetti sauce of your choice. This is so easy and good for you. Let me know how you like it! ◦

Raymond's Birthday!

Mango Kale Salad

For those of you who don't know, I am a HUGE Food Network fan. It's rare as an meteor shower that I ever see a dish I can make, and last Sunday was that day. Season 6 Winner of The Next Food Network Star, Aarti Sequeria (go Aarti!) made a Massaged Kale Salad on her debut episode! Yes! For the love of Martha, it's about time! I renamed it Mango Kale Salad to differentiate between my other Kale Salad.

It's a sweet mix of kale, mango, and a lemon-honey-olive oil dressing. Add salt and black pepper, and believe me when I say simple never tasted so good. Rom said, "This better taste good." We watched every episode of The Next Food Network Star and usually Aarti's food came out on top. She did not disappoint.

Her recipe is here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/massaged-kale-salad-recipe/index.html

I'm still juice fasting, so I could only take a bite. I could eat this for breakfast, and I will be doing so soon. Eating kale raw is no big deal to me. But if you have never tried a kale salad, give Aarti's, or mine (yes!) a try. Once you are converted, bring the salad to a potluck. I bring my version of kale salad to potlucks, with carnivores abound. I'm telling you (no lie) that salad is always devoured. People ask for the recipe. So don't be shy! Give kale a try!

Kid-tested. Mother approved!

And my friend Charli came by on Sunday. She loved it!

Don't be scared! Consider it a culinary adventure right in your own kitchen :-).

Love,

Althea

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Mango Kale Salad

30-Minute Vegan: Review + Giveaway!

http://www.veganfusion.com/

Vegan Fusion World Cuisine

I'm going to run out of adjectives to describe this wonderful cookbook. 30-Minute Vegan, written by husband and wife team Mark Reinfeld and Jennifer Murray, is a gold-mine of information, techniques, tips, variations, and winning recipes.

A blend of raw vegan and cooked vegan dishes, 30-Minute Vegan was written with the busy person in mind. For those of us who want to eat raw or cooked vegan, but don't always want the packaged stuff, this is our book.

I like that it's a primer on kitchen skills. Everything from knife skills to how to crack open a coconut are explained.

The reader is taught the fundamentals and building blocks of successful raw and cooked vegan food. And those are what any person needs to succeed at this lifestyle. Learning those fundamentals alone are worth the price of the book. How many times have you looked in your refrigerator or pantry and thought, "I have no idea what to make with what I've got?" If you know the basics, you can build on them.

But I think I love the sidebars best. With the recipes, the authors give you options:

-If You Have More Time: got more than 30 minutes? Then you can explore longer variations on the given recipe.

-Quicker and Easier: got less than 30 minutes? Another variation is given.

-Superfoods for Health: kale, acai, collards, berries, and more are highlighted.

-Tips and Tricks: secrets from the pros that will transform you from cook to chef.

For instance, three of the Quicker and Easier sidebars have to do with flavoring water. I learned that:

 1) Dried figs can be placed in water to create Fig Water.

2)The skin and core of pineapples can be added to create a water that can be used in smoothies. The authors suggest adding cinnamon sticks and aniseeds for more flavor.

3) I can add herbs like rosemary, cilantro, ginger flowers, organic mini roses, basil, and much more to water to enjoy. Hot teas are nothing but flavored water, but I'd never thought to add these herbs to cold water.

The authors are HUGE on flavor. Chapter 13 Condiments, Infused Oils, and Spreads lay the foundation of flavor that transforms dishes from "good" to "ka-pow!"  

Chocolate Ganache Pie

Okay, don't laugh at my half-eaten pie. My family and I dove right in as soon as it was ready. Then I realized I hadn't photographed the pie yet! I said, "Wait until I take a picture!" What's also funny is that the chocolate seized up on me while I melted the chips. I'd melted vegan chocolate chips in a bowl over boiling water. Reinfeld and Murray warn that "the slightest droplet of water will "seize" the chocolate, leaving it lumpy and devastatingly imperfect looking." But, exactly as they wrote, "but surely do not cry over broken chocolate; everyone still loves to like it up and your lumpy little pie will still taste divine."

I'm not sure how my chocolate smoothed itself out because at least a tablespoon of water got into it. And the pie was divine. Rich, thick, creamy...everyone was happy, including me.

Kale Salad

Any variation on a raw Kale Salad is appreciated by me. Reinfeld and Murray use maple syrup in this Rainbow Kale salad version. I didn't have the colorful veggies on hand that day, but I made it anyway. I'm feeling this one!

Ranch Dressing

When I think about a dish often, it's a good one. I made this Ranch Dressing to go with the Buffalo Tofu from The Vegan Soul Food Guide to the Galaxy the last time I made it for my husband.  It puts bottled Ranch to shame. I think the green onion and paprika are the ingredients that make this dressing burst with flavor. It is "lick the bowl" fantastic!

Live Lemon Bars

This kid-friendly live dessert was a hit in my home. When Raymond asks for "more, please" we have a winner. The smell of lemon waifed through my kitchen. This dessert was kind of like a pie. Smooth and creamy on top and crunchy on the bottom. Lemony goodness. :-)

My only complaint is the black and white photographs. They do nothing to make the food "pop." And Mark and Jennifer deserved at least one color photograph of themselves. There are eight pages of color photos, which make the food sing. 30-Minute Vegan places such an emphasis on herbs, spices, and bold flavors, that all of the photographs should have done justice to this incredible food.

30-Minute Vegan still receives 10 out of 10 Mocha Angels because of its excellence, bar none.  Written for the busy home cook, and creative enough to keep anyone interested for years, 30-Minute Vegan belongs in every house.

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!

One lucky person wins a copy of 30-Minute Vegan!!

- Leave a comment at the end of this post. Answer the question: “What is your best kitchen tip to help save people time when preparing a meal or drink?"

- Leave a working email address too.
-The winner must live in the United States

- Post your comment by 11:59pm EST, Monday, September 6, 2010.

- I will pick the winner at random. The winner will receive an email from me on Tuesday, September 7, 2010. I will announce the winner on The Raw Mocha Angel blog on that same day.

Good luck!

Love,

Althea

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30-Minute Vegan: Review + Giveaway!

Voting in Black Weblog Awards

Saw this is in my email yesterday:

Voting ends on 8/31 at midnight edt

Voting for the 2010 Black Weblog Awards wraps up at midnight EDT on August 31, so make sure you get those votes in! For several categories, the competition is extremely close, so if you want your favorite blog to win, make sure you vote. Unlike the nomination process where you can only submit one ballot, you are able to vote multiple times during the finalist period. Hurry -- voting will be over very soon! Winners will be announced on September 1 at noon EDT.

I didn't know you could vote more than once! If you have a moment, dear readers, vote for The Raw Mocha Angel! Thanks so much!

https://3eighteenmedia.wufoo.com/forms/2010-black-weblog-awards-finalist-form/

-Best Food or Cooking Blog

-Best Health or Wellness Blog

Love,

Althea

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Voting in Black Weblog Awards

The Healing Plan

Raymond's certificate of completion of Art Camp at The Creative Alliance

Raymond had an appointment at Kennedy Krieger's Center for Autism Research (CARD) on Wednesday. Twenty-five hours prior, I cancelled it.

Raymond had gotten yet another report from the Neuropsychology Department of Kennedy Krieger. Dr. Brenda Fawcett, an awesome lady BTW, spent 6 hours with Raymond and wrote a 15-page report about my son. She also spoke with me at length. Her diagnosis was Autism and ADHD.

After getting Jona's speech evaluated at Kennedy Krieger (yes, we've spent a lot of time there!), I made a decision. It's time to get started on my children's healing. I have all the reports I need.

I read a book called Disconnected Kids by Dr. Robert Melillo. I like that Melillo takes the holistic approach. No drugs. No surgery. Nothing invasive. He focuses on strengthening brain hemispheric weaknesses, nutritional healing, behavioral discipline, and academic training....all at the same time. I am going to use his approach with Raymond.

With Jona, I'm taking the nutritional and energy healing approach. There's lots of physical exercises in Disconnected Kids. Getting Jona to do them would be a challenge, so I'm taking a back-door approach with him. He does like yoga, so we'll be doing that instead.

Jona wanting more cake at Raymond's Art Camp celebration

As a side note, I've noticed that people have VERY strong opinions when it comes to Autism. It reminds me of the hysteria and ignorance around AIDS and HIV in the 1980s. You'd think we were talking politics or religion. The heat and emotion around Autism astounds me sometimes. Because I'm taking the gentle, holistic approach to healing my boys, I ask my readers for love and support. I'm not one to tolerate nastiness. I'm staying positive, and I want that positivity from my readers too!

Love,
Althea ◦

The Healing Plan

Have You Ever Seen a Healthy Vegan? #3

Tasha Martinear Edwards

Tasha Edwards, a native of Chicago and the daughter of two parents who are from the South and eat like it, was raised on fried chicken, neckbones and potatoes (her favorite), homemade macaroni and cheese, chitterlings, pork chops, pig feet, kool-aid (that she, herself, put in two cups of sugar) and fish fried in Crisco.

As a teenager, she lived on McDonald's and Wendy's. In college, she ate on campus and was more than pleased when they included a Burger King, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut in her meal plan. Combined with late night visits from the Papa John's delivery guy and an endless supply of Krispy Kreme, it would seem that Tasha never had a second thought about "healthy eating" or even a "healthy weight". The truth of the matter is the first time she tried to become vegetarian, she was eight years old (according to her mother, she ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for an entire year), would get on the bus to downtown Chicago and do her own grocery shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables as opposed to shopping at the local supermarket in her local neighborhood (it should be no secret to anyone that impoverished neighborhoods don't have Farmer's Markets or Whole Foods or even decent produce).

Tasha danced for five hours a day as part of dance teams in high school and college and her weight did not become a problem until her love of fast food met her decline in activity. Add depression, the loss of a child, and a collapsing marriage and Tasha watched her frame expand and her dependency on food increase.

Tasha Before

After finishing a Bachelor's and Master's degree at Tennessee State University, having another child, getting a divorce, losing the weight, getting remarried and having another child, Tasha played the "diet and weight game" a couple of times over, experimenting with Slim Fast, Weight Watchers and the "Mayo Clinic" diet as well as suffering from the beginning stages of anorexia and excessive exercising. After her husband lost his job, Tasha decided it would be "cheaper" for her to eat beans instead of meat. Having not eaten pork since 1997 and beef since 2000.

In April of 2004, Tasha opted to take chicken, turkey and fish out of her diet. She started by reading "Fit For Life", a book by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. She followed the principles and, without exercising, lost about 20 lbs. in three months. She became obsessive with the program and had to stop. Her search for balance continued. After moving to Alabama in late 2004, she joined an online group called "Sistah Vegan", spearheaded by Breeze Harper, a student who was doing research on African American women living the vegan lifestyle. The support from the group encouraged Tasha to experiment with different things, foods and substitutions. Within a few short months, Tasha had given up cheese and eggs.

Tasha After!

Tasha has battled the "junk food vegan" lifestyle back and forth because of a "busy lifestyle" and the desire to fit in. However, as with any "diet" (and "diet" meaning the way a person eats, not a systematic, deprivation program to lose weight), there has to be an adjustment to cater to a person's life and needs. Tasha is now a very healthy yoga and fitness instructor and personal trainer as well as a holistic health counselor. She  currently resides in Alabama with her husband and two children and, although she does not push her lifestyle on anyone, sings the praises of how she looks and feels healthier at 35 years old than she ever did in her 20's.

Her website is:

F7 Wellness, LLC

"Elevating to a New Level of Health"

elevate2F7.com

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Have You Ever Seen a Healthy Vegan? #3

Raw Food Cleanse - 28-Day Detox

(Warning: If you don't like reading about bodily fluids, then skip this post! LOL.)

Even the Raw Mocha Angel is not immune to scary germs that float through the air. Everyone I know is sick with some mysterious blend of the flu, stomach flu, cold, and/or pneumonia. I am near the end of my bout with "it-who-has-no-name." Walking Pneumonia? Influenza? I don't know. All I know was that it was not fun. The thought of an ER visit was enough to get me a healin'. When my mom said, "You'll have to get a chest x-ray to confirm pneumonia," I was like "oh-hell-to-the-knaw!"

Upper respiratory infections are not to be taken lightly, but I gave my healing one last huge push before I would ask my husband to take me to the hospital. (He'd asked me 3 times if I wanted to go to the ER. I kept saying "give me another couple of hours.")

My symptoms were: chest pain (my lungs actually hurt), a cough with very little mucus, headaches, extreme exhaustion, muscle aches, nausea, and occasional sneezing. Every time I walked, I broke into a sweat. All those symptoms are gone, except the nausea, which has passed. But today I have diarrhea.

(My five-year-old Jona had diarrhea this past Saturday, but he had no other symptoms. His diarrhea came and went. I, on the other hand, had no such luck.)

I ate fistfuls of garlic. I had garlic coming out of my pores. I drank liquids until I was in the bathroom every 20 minutes. I put my feet in a hot bath, and wrapped blankets around me until I was sweating profusely. I drank onion tea, garlic tea, ginger tea, peppermint tea, green tea, and a mix of hot water/lemon/cayenne pepper/honey tea.

I drank orange juice, apple juice, and finally, green juices when I had the strength to make my own. I rested as much as I could with two kids who want to be in my room when I am trying to sleep. I let them play. On Day Two, they both came up to me and announced, "Mommy is sick!" (Yes, Mommy is aware of that!) Blessedly, they are old enough to play without breaking something or someone.

 When I woke up today, I felt so much better. No ER visit needed, thankfully.

Since I'm already doing a year-long focus on my "internal greening," I decided to work through Penni Shelton's book "Raw Food Cleanse." She has 3-day, 7-day, 14-day, and 28-day cleanses in her book. I chose the 28-day cleanse. The first seven days are green juices, as seen in the photo! Days One and Two have been all about completely flushing out "it-who-has-no-name." The rest of my cleanse is dedicated to strengthening my immune system and increasing my energy.

Thank you for the loving messages!

love,

Althea

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Raw Food Cleanse - 28-Day Detox

Raw Food Tips

During this commercial break (feeling better, but still weak), I'd like to offer some good tips I read in Raw Food for Real People by Rod Rotondi. I reviewed his book in January and have posted these tips on my fridge.

They are:

-Keep bananas in the freezer (they make for great smoothies and shakes)

-Keep salad in the refrigerator

-Make enough salad dressing for a week

-Mix a big batch of your favorite dip

-Keep sprouts in the fridge

-Keep soaked nuts in the fridge. They last 3-4 day. Rinse once per day.

If you all have easy tips for your fellow readers, please share them!

Love,

Althea

(positive comments always welcomed!)

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Raw Food Tips

Excuse this Commercial Interruption...

The Raw Mocha Angel is fighting off a nasty something that is trying to take hold in her lungs. It's not pretty folks. I lost my voice on Thursday, now I'm sore, achy, and my lungs hurt. Not good. I must get some rest. If someone could make me LOTS of green juices and deliver them to my house, that would be even better! :-)

And during this commercial break from blogging, could someone tell me what the above weed is? I thought it was purslane, but not I'm not sure. It grows right next to my home under an evergreen.

Thanks and love,
Althea ◦

Excuse this Commercial Interruption...

Have You Ever Seen a Healthy Vegan? #2

Koya Webb

 Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Whole Living Foods Chef, Health and Wellness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, Inspirational Speaker, Actress, Model, Author, Writer, Singer, Producer, Triathlete and Extreme Adventure Lady!

Koya Webb is an outgoing optimistic model, athlete, actress, and holistic practitioner who believes balance is the key to a successful life. As a living-foodist (one who eats 60% or more uncooked veggies, nuts, seeds, and super foods) she believes eating all natural “fruits of the earth” can help heal cancer, diabetes, and other diseases plaguing our society today. She encourages family, friends, and clients to eat as many raw fruits, raw vegetables, and super foods as possible. Koya’s motto is “The greater the percentage of whole living foods in the diet, the greater the health benefits!” She currently attends Agape International Spiritual Center and studies New Thought-Ancient Wisdom teachings and believes in unconditional love of all things. “I think everyone should have a strong and healthy mind, body, and soul and improve these areas on a daily basis."

Koya has many talents but focuses on entertaining and educating. “I want to live a life that is healthy, happy, and productive! I also want to teach others how to live life to the fullest!” As a certified personal trainer and life coach, Koya spends her days helping people reach their goals. “It takes a lifestyle change!” She is creating a better lifestyle for her clients by providing exercise prescriptions, healthy diets, yoga, fitness training, professional advice, and aerobics classes through her companies Lifestyle Revelations and Fitness, Food, and Fun. Through her company Revelational Productions Koya is producing a line of health and wellness DVDs and life changing films that encourage living a healthy lifestyle mentally, spiritually, and physically. Koya holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Business Administration and uses this knowledge to give people the science behind living a healthy lifestyle.

www.koyawebb.com

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Have You Ever Seen a Healthy Vegan? #2

21-Day Negativity Fast

I read a remarkable article a few weeks ago on Oprah.com. It's called "A 21-Day Negativity Fast: Inspiration from a Truly Blessed Man," written by Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit. (If you don't do anything else today, read this article!)

Myss writes about Willie Smith, a former drug dealer turned personal trainer and minister. Smith had what's known as a "conversion experience." In short, it's a an "immediate and complete mystical transformation of a core part of one's nature, always resulting in an illuminated understanding of God, love or any of the graces that enhance humanity." Myss' example is Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol.

Myss goes on to write about Smith's 21-Day Negativity Fast. No negative thoughts for twenty-one days. At the end of one, he feels his spirit renewed. 

I gave it a sincere try. But here was my issue: with every negative thought (and there were lots of them!), I would berate myself.

Stop! That's negative!

The first day was a learning experience. I didn't realize how negative I could be. By Day Two, I was getting on my own nerves. I dropped the Fast.

I came back to it because I realized I was looking at the Fast the wrong way. Instead of "I can't think anything negative," I now remain positive and loving. As Smith said, "Feed the brain love."

We have the freedom to think whatever we want. We always have the freedom to change our minds, at any moment, at any time, about anything. We are not "fixed." Human beings are "fluid." Just because you believed something yesterday doesn't mean you must believe it today.

You can choose to look at you life and hate your family/job/money/home/situation/whatever or you can choose to feel gratitude that you actually have a family who loves you, a job that pays the bills, money in your bank account, and whatever else you are blessed to have.

If none of that makes sense, start with being grateful that you have the ability to change your mind.

What you focus on grows. Focus on the love and the good in your life, and your life will change. :-)

Love,

Althea

(positive comments always welcomed!)

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21-Day Negativity Fast

Have You Ever Seen a Healthy Vegan?

Amaadi Coleman and her oldest son Khary

I'm starting a weekly feature called "Have You Ever Seen a Healthy Vegan?" That's what detractors say when launching diatribes against veganism. First of all, it's a stupid @$$ question. Second, when I read or hear that, I want to ask, "Do you KNOW any vegans?" Third, I consider this feature a natural off-shoot of my Eating for Beauty post and the 11th Step in The Raw Vegan Hero's Journey: "Be a Shining Example of Health."

Ya'll know I am neither dogmatic nor fundamentalist. I am an Independent voter (it reads "Unaffiliated" on my voter registration card) and I belong to no church. But that question irks me. Like healthy vegans are as hard to find as the endangered Saiga Antelope in Uzbekistan.

But my answer to aforementioned question is "YES! I have seen healthy vegans." I want to feature one person per week. I think I can find 52 healthy vegans in one year. I want mostly regular folk. Actors and actresses are paid to look good, and have teams of people keeping them looking their best.

And the first person I've featured is my good friend Amaadi Coleman. She, her husband Lorre Trower, and their children are all shining examples of health! You go, girl!

If you want to be one of those people featured, email 1-2 awesome photos of you (ideally head and body shots), and a bio to me at mochaangels@aol.com.

I've lots of readers in beautiful sunny Southern California, so I know you sexy readers are out there! New York, Georgia, and Virginia aren't far behind. And Finland, England, and Norway bring the most readers from Europe! Don't be shy. This is your time to shine!

Love,

Althea

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Have You Ever Seen a Healthy Vegan?

Eating For Beauty

 "When we realize that beauty is internal health, desire for beauty becomes not a self-defeating obsession reaching for the codified beauty standard, but a self-preserving urge for restoration and maintenance of health. And only then, the quest for beauty, instead of a narcissistic preoccupation, becomes a noble pursuit."
-Tonya Zavasta, Your Right to be Beautiful

After re-reading Tonya's book again, I was compelled to write about "Eating for Beauty." This topic has been on my heart for months.

I am 38 years old. When I came back from my Uncle Walter's funeral in North Carolina, I had gained two pounds. Two pounds in less than 72 hours. When I eat bread or pasta, I wake up with a puffy face. Eggs had to come off the list because when I'd eat them, I couldn't get my eyes open because it was like they were sealed shut with caulk. I'd look in the mirror and think, "What the hell happened to me last night? Was I airlifted out of bed and placed in front of a moving bus?"

Clearly, what we eat affects how we look. Beauty has more to do with looks. Attitude and personality both go a long way in helping someone appear beautiful. But I'm going to stick to how food affects the body. As Tonya wrote, I'm talking about "a self-preserving urge for restoration and maintenance of health."

Think about it like this:

- Beautiful kidneys kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The wastes and extra water become urine, which flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The bladder stores urine until releasing it through urination.

-A beautiful heart contracts regularly and continuously, pumping blood to the body and the lungs. The pumping action is caused by a flow of electricity through the heart that repeats itself in a cycle.

-A beautiful brain governs your Nervous System. The brain is the engine of your body.

-Beautiful blood delivers essential elements, and removing harmful wastes from each and every cell in the body. It is a liquid connective tissue. (I just learned that!)

When those organs misfire, a person can have kidney stones, high blood pressure, a myriad of brain issues from a stroke to Alzheimer's Disease, heart attack, Candida, and so much more. And we're only referring to a few organs.

When you eat what is right to your body you FEEL good. (And no, it is not better to look good than to feel good!) And when you FEEL good, you radiate positive energy and joy. When you eat what makes your precious organs function at their optimum level, people are going to see it in your face.

Here's a few of my favorite examples:

Alisa Brooks, age 46

http://www.organiclifeandfitness.com/About_Us.html

Carolyn Akens, age 59 at time of photo

(one of my teachers!)

http://www.carolynakens.com/

Miranda Martinez

www.vivaraw.com

Storm Talifero, age 57 at time of photo

www.thegardendiet.com

Sherif Kamal, Nature's Fitness Model

http://naturesfitnessmodel.com/

Lillian Butler and Eddie Robinson

www.rawsoul.com

We all can age gracefully and beautifully. A vegan and raw vegan diet can go a long way in helping achieve that goal.

Love,

Althea

(positive comments always welcomed!)

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Eating For Beauty

The Champ: Carrot-Apple Juice

When I was growing up, we drank a LOT of Kool-Aid. Every flavor you can think of. I remember all the colors: blue, green, variations of red, pink, yellow, and purple. Unfortunately, Kook-Aid colors are not from nature. They are Blue Lake #1, Yellow Lake #3, and so on. And let's not talk about the sugar! I remember using one pack of Kook-Aid, 1 gallon of water, and 1 CUP of sugar. Yow-Za!

Nature's colors taste much better :-).

People are intimidated by juicing. Here's an easy recipe: Take 2 apple or 2 carrots and juice with other vegetables. Add peeled lemon to improve the taste.

All vegetables can be juiced together.

All fruit can be juiced together.

Apples and carrots can be juiced with anything else, including each other.

Jay Kordich, The Juicedaddy, calls this juice combination of 2 apples and 4 carrots "The Champ." It is the combination that saved his life when he was diagnosed with cancer as a young man in his twenties. And it's easy.

Try it today and let me know what you think. :-)

Love,

Althea

(positive comments always welcomed!)

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The Champ: Carrot-Apple Juice

Affirmations for Health

These affirmations are from pages 57 & 58 of Leah Salmon's "The Ultimate You."
 Leah suggests that you do the following: Use one of the above affirmations or make up your own that will help you achieve one of your health goals. Make sure you say it several times every day for a week.
See how close you are to achieving that goal by the end of the week. Any progress
will be an achievement.
 
Raw Food:

Today I will be a raw vegan because

It feels so right

I don’t want to be controlled by food anymore

I feel mentally stronger

I love all the energy I have

I am a good example to my family

I don’t want to feel addicted

I don’t want to make excuses for eating junk food

We were given every herb of the field as our meat

I can do it.

Life:

Today I will…

Be a loving mother to my boys

Be a caring wife

Be patient

Work hard and stay focused

No shouting

No aggression

No quitting

Remember why you are doing this

To nurture, enrich and protect your family

Remember why you are here

To be the best you can be

Remember you are

A mother, wife, Mocha Angel, teacher, and protector

Here are some shorter affirmations that Leah uses with her clients that you can add to your daily routine:


• I have energy, happiness and abundant health

• Every cell in my body radiates bright beautiful health

• My sleep is relaxed and refreshing.

• I am healthy in body, mind and spirit

• I am strong, whole and healthy.

• I will stick to my eating plan and feel great for it

• I don’t need alcohol / cigarettes / chocolate today because I already feel great

• I am glad to be working and will work with a smile today

• I will show kindness and caring to everyone I meet today

• I will accomplish my goals and fulfill my desires
 
Change the above affirmations to fit you and your situation.
 
I've used affirmations for over a decade. I know they work. This isn't simply "thinking positive." Affirming means to "pray in the present tense." You are declaring "what is" even if it hasn't happened yet. Your subconscious mind does not know what is real. It will take whatever dominant mental images, or thoughts, you have and manifest them into physical reality. Try it for a week and let me know what happens.
 
Love,
Althea

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Affirmations for Health

Top Three Reasons Why I Should Win a Black Weblog Award

3. Oprah didn't call. (Yet! I haven't given up on a broadcast television show. I'm simply taking the scenic route.:-) But a sister deserves something, y'know?
2. I make the best biscuits and chocolate chip cookies in the world. Oh, wait, you don't know? You betta ask somebody!
1. The next time my stepfather asks me, "Girl, when you gonna make some money off that blog?" I can say, "Hey, man, back up off me. At least I won two awards!"

The Raw Mocha Angel is a Finalist in two categories:


-Best Cooking or Food Blog
-Best Health or Wellness Blog
Please get to the end of the form where you include your email and name. Be sure to press "submit." You will receive a confirmation email when you are done.

https://3eighteenmedia.wufoo.com/forms/2010-black-weblog-awards-finalist-form/

thank you!
Love,
Althea ◦

Top Three Reasons Why I Should Win a Black Weblog Award

My Culinary Point-of-View

For those of you who watch "The Next Food Network Star" you know that Susie Fogelson, Bob Tuschman, and Bobby Flay hammer the finalists on their "culinary point-of-view." As Bobby bluntly challenged one finalist, "What are you going to teach me?" "Me" being the viewer at home. Why should she watch my show?

When I did my Oprah Winfrey Network audition, my goal was to show that gluten-free vegan and raw vegan food could be tasty. If OWN had chosen me as a finalist, or if I had auditioned for Food Network's YouTube Star Challenge, my point-of-view would not have been clear. Which means I wasn't ready.

My culinary point-of-view is this:  I am The Vegan Mocha Angel. I take African-American Soul Food and turn it into raw vegan or gluten-free vegan delights. It's Soul Food with a Twist!

My food raises vibrations and heals the body. I weave in stories of my family's food memories, and I include my Mocha Angel messages into the mix.

Ya'll, I was in tears last night thinking about the food my family cooked. Was it good for me physically? No. Hence why I cook differently now! But did I feel loved and protected? Yes. And that is what made me cry.

I honor my ancestors who created an internationally known cuisine out of nothing. They started with scraps, literally. But it's the 21st century. Most people know about the health issues of African-Americans. It's time to ditch the meat, cheese, and salt. I lighten the food but keep the spirit of the food.

For instance, greens.

My mom, grandmothers, and aunts cooked their greens - collard, mustard, turnip - in a huge pot. They added lots of salt and either fatback or turkey to give the greens flavor. Those greens cooked for HOURS. The whole house would smell like greens.

The problem is all the nutrients wound up in the water, aka the "pot licker."

Raw greens are awesome. My favorite is kale salad. You get all the nutrients, and most importantly, it tastes great!

Kale Salad -- Adapted from The Joy of Living Live by Zakhah

The winner of winners. Your salad will disappear at every potluck.

1 bunch of kale greens

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons liquid aminos or 4 tablespoons soy sauce (not raw)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

Use a tupperware bowl that has a top. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast on the bottom of your bowl first. Wash the greens, then add the to the bowl. Add the garlic cloves, aminos or soy sauce, lemon juice squeezed straight from the lemon (watch those seeds), and olive oil. Put the top on your tupperware bowl. Shake like crazy. The success of this dish comes in all of the kale being coated evenly. Sometimes the yeast gets gloopy. So shake, do not stir or mix. Shake. Adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Raw Collard Greens

And here's another oldie but goodie from The Raw Mocha Angel archives. I demonstrate how to roll, chop, and make this sweet and savory collard greens delight.

http://therawmochaangel.blogspot.com/2009/04/live-collard-greens.html

I am so excited about this. I've been eating a LOT of greens since my CTL +ALT + DLT post. And in September or October, I'm going start a YouTube Channel. That Oprah Winfrey Network audition lit a fire under me. I still want my own network television show, and I know I'm going to have it. I can't wait to start! 

Thanks for reading!

And thanks for voting for The Raw Mocha Angel in the Black Weblog Awards!

https://3eighteenmedia.wufoo.com/forms/2010-black-weblog-awards-finalist-form/

Love,

Althea

(positive comments always welcomed!) 

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My Culinary Point-of-View

Coconut-Lime Cookies

These cookies, from Living Raw Food, by Sarma Melngailis, are easy and tasty to make. And ya'll know I'm all about easy! I cut the entire recipe in half because I only had 1 cup of macadamia nuts.

2 cups mac nuts

1 cup shredded dried coconut (buy at the store, don't try to shred & dry coconuts at home!)

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup agave nectar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Put the nuts in the freezer to chill for a few minutes. Take them out, and put them in a food processor with the coconut and lime zest and pulse until combined by the mixture is still a bit chunky. Don't overprocess or mixture will become oily. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Using a ice cream scooper, or tablespoon, place rounds of the mixture in a dehydrator on a Teflex sheet (I use parchment paper). Flatten them into cookies about 1/2 inch thick. Dehydrate for @ 24 hours or until your desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Love,

Althea

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Coconut-Lime Cookies

Diagnosis for Raymond and Jona

My favorite picture of my men!

My children finally have an official diagnosis after 9 months of psychologists, neuropsychology testing, M.D.'s, Developmental M.D.s, Individualized Educational Plans, and more.

Jona's diagnosis is mild to moderate Autism.
Raymond's diagnosis is Nervous System Disorder-not specified, and Expressive/ Receptive Delay.

Since I knew this day was coming, I started my other blog, Healing My Sons, for that reason. Over there, I will talk about the boys' progress, and all of their educational, speech, occupational, and nutritional therapies.

You can subscribe to that blog as well. I'm keeping the blogs separate because I wanted to dedicate a blog just for the boys. I won't be able to remember all that we are going to do, so I thought the blog would be a good way to chronicle their journey.

This photo is of my brother John, Raymond, my husband Rom, and Jona. John was kind enough to come from Atlanta to watch the kids while Rom and I saw Dr. Trevor Valentine, their developmental pediatrician.

John and Raymond

And Jona, ever the difficult one when it comes to taking photos, had to get his feelings in! He is a photographer, for sure. He'd rather take the photos than be in them!

So if you know anyone who has children with any kind of speech/language delay or Autism, send them to www.healingmysons.blogspot.com.

Thank you for reading.

Love,

Althea

(positive comments ALWAYS welcomed!)

◦

Diagnosis for Raymond and Jona

Some of the "Team"

The boys pediatrican Dr. Simpson. Jona loves being camera shy, except for when he's the one taking the picture! Raymond, as you see, will cheese for anyone, anytime!

Dr. Sandra Slater, in the Neuropsychology department of Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Jona wouldn't come into Dr. Slater's office, so she talked to him in the playroom.

Until next time!

love,

Althea

◦

Some of the "Team"

Diagnosis: Autism and Receptive/Expressive Delay

My children finally have an offical diagnosis after 9 months of psychologists, neuropsychology testing, M.D.'s, Developmental M.D.s, Individualized Educational Plans, and more.

Jona's diagnosis is mild to moderate Autism.
Raymond's diagnosis is Nervous System Disorder-not specifed and Expressive/ Receptive Delay.

I started this blog in order to chronicle their progress. I know I'm not going to be able to remember everything about their childhood. I want this blog, their blog to be here for me to look back on everything, and possibly help other parents along the way :-)

This is my brother John, Raymond, my husband Rom, and Jona. John was nice enough to travel to Maryland from Atlanta to watch the boys while we went to see their Developmental Pediatrician.
There's lots more to come!
 
love,
Althea ◦

Diagnosis: Autism and Receptive/Expressive Delay