KISS

In the new spirit of keeping my raw food simple, here is an easy smoothie:

- 1/2 avocado

- handful of kale and collards

-1/2 peeled lemon

- 2 apples

-water

Blend thoroughly.

This is not a sweet smooothie. I'm inching toward the more savory smoothies and juices. If you want more sweetness, add more apples.

Love,

Althea

Love is all you need. #mochaangels

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KISS

My First 5K Race

Jona, me, and Raymond, cold as sin on Thanksgiving

Yes, I'm still alive. Thank you for the supportive emails and Facebook messages. I did indeed fall of the raw food wagon, but as Neale Donald Walsch says, "In life we can recreate ourselves as we just were or we can recreate ourselves anew. We are always remaking ourselves."

And whenever I am not raw, I do regret it. I simply do not feel like myself. Thanksgiving was no exception.  I was extremely blessed to have my parents and one of my brothers here with me. My mom brought a lot of food...COMFORT FOOD! Mac n cheese, dressing, and the like. I ate too much because the food tasted like home. All the positive childhood memories came up, and I kept on eating. I felt like a stuffed turkey.

I'm starting all over again, and that is okay. No need to beat myself up. It's a waste of time. I did, however, walk a 5K race on Thanksgiving morning. It also gave me the confidence to attend the Boot Camp class I had signed up for, but had never attended. I was intimidated by the mere words 'boot camp.' But after walking that race on a hilly, wet, slippery tree-lined trail in 37 degree weather, I am going to Boot Camp today.

Me in line about to start

Rom held the camera during my walk. So I don't have photos of the trail. The ground was full of wet leaves and puddles. I didn't run because I'd hurt my left ankle while training. My biggest concern was slipping on leaves. Thankfully that didn't happen. The whole thing was harder than I thought. I'd never been on this trail before....and did I mention it was 37 degrees? I wore 4 layers of shirts to stay warm.

Me at the finish line

But I completed the race! As challenging as it was, I would do it again! I'm already looking for a race that's close to my home. YEA!

Love,

Althea

May your mind learn to love with compassion. #mochaangels

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My First 5K Race

Baltimore Abilities Special Arts Center

Raymond, Jona, Teen director Ruth Ann, and BASAC Founder-Director Zoey Robinson-Budreski

http://www.basac.org/

We went to the Baltimore Abilities Special Arts Center Open house last weekend and had a ball (as you can tell from the photos.)

Raymond is going to take a dance class there starting this week...with his brother watching from the sides. Jona will inevitably say, "I want to dance like Raymond." That's when I'll register him for a class! Raymond's excited and ready to roll!

I just wanted to share these two photos from the Open House because they were cute and funny. Those drums were LOUD! You see Jona's reaction.

But then he had to get on the drums himself!

A lot has been happening with the kids...all good things. Raymond and I are doing yoga together consistently. Jona's receiving the energy healing. They are both 'kicking butt and taking names' in Speech Therapy. I'm really proud of them. Continue to send us your positive loving energy.

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Baltimore Abilities Special Arts Center

Jona Update

Two really quick things about six-year-old Jona:

1) NO TRAINING WHEELS! Yea! Jona can ride his bike without training wheels any longer! We are so proud of him.

2) He's a puzzle master, suddenly. A few months ago, I bought Toy Story puzzles for the boys. They range from 48-piece to 100-piece. Jona had no interest in them. On Friday, out of blue (no prompting, no nothing), he says, "I'm gonna make a puzzle." He did two of them, with no help from anyone. They were 48-piece and 100-piece. The next two were 60-piece and 100-piece. He said, "Mommy, can you help me?" I did, but minimally. Watching how his mind worked to figure out the puzzles was fascinating. I'm so proud of my Jona :-).

(And I still don't have a new camera yet...It's coming.)

Love,
Althea ◦

Jona Update

Captain Underpants & Math U See

If I find something that works for my kids, I'm have to share.

Math U See is our math curriculum of choice. I'd heard many good things about it from various homeschool groups. Raymond hated math because he had trouble grasping the concepts of addition and subtraction. Math U See is based on the idea that struggling math students must see math, build math, write math, and say math.

The foundation of the program are these manipulatives, seen here:

Raymond is on Book Two called Alpha. He has a mastery of single digit addition now, which I don't think I could say two months ago. Math U See gets two HUGE thumbs up from me.

www.mathusee.com

Now to the controversial Captain Underpants series. Why is it controversial? Because there are an abundance of bodily function jokes in each book. Lots of potty, pee-pee, boogers, stuff like that. And the title alone can make your eyes roll in parental horror.

However, I am a fan. These books got Raymond and Jona into reading like nothing before. The main characters Harold and George write their own comic books inside of the real book. Both of my children now write their own comic books daily.

What I also like is that the author Dav Pilkey, sounded a lot like Raymond when he was a child. I feel like my kids see themselves in the the main characters. We own all eight books in the series, plus the Captain Underpants Extra Crunchy Books O' Fun 1 and 2. There's also Super Diaper Baby 1 and 2, and The Adventures of Ook and Gluk, which I am being told everyday by Raymond that he is going to buy them himself.

He wants to have a lemonade sale to raise money because everytime he says, "I'm going buy my Dav Pilkey books today," I say, "Then get a job." Now he wants to sell his comic books (the ones he created) to buy the books.

For all the boy-heavy toilet humor, Captain Underpants is responsible for my children becoming enthusiastic readers. And Raymond wants to talk to Pilkey so bad. He's written him letters, watched all of his You Tube videos, and been on his website nearly everyday.

And Dav Pilkey really earned my respect with The Adventures of Ook and Gluk. It's about these two cavemen who get pulled into the future by a time machine, but written by the characters George and Harold. The lessons learned in that book were actually deep! I was like, "Go 'head, Dav! You have far more depth than I originally thought!"

The lessons went way over my kids heads, for the moment. Pilkey weaved in a morality tale, and lessons about patience, hard work, and the ego (yes, the ego!) into a graphic novel aimed at fourth graders. So if the idea of a bald white man flying around with a red cape and his underwear is a bit much for you, start with The Adventures of Ook and Gluk.

http://www.pilkey.com/

http://scholastic.com/captainunderpants/

http://www.youtube.com/user/PIlkeyDotCom

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Captain Underpants & Math U See

Personal Training!

Hi Everyone!

I have great news....I'm officially a YMCA Personal Trainer now! YEA! (Unfortunately, my camera is not working. And I SO wanted to take pictures this weekend.) I just wanted to share. I'm pooped, but excited. This means I can work in the free weight/strength & cardio machine/personal training part of the YMCA now. For those who don't know, I've worked for the Y as yoga teacher for many years. I still need a national personal training certification, and I'm working that too.

There is a method to my madness. As I envision MochaAngels.com, I see it as a holistic wellness site with raw & vegan food being the main focus. It's all coming together....I love it when a plan works!

Love,
Althea ◦

Personal Training!

The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Pasta and Salad

I made my version of Chef Chole's Avocado Pesto Pasta two weeks ago. Chloe won a Food Network Cupcake Wars earlier this year. The judges RAVED about her cupcakes (and her competition was like, "What the hell? Vegan? How good could they be?) I've made vegan cupcakes and cakes, and they are truly better than traditional versions.

Chole's win piqued my curiosity about her food, so I gave her pasta a try.

As I was eating it, I kept saying, "This is good...No, this is really good...Man, this fantastic!" It became clear this was the best pasta I'd ever had. But when I ate it alone, it was good, not "The Best Pasta Ever." I realized it was the salad dressing plus the pasta that made it "The Best Pasta and Salad I Ever Ate." Make both of them together!

The creaminess of the pesto matched with the sharpness of apple cider vinegar in the salad dressing explode on the tongue. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.

You know how Cookie Monster says, "Cookies are a sometimes food!" This pasta and salad combo are a sometimes food. It has avocados, cashews, and oil. All of those are good fats, but they are fats nonetheless.

I got some GF linguine and went to town. Chloe's version (see below) has pine nuts. I am allergic to them (and they are expensive! $10.00 for 8 ounces of nuts??) so I went with cashews.

Althea's Version of Avocado Pesto Pasta
Pesto is (GF) and (RV)
Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine, get GF if you have allergies (for fully raw vegan, use carrots, zucchini, or butternut squash, or yellow squash)
• 1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
• ½ cup raw cashews
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• nutritional yeast, to taste
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, cashews, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add more salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and/or garlic as needed.
Toss pasta with pesto. Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.

Body Ecology Diet Salad Dressing (RV) (GF)

• 2/3 cup organic unrefined oils(a combo of EVOO, flaxseed, or an flaxseed/evening primose blend)(I use EVOO only)
• 1/3 cup organic apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 1 tsp. Celtic sea salt

Place all ingredients in a container and shake vigorously or put in blender. Use on top of your favorite salad. Or, as you see in my photos, fresh tomatoes.

Put the pasta and salad on a plate or bowl together. Throw some fresh cilantro on top of your salad too, or extra basil. Oh, it's so good.

Chef Chole's version

http://www.chefchloe.com/

Avocado Pesto Pasta (V)

Pesto is (GF) and (RV)

Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine
• 1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
• ½ cup pine nuts
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Preparation

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Toss pasta with pesto. For an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with cherry or sun-dried tomatoes. Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.

Love,
Althea

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The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Pasta and Salad

What I Learned This Summer

1) Put the oxygen mask on myself first.
2) I am a professional too.
3) Be fearless.

1. Put the oxygen mask on myself first.

When a child has any kind of medical issue, be it a cold, cancer, or Autism, the parent goes into overdrive. The problem is that even a car cannot remain in overdrive forever. Neither can a person. I have been in overdrive waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long. All the caretaking and worrying I've done for the past 8 years has taken a toll on me mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

I had bigger plans for my kids this summer. But my intuition was screaming, "Put the oxygen mask on yourself first." The analogy is, of course, when on an airplane, flight attendants always tell parents that in case of emergency, put the mask on themselves first and their child second. That seems counter intuitive to a parent. But the bottom line is, if you put the mask on your child first, you're giving her a chance to live, but you might not.

And that's how I've been feeling.

I listened to my inner wisdom and prayed about the best way to begin taking care of me. The answer came in the form of my friend Shay, who is a personal trainer. She told me about ChiRunning and ChiWalking. I started both and I can feel the difference. I have energy and mental clarity. Both are required for high-quality parenting :-).

And this weekend, I'm getting my Strength & Conditioning certification from the YMCA. Then I'll work on my ACE personal training certification!

So mamas, figure out a way to take care of you. Your children will thank you.

2. I am a professional too.

This doesn't apply to all moms, but I trained in Healing Touch, Reiki, yoga, children's yoga, pre-natal yoga even before my children were born. The intuition, vegan, and raw food part came later, but the bottom line is I've been in the holistic business for 11 years. People see me as someone who knows what she's talking about in those arenas.

But when I saw something not quite right with my children, fear and doubt kicked in, and stayed with me for years. I realize now that I abdicated my power to other authority figures. I don't regret the myriad of doctors, specialists, teachers, and the countless medical, academic, and speech tests. I've learned a great deal, and a team of professionals is necessary to help my children. (A holistic approach is needed, and I appreciate that.)

However, I'm a pro too. I tell my students in my intuition class, the key to a good reading is detachment, objectivity, and neutrality. It's difficult for a mom to be detached, objective, and neutral about her children. But it is possible to step back from them and not be so emotional about their issues. Thanks to #1 "putting the oxygen mask on myself," I realized that my children can benefit from my professional skills.

3) Be fearless.

My children have taught me to look at my deepest beliefs. I've been forced to ask myself, "Do I really think __________________ is true, or at least true for me?"

Here is what I know for sure: Disease starts in the energy field which is interdependent with the human body. Healing (not curing) is a multi-layered, multi-dimensional thing. We are mind, body, and spirit beings. Everything that has entered our consciousness from the moment of conception affects who we are now, and who we become. Everyone on Earth are inter-connected, and truly are One with each other.

I now choose to live from my core belief that the Universe is friendly to me (and everyone) and does respond to our deepest desires. When I feel myself at Raymond and Jona's college graduations, I am not "hoping" or "wishing." I am consciously, on purpose and with purpose, opening the energetic doors that will create that reality in their lives.

Being fearless rocks. ◦

What I Learned This Summer

Raymond's Summer Adventures

Raymond had quite a summer...I brought him on an Herb Walk in early August. We learned about edible and medicinal weeds and plants. I can't say he was into it. He thought it was boring, although the photos say he was somewhat engaged :-). As their mother, I know that everything I do with them plants a seed. I really want Raymond and Jona to have an appreciation and connection with the Earth.

In the above photo, Raymond is holding Black Walnut. He did like throwing them on the ground in order to open them :-).

We met at the Maryland Zoo. Steffanie of Herban Roots and Yuma Bellomee of Yew 360 lead the walk. In the above photo, Raymond is tasting plantain. (Not the Carribean fruit. This is why Steffanie stressed the importance of learning the Latin names of plants to differentiate between things.)

Raymond about to taste garlic-mustard plant.

In this photo is Yuma, Hardcore Vietnam Brother (I can't remember his name, but he did serve in Vietnam, hence the name...and he found Raymond the purple ball in the woods), Raymond, Steffanie (holding Evening Primrose), Marie, and Majidat.

I learned so much on that one walk. The next one is Sunday, September 11 · 10:00am - 12:00pm in Baltimore. If you're interested, email me or leave a comment with your email, and I'll forward you the details. You'll never look at weeds the same way again.

 

And if you're wondering where Jona is, he prefers to take photos, rather than be in them. He took this photo of Raymond after we made Cantaloupe smoothie.

And here's Raymond helping me make Chocolate Ganache Pie. I do not share bad recipes; only the good stuff. I take my food seriously. Make it tomorrow!

And finally, Raymond spent five weeks at The Highlands School in their Social Skills Camp. I was the happiest camper when he got in, and even happier that he LOVED it! I mean he's ready to go back in September for school. (I'm working on it.) He never missed a day, and always enjoyed himself. He made friends and learned so much. I am forever grateful for this school.

In the above photo, Raymond is with Mr. Fred, the camp director, on the last day.

With Ms. Sarah.

Oh, and here's Jona! I told you he's camera shy now. "Where's the playroom?"

"Oh, there it is!" (But the door was locked.)

Ms. Nancy and Ms. Beth, the admissions director.

And finally, Ms. Melissa, another camp staffer.

I'm so happy Raymond and Jona had a fun summer. Me and Jona hung out playing and enjoying the outdoors too! Mommy learned some things herself. That's for the next post!

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Raymond's Summer Adventures

Chocolate Ganache Pie

It's been so long since I shared a recipe. I figured it was time :-). I've made this Chocolate Ganache Pie from 30-Minute Vegan before. The pie was better than last time. This is cooked and vegan, and if you make the crust yourself, it can be gluten-free. If you buy a pre-made crust, then it won't be.

I know this can be made raw. A live crust is as simple as blending dates and almonds in a food processor. The filling is something I'm going to play with, and I have a solid idea. Until then, here's the original version.

Chocolate Ganache Pie (V)

INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups vegan dark chocolate chips (preferably grain-sweetened)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup 1 (12.3-ounce) package Mori-nu firm silken tofu
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1⁄8 teaspoon sea salt
1 premade pie shell
PREPARATION
1. Melt the chocolate chips by heating them in a double boiler over medium heat until the consistency is smooth, lump-free, and creamy, stirring only once or twice.

2. Meanwhile puree the maple syrup, tofu, vanilla, and sea salt in a food processor until smooth. When the chocolate is thoroughly melted (about 20 minutes), add it to the food processor and blend well.

3. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and chill until firm all the way through, about 1 hour.

NOTE: This dish will come out sweeter if you use the more common semisweet chocolate chips, which contain cane sugar. Sunspire sells a variety that we prefer, which is grain-sweetened, but either one will work—sweeten to your heart’s content.

Also, when melting chocolate in a double boiler (which can also be any glass or stainless-steel bowl set on top of a pot with 1 to 2 inches of boiling water in it), be absolutely sure that both the bowl and anything you use to stir the chocolate with are completely dry. A good way to make sure the melting pot or bowl is dry is to start heating it before you put the chips in; this will dry out any moisture. The slightest droplet of water will “seize” the chocolate, leaving it lumpy and devastatingly imperfect looking. But surely do not cry over broken chocolate; everyone still loves to lick it up and your lumpy little pie will still taste divine.

This is the tofu, maple syrup, and sea salt in the food processor. Get it smooth.

Put the chocolate chips in bowl over boiling water.

Stir until the chips melt. Raymond did this part for me. Kids love playing in the kitchen!

After pouring the chocolate in the food processor, blend with the other ingredients. This is what it will look like.

Pour into the shell and let sit at least an hour. Overnight is best. You'll have a pie that no one will believe is vegan.

Here's a gluten-free pie crust recipe:

Graham Cracker Crust (GF)

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or crushed cookies of choice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons vegan margarine

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use margarine to grease bottom and sides of a spring form or pie pan. Set aside.

2. Mix graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and melted margarine together.

3. Press mixture into prepared pan.

4. Place in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a rack before adding filling.

Love,

Althea

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Chocolate Ganache Pie

Leslie Esdaile Banks 1959-2011

http://leslieesdailebanks.com/

Why? Why in the world is Leslie gone? If you don't know who Leslie Esdaile Banks (aka L.A. Banks) is, please check out her website. She was a talented and prolific novelist, who wrote romance and fantasy novels. Most people know her for the Vampire Huntress Series. Actually, "prolific" is not the word. A "Book Cranking Machine" is more like it. Leslie was seemingly always under a deadline. It was hard to catch up with her because that was a working sister.

Leslie died today from adrenal cancer.

I met her because of Rom. He found her email address somehow simply to say, "I love your work." When I went public as a professional intuitive, Rom took it upon himself to tell Leslie about me. The subject line of his email, as the story was told to me, was something like, "Check Out My Wife."

Okay...so if you see an email from a man you don't know with a subject line like that, would you open it? You're thinking "porno," right?

That's what Leslie thought!

But she opened it anyway, ready to reply back to Rom with a terse "delete my email address from your brain, brother."



But what she saw was a sweet email about my Angel readings. She wrote Rom back and said she would love a reading. She made a point of meeting us the next time she was in town. Leslie treated us like we'd been friends forever. And that's what everyone has said about her. She was friendly, gregarious, honest, and oh-so hilarious. She reminded me of E. Lynn Harris. They had the same joyous energy. You just wanted to be around them.

Leslie and I stayed in touch. I even got a shout-out in The Bitten, the fourth book in the Vampire Huntress Series. The last time I saw her was two years ago on my birthday. The last time we spoke was around Christmas 2010.

And this morning....I just knew. I saw her phone number in my address book and I heard, "It's too late. She's gone." I dismissed it because I didn't want to believe it. How could such a larger-than-life personality be gone? But it was true. Another loss. I'll miss her for the rest of my life.



It was my honor to have known you.

Rest in Power, Leslie.

Mother. Daughter. Spiritual. Lovely. Giving. Talented. Touched by the Divine.



◦

Leslie Esdaile Banks 1959-2011

No Coincidences

Two weeks ago, before my yoga class began, one of my regular students brought in 12 copies of Yoga Journal. She was giving them away to anyone who wanted them. I kept two of them. One was the May 2011 issue. That night, as I was reading the magazine, I stopped on the"Beneath the Surface" article. I'm into re-building my core strength, so the article was right on time.

I didn't notice who wrote it until the very end: Doug Keller. "Oh my goodness! It's Doug!" Doug Keller and Betsey Downing led my first teacher training in 1999. Betsey was the founder and director of Health Advantage Yoga in Herndon, VA. Doug is an amazing yogi dedicated to the bio mechanics of the body and yoga therapy.

I got down on the floor, that night, and did all of the moves in his article. The lovely by-product was that my recurring right groin pain disappeared. The more I did the moves, the better I felt. I emailed Doug a few days later and told him.

I know there are no coincidences. I'd been intending for the perfect way to strengthen my core muscles (I learned so much from that article. I tracked it down on the Internet. Here it is in .pdf format: Beneath the Surface.) Jenny brings in a stack of magazines. My subscription to Yoga Journal lapsed in April. That's why I took the May issue. And there is Doug, who wrote the one article I wanted to read.

There are NO coincidences.

*******

So if you are wondering where the raw food is, it's still here. I've been eating sushi (cauliflower, carrots, avocados), seaweed soup, salads, and a LOT of vanilla milkshakes (looks like we had triple-digit degree weather this time last year...you really want to make this milkshake. Thank me later!).

My mom has been asking me for years, "Are you exercising?" No, was always my answer. I am now.

So Gratitude Friday will be Gratitude Saturday tomorrow. I'm excited about this weekend. Raymond and I are going on an "Herb Walk" on Saturday to learn about edible and medicinal plants. And on Sunday, Master Raw Chef Aris Latham is in DC. Myself and Amaadi are attending his "Royale Feast." If you're interested in attending, click here: Aris Latham.
I'll take lots of pictures. :-)

Love,
Althea

Mocha Angel message:
Spirit can never leave you, nor can you ever leave Spirit. But it's easy not to be aware that you are never, ever alone. No matter how bad it gets, say, "Angels, come to me now!" Invoke the loving angels to help you and create opportunities and miracles in your life! ◦

No Coincidences

Chi Walking: A Review

Picture it: Reston, Virgina 1998. An impressionable, but over-worked twenty-something goes to see How Stella Got Her Groove Back. The fictionalized version of Terry MacMillian’s real life love-affair was entertaining. (But seriously Terry, how could you not know? But I digress.) The women in the audience went wild for Taye Diggs, who is a gorgeous man, for certain. I was more impressed with not only Angela Bassett’s body, but her running style. The woman ran like a gazelle. Her form. Her grace. All I could say was “Wow!”

I called my now-husband, and said, “Rom, I’m going to start running!” I put on my white sweatpants, white t-shirt, white shoes, and hit the pavement. It’s running…no problem, right? I lasted all of two blocks before I said, “To hell with this!” I walked home defeated.

In the 13 years since, each time I’ve tried to walk or jog for fitness, I always felt like I was missing something. It didn’t matter if it I was on a treadmill or outside. Time didn’t matter either: 10 minutes or 30 minutes. Each walk ended the same way: I was tired. My legs hurt. I felt depleted. And I cursed. A lot. :-)

I never gave up hope I would learn to run. Watching people run with ease always fascinated me. To have such a high level of cardiovascular fitness was my goal.

Last month, I began working with my friend Shaymali, who is a personal trainer and a fellow yoga teacher. She asked me about my goals. One of them is to run a 5-K race this year. Shaymali said to me, “If your goal is to run a 5-K, then you MUST get this book called Chi Running. I wish someone had put this book in my hand before I started running. I had to re-learn how to run. I want you to start off the right way.” She has completed half-marathons, so I bought Chi Running the next day.

I figured I must learn to walk before I run, so I got Chi Walking from the library and read that first. I practiced all the moves in my own house before I went outside. The first time I Chi Walked, it lasted 4 minutes because I witnessed the tail end of a nasty hit-and-run accident. (No one was visibly hurt. The car that was hit was empty. I was the first person on the scene and had to tell the owner what happened, and of course, the police. That, as they say, is a whole ‘nother story….)

The last 3 times were a REVELATION. I LIKE walking! I’m noticing nature. I come home in a positive mood. Even before I end with the stretches, I feel good. And even more wild, I look forward to walking and I enjoy myself!

Chi Walking: The Five Mindful Steps for Lifelong Health and Energy by Danny Dreyer and Katherine Dreyer is a MUST-HAVE if you want to walk for fitness. Danny is a long-time student of Tai Chi. The Tai Chi principles of working with nature, rather than against it, is the root of Chi Walking. I appreciate the focus on mindful living, not simply good walking form.

Those 5 mindful steps are:

• Get aligned
• Engaged your core
• Create balance
• Make a choice
• Move forward

Those steps are bigger than walking. They are 5 mindful steps for life.

Shaymali knew I would like the book because we’re both yoga teachers. I like holistic approaches to health. We are mind-body-spirit beings; and all parts of us must be nurtured. Chi Walking is a holistic fitness program that you can use for the rest of your life. I am reading Chi Running now, and review that one soon. I plan on doing both as I train for the Baltimore Running Festival in October!

Rating: 10+ out of 10 Mocha Angels

Love,

Althea ◦

Chi Walking: A Review

July 1st...The Happiest Day of My Life

No disrespect to the Ancestors, but I am as happy as a runaway slave! Whoo, child!

Today was my last day at Raw Mom, and I could not possibly be happier. Hallelujah, it's over.

The Raw Mocha Angel is BACK, BABIES!

Gratitude Friday will return in earnest on July 8th.

I am truly grateful for the experience. I really am. I'll go into more detail soon.

I am taking a short break on Saturday. But I'll be back blogging at least on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule.

One thing I learned: if I can work as hard as I did to build up someone else's business, I can certainly do the same for myself.

Eat Raw. Live Long....and prosper.

Love,
Althea

Mocha Angel message for today: Never pass up on an opportunity to experience joy. ◦

July 1st...The Happiest Day of My Life

Gratitude Friday - June 24 2011

• I am grateful this week that Raymond found a book series that he likes to read. It's the Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. "Various Mutants from Other Planets" series. Not only is it hilarious, but each book includes a "flip-o-rama' animation on several pages. I think that's why he likes it. I really believe he's going to make movies as an adult. I'll share more on Healing My Sons.

• I am grateful for Natisha volunteering to transcribe my Queen Afua interview!
• I am grateful that I am craving greens! (Who craves leafy greens? Does anyone else out there crave them?)
• I am grateful that my 1st time veggie garden is producing! Below is a photo of squash leaves!

• And I am grateful for you all, my readers! None of you un-subscribed while I was away at Raw Mom (I'm still there!). I had no idea the job would be so time-consuming (and next week will be ALL consuming...). But you all hung in there with me; kept coming to my blog; sent me emails (SARA!); and said, "where are you?" I sincerely appreciate the love you all send my way. Right back at you ALL!

Love,
Althea ◦

Gratitude Friday - June 24 2011

I LOVE Kale!

How many times have a shared a kale salad with you all? I've lost count....so here's another one :-).

From the Oh She Glows Blog:

Weekend Glow Kale Salad

• 1/2 large head of kale (about 4-6 cups)
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped carrot (2 small carrots)
• 1 English cucumber (2 cups chopped halves)
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 & 1/4 cup chopped grape tomatoes (or other variety)
• 1/2 cup mixed raisins and Goji berries
• 1/4 cup hemp seed
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• Dressing: 1 batch of Lightened Up tahini-Lemon Dressing
• Your desired fresh or dried herbs

Directions:

1. Chop vegetables and mix in a large mixing bowl. Reserve hemp seed and walnuts for sprinkling on top.

2. Make your Lightened Up tahini-Lemon Dressing in a food processor and process until smooth.

3. Tear the leaves off of the kale and rip into bite-sized pieces. Wash and dry kale leaves.

4. Mix the vegetables, kale leaves, and full batch of dressing (3/4-1 cup) in large bowl until thoroughly combined.

5. Place in fridge to ‘marinate’ for 10-15 minutes. Serves 4. Keeps in fridge in a sealed container for 1 day.

Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing

Ingredients:

·    1/4 cup Tahini

·    3 garlic cloves

·    1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

·    1/4 cup Nutritional yeast

·    2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

·    1 tsp kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

• 3 tbsp water, or as needed

I only used raisins, tomatoes, avocados, raisins, and red onion in mine. I could easily eat this everyday.

And to cap it off, I made a green juice: a handful of kale leaves, 2 cucumbers, 1 apple, and a dash of Queen Afua's Green Formula.

And speaking of Queen Afua, a friend of mine is transcribing the interview. (Finally!) I intend to have it live, in different parts, in early July!

Love,

Althea

◦

I LOVE Kale!

Gratitude Friday - June 17 2011



Here's a new series I call Gratitude Friday :-). I "borrowed" this idea from Ms. Joanne Newell, one of the blog contributors at Raw Mom. This week, I am grateful for:

• my supportive spouse, Rom.
• my CNN.com interview, and for Mia Redrick, who made it happen. I'm Mom #9!
• the constant love and support of my family
• the ever-present push from Spirit to be on the raw food path
• all the people I've met through Raw Mom.

What are you grateful for this week? Take the time to think about it!

love,
Althea

Mocha Angel message: Magnificence in life can only be achieved if you love what you do. Passion is the engine of success! ◦

Gratitude Friday - June 17 2011

Update

Hi Everyone :-)

I'm leaving my job as Blog Editor at Raw Mom. My last day is July 1st. I liked the job and learned what it takes to run a multi-website platform. My job was focused on Monday-Wednesday-Friday blogging and managing other writers. To say the job was "intense" is like saying the sun is "hot".....in other words, a massive understatement.

My intention for this year is that I'm focused on healing myself and my family. With that, I have two pieces of good news:

Jona and Raymond see their Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician every 6 months. They saw him yesterday. He ended our visit by saying, "This is wonderful! Your children are progressing well, and Jona is now close to where he should be cognitively for a six-year-old."

YES!!! Whoo hooo!

And he told me that I sigh too much. I had no idea that I did that. I get it from my mother. I've been lying over a rolled blanket to help expand my lung capacity.

The second thing happened today. Me, Raymond, and Jona go to the chiropractor once per week. While Raymond was being treated (I was with Raymond, but I could hear Jona), Jona goes into the secretaries' office and asks, "Have you seen my mommy? She's my best friend."

Oh, my heart melted. There was a time I worried he would never speak again. I used to think, "Is he ever going to say 'mommy?" Is he ever going to say, "I love you?"

He does both now.

Love,
Althea ◦

Update

The Raw Mocha Angel....

....is coming back :-).

My last day at Raw Mom is July 1st. More details to come. When you look up "busy" in the dictionary, you would see my face. I'll share in a few days.

Love,
Althea ◦

The Raw Mocha Angel....

Mama is Blog Editor at Raw Mom!

A quick update: I've been over at Raw Mom for a few weeks now. I'm still getting my feet wet. I am going to post here once-a-week. I miss you all so much. Thanks for all the love and supportive emails!

Love,
Althea ◦

Mama is Blog Editor at Raw Mom!

Meet the New Raw Divas Blog Editor....

That would be ME!

I got a job offer from The Raw Divas in early April. I officially started on April 6th. My first post goes live on Wednesday, April 13. And yes, I am getting paid! It's a legit work-from-home gig and I am happy about that.

So that is where I've been hiding out. Frankly, I am overwhelmed by my new job, and I'm still in training mode. My responsibilities include:


· Develop a content calendar that will drive the goals of the business


· Source valuable content and publish according to the guidelines


· Help to promote the blog


· Implement the commenting strategy


· Participate in the listening strategy


· Feeds all learnings into making the blog a stronger marketing tool

What does this mean for The Raw Mocha Angel? It means that I must put it on the backburner for a while. My blog has always been about my personal raw food journey. It will continue to be that blog. The focus in my personal life is on healing my entire family. I'll be back soon.
 
Love,
Althea ◦

Meet the New Raw Divas Blog Editor....

Time for Know Thyself Seminar

I left off the time for Leah's teleseminar:

Time: 12am UK, 4pm Pacific, 5pm Mountain, 6pm Central, 7pm Eastern
DURATION: 45 minutes approx.
http://www.davidel.com/4mustknows.html
When you sign up, you'll receive the call-in #.

Love,
Althea ◦

Time for Know Thyself Seminar

Leah Salmon: Know Thyself Teleseminar

Althea's Note: My friend Leah is having a free teleseminar on April 12th called: Know Thyself - The 4 Things You Must Know Before Starting Any Diet Or Health Program. I interviewed Leah back in July 2010. You can read it here: Leah's Interview. She is a knowledgable, awesome sister. I am sharing her teleseminar with you all because I believe in the abundance of the Universe.

Everyone in the raw food/wellness community are colleagues, not competitors. So support this sister as she knows what she is talking about. I'll be back soon with big news of my own!

Hi Natural Health Lovers,

GREAT NEWS!!!!

If any of the statements below sound like you, I have something very special (and *FREE*) event planned for you on Tues 12th April.

TIME:
Time: 12am UK, 4pm Pacific, 5pm Mountain, 6pm Central, 7pm Eastern )



DURATION: 45 minutes approx.

Do you find it difficult to maintain a diet, fast or detox for more than few days without feeling like you're struggling?

Do you only get minimal results from diets you've tried?

Are you scared that it will be too hard, restrictive or expensive to go on a healthy diet?

Have you lost all motivation to do anything about the situation you're in, even though you know you NEED to do something before your health declines any further?

Are you ready to take the guesswork out of dieting and healthy eating, so you can finally enjoy any way of eating you choose?


If you answered "Yes!!!" to any of the above, you need to go to http://www.davidel.com/4mustknows.html and register for my FREE Teleseminar happening on Tues 12th April called:

Know Thyself - The 4 Things You Must Know Before Starting Any Diet Or Health Program

Whether you are already excited to venture into a new healthy eating program or are feeling worried about trying to restart an old diet plan that never really worked for you, when you join me on this call I'll share with you EXACTLY how to make sure that you never have to try and fail at a diet again AND I'll share with you my super-easy system of getting everything you need to make the next diet or healthy program you have get off to a flying start.

Join me on this very special teleclass on Tuesday 12th April 2011 and you'll discover:

-The 4 Things you MUST know before starting ANY diet or health program


-Why it's so important to know these vital pieces of information


-What can happen if you don't know these things before starting

-How you can easily discover everything you need to know to make any diet a HUGE success in just 30 days

Details of a special gift I have for you (it's FREE!) plus details of the simply irresistible offers to take you beyond what you currently thought was even possible with your life and health.

So go to http://www.davidel.com/4mustknows.html NOW and register for this FREE Call

Take care, stay healthy and speak to you soon.


Leah Salmon
The Naturally You Coach
http://www.thenaturallyyoucoach.com/ ◦

Leah Salmon: Know Thyself Teleseminar

Two of my Healthy Vegans Got Married!

My favorite superhero raw vegans are married! (Sorry Ladies!) Marcus Patrick and Alisa Angelic are now Mr. and Mrs. Osborne! Whoo Hoo! You all can watch their wedding video on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcKYGy9pGt4

Congratulations! They even got a rainbow as a wedding present!



In case you missed their stories, they were my Healthy Vegans #13 and #14 respectively.

To read Marcus's story click here: Marcus testimony

To read Alisa's testimony, click here: Alisa testimony

Love,

Althea

◦

Two of my Healthy Vegans Got Married!

Update

Raymond got a second EEG and an MRI at Johns Hopkins. No word back yet, but I've already decided the route I'm going to take to heal my children. It's been an up and down roller coaster of emotions for me.
Today I saw this in my in-box from Angela Stokes-Monarch of the Raw Reform blog:

If you are going through a particularly rough patch emotionally and feeling surrounded by difficulties, try to gently bring yourself into the current moment and realise that right now, in this instant - which is really all you have - you are OK. Practice gratitude for whatever it is that you experience in each moment, the challenges as well as the joys.

Yesterday your partner may have left you and tomorrow you may be facing eviction from your property, but right now, in this very moment, you can be at peace if you choose it. By dwelling on issues of the past or worrying about the future, you are simply giving away your power in the present moment. Breathe deeply, do not try to cope with more than one moment at a time, if necessary and reach out to others and Spirit for help (rather than food). You are not alone and you do not have to turn to food, to get through difficult times.


- Angela Stokes-Monarch

And I won the "Stylish Blogger Award" from Terilynn of The Daily Raw Cafe. I have the ten bloggers I want to pass the award along to. I just have to get my post written.

See you all soon!
love,
Althea

Mocha Angel message: Give thanks for what you have right now. Now. While reading this. If you are feeling down, stop and verbalize all the good in your life. You can’t help but feel better. ◦

Update