Meatless Meals, Week 2 Taking Charge!

 Meatless Meals, Week 2 

Hello my good people. How are you doing this week and are you hanging in there. Last year at this time, I was doing a meatless challenge but really had a hard time. A few months after that, I went back to meat based meals. However, I learned that it is best for me to plan my meals and keep things fresh, and interesting. Week 2 brings back my favorities: pancakes, vegan salads and vegan sausages. While I love plant based (store bought) brands like Beyond Meat, Gardein and even the Aldi vegan patties, I know that if I do that occassionally and make my own vegan or vegetarian patties that is healthier. I am focused on preparing meals as I go mid week and trying to work on batch meals on the weekend. This week so far, I am listening to my body more. When I eat more foods with protein I am not as hungry. It is also important to drink water and keep liquids in your body. Another great thing is to teach your body food schedules. For me that means no eating after 8pm. Light desserts such as puddings, apple sauce, vegan mug cakes and or fresh fruit is best. I also take Goli Apple Cider Tablets. They seem to keep me fuller longer. Although you can take up to 5 gummies a day, I generally only do 2 a day. One in the morning and one in the evening. 

Smart snacking: I do popcorn, rice cakes, or dried nuts in the middle of the day. Detox Teas with lemon or lime slices. 

I hope these tips help you as you go along your journey. Stay healthy!

(c) 2021 by Mocha Sistah 

All Rights Reserved 

Meatless Challenge, Week 1

 Week 1 Reflections 

Here we are! Week 1 is in the books. I really wasn't sure how I was going to do but preparations are half of the battle. So my friends, I tell you need to go ahead and prep what you need or want to eat on the weekends. For me, I prepared brown rice and lentils. I used lentils in a grain bowl with veggies and I also used it to make lentil burgers from scratch. I used the brown rice with cabbage and veggies and also used it in a fried vegetable rice recipe. My snacks were dried nuts, some vegan chocolate, microwave popcorn (natural version which is lite version). Fresh fruit when I was hungry and lots of water. My numbers for fiber, protein and carbs were ok. I met the requirements for fiber, protein and fat each day. My protein numbers were high considering I was not eating any animal meat or products. I also took note that it's better to have your own veggie burgers than using vegan products from the store but in a pinch I ate some Morningstar and Gardein products. However, I did not use these all the time. 

Best meals: Lentil Burgers with homemade friends. Veggie Fried Rice and Grain Bowls, Protein Waffles with fresh fruit. 

What I can improve on: eating portion controlled snacks. 

Weight lost for the week: 2 lbs 

My goal: To increase more whole foods in my diet. 

This week so far, I am noticing that I am not hungry from snacks in the morning or afternoon. Long as I keep protein foods in each meal. Balancing my carbs is a fight. I try to not go over moderate level of carbs. I am going back to using Jackfruit, Banana Blossoms, Chickpeas and using Chickpea flour with veggies for eggless scrambles. I will keep you updated on my progress. 

We can do it! If you are doing meatless this month, what is your favorite meatless meal? 

Until next week, 

Mocha Sistah 

(c) 2021 by Mocha Sistah

All Rights Reserved 

Meatless Challenge March 1st

 

It is time to revamp my quarterly meatless meal challenges. Last  year at this time, I definitely had better blood pressure and it is really wonderful to eat as clean as possible. Going to let go of my  yummy snacks and swap back out my 100 calorie plant based snacks: less processed is better such as fresh fruit, portion controlled nuts or low calorie smoothies. I also will be using my juicer to make some fresh juices. Meals do not have to be terrible. If you are going the route of not doing meat. Do less of vegan processed products (Gardein, Beyond Meat), and opt to make your own vegan soups or meals. Good suggested websites are Veg Web or Sweet Potato Soul.  Tons of vegan vloggers on YouTube are amazing. I suggest Cheap Lazy Vegan or Ghetto Vegans. It depends on what day you are eating and how you are eating. For the meatless challenge, I will be doing 2 meatless meals a day or more. Breakfast will be smoothies each morning or vegan pancakes on the weekends. Lunch a meatless meal and dinner a meatless soup or sauteed stir fry. Remember you do not have to eat boring. Going meatless can be very creative if you go back to my other food blog, you may see some good recipes. In the meantime, remember it's a great way to go and you don't have to do it alone. Get a friend to join you or join a veggie or vegan group on social media. If you are joining me, let me know I can be a support. Thanks in advance for your participation and of course, letting go of something old so you can get yourself ready for something new and exciting! Be well. 

(c) 2021 by Mocha  Sistah 

Box Of Faith, Love & Healing

One of my first experiences working in New York City (circa 2009) was collaborating with potential foster parents in New York. My job at that time was to go out and meet with them, screen their backgrounds, and visit their homes to see if they would be a great home placement for the vulnerable youth in the foster care system. I was extremely aware of the importance of identifying parents who would be safe and have healthy home environments for the youth to live in. Many of the first foster parent experiences I had at my agency was observing the sadness in the eyes of youth who were dropped off to our offices like garbage. Their clothing was in plastic bags and it wasn't good to see that every single day. It hurt me to the core to know that many of the parents dropping them off may have been struggling and living on fixed incomes. However, quite a few of them were foster parents who signed on to be advocates for these youth but for whatever reason it did not work out and the children were replaced back into the foster care system. Nationally there are over 440,000 children in the foster care system. what I hated most was getting the same question from potential parents, some of them were asking for cute, cuddly and perfect children (ages 0-8) are the lowest number of available children in the system. The higher number and most at need at teens and children with disabilities or special needs. This weekend I started to look for movies on christianity on Prime Video. I ran across a beautiful movie called "Box Of Faith" in which the central character loses her innocent father to incarceration (he was set up and he was found innocent). Unfortunately, in this instance since her mother was deceased, she would have to live in the foster care system. Like some children in this situation, this young lady had to either stay at the home and go into the foster care system or she had to go elsewhere. During my time as a Foster Care Professional, it was sad to see less families as potential homes for these children and like this central character, I knew quite a few youth in our program who ended up on the streets fending for themselves. Somehow during these experiences they find themselves crafting out places to live as homeless teens in areas such as car trains, buses, under highway bridges, and in storage facilities. You would be surprised at the amount of youth living in these conditions. As I watched this movie I found myself fighting for the central character as she got creative and resilience in her life situation. I believe though they are sometime rejected by others (social workers, case managers, their own family, and or siblings), they find a deep sense of love and independence as they fight to through to find their own voice and find safe spaces to live and breath. This movie also reminded me that healing will only come after work, collaboration, and acceptance either of themselves or through finding a way to handle the emotional trauma of their life circumstances. I pray that these youth one day find a person that will support, love and be a bridge until they can get to the other side. Where love, healing, and stability resides. 

(c) 2021 by Mocha Sistah 

All Rights Reserved 

 

Poetic Thought

 

  

Healing Comes (2021 by Mocha Sistah) 

Elevate your soul 

Only you can determine when to let go 

Free your painful bones 

Only you can free your soul 

Fix what's wrong with your life 

Healing comes when your turn that corner 

Healing comes when you improve the brokenness 

Healing comes when you can figure out where things went wrong 

Accountability goes back to you

Are you the problem that refuses to change Queen or King? 

When you are pointing one finger, 3 are pointed back to you

look at your own funky things 

Elevate  your soul

Only you can determine what needs to go 

Free your brokenness 

Alleviate your pain by accessing reoccurring dreams 

and persistent nightmares 

Healing comes when you are real 

Healing comes when you seal the deal by recalculating your next steps 

Healing comes when you can look in the mirror and be authentic 

Stop avoiding your own truth 

Stop staying in Lie's Lane 

Rejuvinate your soul 

Revive positive steps in your life 

If you continue with the strife 

You only can make it right 

Do you need 365 more days of pain, shame and guilt? 

Do you want to free your soul? 

Then only you determine the path to your enlightment 

and only you can write a new chapter of love, peace, and realignment 

(c) 2021 by Mocha Sistah

All Rights Reserved 

 

I started this year off thinking about time and purpose. Mainly dealing with this pandemic and the urgency of knowing that time is not guaranteed. As a woman who walks in her purpose, I know I need to stay focused on my life, my goals and ambitions. I know my energy is not for everyone and I am okay with that. At the end of last year after having lost many of my good friends and colleagues to Covid-19, I felt very certain that if God gave me breath to breathe one more moment that I needed to refocus on my purpose and creativity. With that said, I started this year refocused on podcasting, writing projects, and continuing my health journey. Last year, I lost 40 lbs which I have held on to. For these things I am extremely grateful. I understand that my life shift or focus is not for everyone and that's okay. One thing that I do know for certain is that chasing people or things are not good for my energy at all. I am very happy to continue my life purpose through collaborations, partnerships, and intentional actions. When you are pouring positivity into the world you can see a lot more and things will naturally come your way. As many of you know I have two podcasts, Mocha's Jamz, a poetry podcast and Speak Truth 2 Life. I am also doing more creative projects this year due to taking a small break from my post graduate program. This year I had no goals outside of just finding my way back to my artistic soul. I am extremely  happy that things are slowly coming back in my realm of creativity. This week someone asked when I was releasing my next collection of poetry and I realized it had been 11 years. The past couple of years I have been writing academic papers, graduate work, and focused on my career. The past decade in the East Coast has been great for my career but took away from my writing. Therefore, this is the main reason I am focused on staying as close to my creative soul and pursuits. Thank you for your continued support as I realign these very important parts of my life. I will talk with you all soon. Check back for some new work to be posted from my new collection which will be released in the Summer of 2021. 

Stay healthy and be true to your own self 

Mocha Sistah 

September Poetry

Untitled

Reset the button of life

No matter what there will be strife

New month, new season to begin

Unraveling experiences from within

Take the time to enjoy what you see

the sun, the moon, the love that

pulsates all around you.

Pretty brown leaves

cascading on the ground

in multiple colors.

Rest the button of life

Start yet again on what you feel is important.

Be it work, school or another life goal.

Find what you need to do, get it done

and push on through to an expanded role.

You may stumble you may fall

it doesn't matter just that you keep on pushing

until you complete your outcome.

The changing of the new season is ready to meet you.

Find a new groove and enjoy each moment as it comes.

(c) 2017 by Mocha Sistah