I just recently released a book entitled, “My Blackness” over the weekend. This podcast episode gives you a little bit of background on the book, along with a reading of four different poems coming directly from the book. Just in case you missed the last episode, here is the link: What will they say about you and me?
My Blackness Podcast Outline:
The Why and How of Writing “My Blackness”
Reading of Four Poems
If you are interested in purchasing “My Blackness”, here is a link to the book on Amazon. The kindle version is available for free until midnight, August 6, 2020. Purchasing this book means that I will receive a commission.
I hope you guys have had a wonderful, restful weekend. I went for a couple errands yesterday, and then one today. Other than that, I have been taking it easy for most of the weekend. I finally finished editing a poetry book that I have been working on for the last month and a half. I read a little bit out of a good twelve books, both fiction and non-fiction, and had a book club meeting for one of the books (Little Fires Everywhere) via Zoom. And guess what? I even got some cleaning done.
Photo by Katina Horton
Two weeks ago, I decided to make a quick breakfast wrap. It was simple, but filling, and it definitely hit the spot. The one thing that I was glad about is the fact that grating the potatoes were easier than expected. And so was the cleanup job. I hope that you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
6 organic golden yellow potatoes
1 cup of cheese
5 tablespoons of parsley, onion powder, italian seasoning, ginger, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder
1 package of whole wheat tortilla wraps
1/2 cup of avocado oil
Directions:
Place a grater inside a big bowl or plate.
Grate the potatoes.
Add the avocado oil to the skillet.
Add the potatoes and seasonings to the skillet.
Cook, stirring the hash browns several times until they’re nice and brown.
Heat up your tortilla wrap, adding the hash browns and cheese to the inside, along with any other toppings, and enjoy!
Episode 64: What will they say about you and me? Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Seri...
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PHOTO BY MATTHEW HENRY
What will they say about you and me?
We often become overly consumed about what people say about us. However, when it comes to our legacy, what people say about us will definitely say a lot about the way in which we lived. Take a listen to today’s podcast to find out more.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
Have a blessed week all!
In case you missed the last podcast episode, click here to catch up.
Happy Sunday all! Today, I am featuring a guest blog post from a fellow blogger. His name is Gabriel Patel. He enjoys writing about health and wellness, and co-founded Health Well Wise with a group of friends who share the desire to help people live happy, healthy lives. Have a blessed rest of your Sunday.
If you gained weight during the coronavirus quarantine, you’re not alone. It’s normal — and completely okay — to put on a few pounds when you’re experiencing periods of stress and a serious change to your regular routine. However, self-isolation may have left you feeling less than your best. Whether you’re looking to lose weight or simply regain the energy you had pre-lockdown, check out the following tips to reclaim your wellness and get back on track!
Clean Up Your Diet
For many of us, the lockdown meant living off of freezer meals, instant noodles, and other forms of quick, easy, and accessible processed foods. But it’s time to get some nutrients back in our diets! Fortunately, there are all kinds of healthy meals you can make with basic ingredients you already have in your pantry, such as spinach tortellini soup, legume quesadillas, skillet rice, and stew. The beauty of these recipes is that you can mix in whatever vegetables or proteins you have in your kitchen. Casseroles are also great for this! Get creative and have fun coming up with nutritious meals based on the ingredients you have on hand.
If you could use some help creating a clean diet plan, consider working with a professional dietician. You can use job boards to find qualified pros, such as freelance dieticians, who can answer all of your nutrition-related questions, help you build a healthy meal plan, and coach you through any barriers you may be facing. Some other freelancers who can support you on your wellness journey include online personal trainers, yoga instructors, and therapists.
Take Steps to Avoid Injury
When you get back into exercise, do it slowly; pushing yourself too hard after an extended period of inactivity could lead to injuries. This is especially true if you’re going back to the gym. Remember, you may not be able to work out at your previous level, so go easy on yourself by reducing your reps and weight. The most important thing to remember is to listen to your body.
If you’re hesitant about returning to the gym, try at-home workouts, running, or hiking — or just go for a walk! If you were unfortunate enough to contract the coronavirus, CNET recommends talking to your healthcare provider about when it would be safe to start exercising again. Try to stick to short bursts of gentle exercise in the days and weeks following your recovery.
Get More Sleep
When it comes to fitness and overall well being, sleep is underrated. Getting enough sleep plays an important role in muscle recovery, stress reduction, and weight management — all of which will help you meet your post-lockdown fitness goals. If you’re not getting at least seven hours of good-quality sleep every night, take some steps to improve your bedroom environment and help your body wind down in the evening. Make your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet; develop a relaxing bedtime routine; avoid caffeine in the afternoon; and limit alcohol late in the evening.
Conquer Stress
Stress is one of the largest barriers to a healthy lifestyle. Stress can disrupt your sleep patterns, affect your eating habits, and reduce your motivation to exercise. Of course, we’re all experiencing heightened stress with everything that’s going on in the world right now. Even if you can’t control what’s happening all around you, you can bring a greater sense of control to your own life by taking active steps to reduce stress. Make time for your hobbies, socialize with friends and family members who make you happy, get in the habit of positive self-talk, and try to exercise daily — even if you’d rather do anything else.
While it was easy to let healthy habits fall by the wayside during the corona virus lock-down, now is the time to regain control over your fitness. Exercising, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and combating stress will do a lot to improve how you feel — and you may even lose a few pounds! Start working towards your goals today!
On tomorrow, I will be celebrating the heavenly birthday of my grandmother, Beatrice, affectionately known to her family as Mudear. There isn’t one day that goes by that I don’t think of her “figures of speech, quotes, words of wisdom, or just a matter of fact response to any kind of drama that is going on. I got my first lesson on community from living in her tiny apartment in the projects. Her place was filled with smells of fried chicken, grease popping and cabinets that displayed it, hair pressing, and the love that she had for her family.
Photo by Shopify
I wrote the following poem ” My Blackness”, this past week, after dropping my car off for an oil change, and then waiting for my son to pick me up. I read the poem to my son, and he was surprised that I was able to write it so fast. His response, “Hmmm, I’m surprised that you didn’t need to have the perfect writing conditions present”. My response: “Yes, I know. Totally a God thing.” Me standing there on the sidewalk typing a poem into the Notes app on my phone? I then explained to him that I had read a blog post by a black blogger on the Black Lives Matter topic, particulary Juneteenth, and was immediately inspired to write poetry that helped to express my feelings about everything. Feelings about why we judge, what we judge, and what we think when we just don’t understand.
Well, here goes. Mudear, this is dedicated to you:
Episode 63: Do What I Tell You Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Seri...
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How many of us often think, “If only they would just do what I tell them!” How many of us become angry and frustrated when others try to control us, but we never do anything about it? Listen to some helpful tips on today’s podcast episode, “Do What I Tell You”.
Episode 63 Podcast Outline
What is control?
What is intentional control?
What is unintentional control?
How did King Nebuchadnezzar deal with his pride and control issues?
What are the two things lying at the root of control?
Photo by Sarah Pflug at Shopify
Thoughts for the week: What will we do differently to make sure that we are not trying to control others? What are we going to do differently to make sure that we are not the victim of the spirit of control?
With everything going on, it becomes very important to keep a routine, practice wellness/self-care, and continue to let our creativity juices flow. I have been continuing to make my weekly concoctions. For the last month now, Culver’s has been a Friday treat for me. It eliminates me having to cook, and I can immediately begin to enjoy my weekend.
On yesterday, I was talking to my mom, and I decided to look out the window. There were chipmunks chirping, and a bluejay flying mid-air. Before I got a chance to tell my mother about the blue-jay, I noticed a nice-sized animal in the yard. It appeared to get along with the squirrel that was standing there. I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me. I ended up sending my mother and son a picture. Then, I sent one to my neighbor next. After tossing ideas back and forth, and googling their responses, I was able to come to the conclusion that what was in my front yard was a ground hog. Of all things! I told my neighbor, “There’s never a dull moment as far as what we will see on this property”. She agreed.
Photo by Katina Horton
Well, here’s the recipe. I hope that you will enjoy it. Have a blessed rest of your Father’s Day!
Eggplant, Lentil, & Rice Casserole
Ingredients:
2 eggplants cut into small chunks
1 cup of black lentils
2 cans of Hunts’s garlic and herb pasta sauce
5 tablespoons of cumin, onion powder, curry, turmeric, garlic powder, parsley, chili powder
2 cups of Mexican cheese
1 cup of rice
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/3 cup of quinoa
1/2 cup of avocado oil
Directions:
Boil your lentils in about 5 to 6 cups of water for about 50 minutes.
While the lentils are boiling, boil your rice and quinoa for about 20 minutes.
Stir-fry the diced tomatoes and eggplant.
Dump all of the above into a wok and stir-fry for about twenty minutes, making sure to add the oil and seasonings.
Grab a casserole pan and dump all of the above ingredients into the pan along with the cheese.
Stir with a wooden spoon.
Pour the cans of pasta sauce on top, garnishing with parsley.
Last week I decided that I wanted to have a big breakfast at some point during the Memorial Day weekend since I had a three-day holiday from work. I made Belgian waffles, grits with cheese, eggs with cheese, oatmeal, and breakfast sausage. I was grateful to God that everything turned out good. I had been wanting to use the Belgian waffle snap-in plates for two months. Unfortunately, I allowed fear to get in the way of me jumping in and giving it a try. I used Amber Honey for the waffle topping, and it was soooo good.
Photo by Katina Horton
Normally, when there’s a holiday involved, I usually start cooking early. However, this past Monday, Memorial Day, I didn’t start cooking my dish until around 4:15 p.m. or so. I wanted to have an easy Monday and not have to rush to do anything. My son and I were eating by 5:30 p.m., which was nice. The spaghetti casserole that I decided to make was a literal concoction that I came up with on the Friday before the holiday. I hope you are enjoying some beautiful weather this weekend. Bless you all!
Photo by Katina Horton
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
2 bunches of swiss chard
1 (8 oz.) pack of sliced mushrooms
1 can of diced tomatoes (no salt)
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
1 box of whole wheat spaghetti
1 pack of Mexican shredded cheese
2 cans of Hunt’s pasta sauce (1 four cheese can & 1 garlic and herb can)
Parmesan cheese
2 cups of avocado oil
5 tablespoons of each: garlic powder, curry, onion powder, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, parsley, ginger.
Directions
Boil about four cups of water in avocado oil, then add the spaghetti.
While the pasta is preparing, Saute the mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and peppers in the avocado oil. Add all the seasonings to the mixture.
Once the above is ready, drain the spaghetti and dump it into a big bowl.
Dump the vegetables on top and mix it as best you can. You don’t have to worry about it being perfect. It’s kind of like a “messy casserole mix”.
Grab a 9 x 13 Casserole dish and cover the bottom with cheese.
Dump the contents of the bowl into the casserole pan.
Pour the two cans of pasta sauce on top.
Place in the oven on 425 degrees for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top before eating. Man, that was so good mixed with the Mexican cheese.
Episode 62: It’s Not That Bad! Healing Our Brokenness Podcast Seri...
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Have you ever been in a conversation with someone, sharing your pain, pouring out your heart and soul, only told to be told, “It’s not that bad!” Tune in to today’s podcast episode to find out if it is “that bad”.
Podcast Outline
Photo by Shopify Partners
What is Comparative Suffering?
What is empathy?
Why Comparing Pain is Bad?
How can we do better when talking about our pain?
Background Scripture: John 21
Question for the week: What will you do the next time that you are tempted to rank your pain with someone else’s?
One of my favorite things to do as of lately is to whip up something quick and tasty. This past weekend, I ended up making some super, simple vegan tacos for Mother’s Day. I also made two different cakes, oatmeal raisin pecan cookies, two loaves of carrot bread, and two loaves of banana chocolate chip bread. Thankfully, it wasn’t all on the same day.
I baked the cookies on Friday night. The bread was baked on Saturday night. Lastly, I made the two cakes on Sunday morning. I didn’t anticipate spending four hours in the kitchen on a Sunday morning. However, with baking two cakes, I’m not quite sure how much time I thought they would take either. Trust me, I am laughing with you. The first cake was one where I got the recipe from Delicious Miss Brown’s Show. This cake was a Caramel Apple Cake. On her show, she used a bundt cake pan. However, when I went to Walmart to buy the pan, they were all out. I ended up purchasing two 9″ round cake pans and making a two-layer caramel apple cake.
The second cake is one that I literally adlibbed on, and used a recipe off of Pinterest to make the cream cheese, substituting the powdered or confectioner’s sugar for organic cane sugar and a little bit of brown sugar. I also used vegan butter instead of regular butter. I ended up filling this one with fresh strawberries. This one was for my son. He said that the taste reminded him of cheesecake. I have included pictures of both cakes below.
Photo by Katina Horton
My mother was very excited for her Mother’s Day gifts. It made my heart happy to see her after two months, as well as to treat her with the sweets and food that I knew were right up her alley.
Photo by Katina Horton
After finishing both cakes on Sunday morning, I made the Simple Vegan Tacos and then made a breakfast wrap for myself and my son. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it. Now, on to the Simple Vegan Taco Recipe. Maybe it’s something that you might even think about trying to make for yourself tonight. Enjoy! Blessings to you all!
Simple Vegan Tacos
Photo by Katina Horton
Total Prepping and Cooking Time
25 minutes
Ingredients
2 packs of Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican Vegan Crumble
Unsalted Diced Tomatoes – 2 cans
1 pack of La Preferida taco seasoning
4 tablespoons of the following: onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, turmeric, curry
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 bag of Pepperjack Daiya cheese
1 18-pack of taco shells
Optional: add salad mixture into the tacos
Directions
Place the oil in a skillet or pan.
Add the vegan crumble and diced tomatoes to the skillet.
When the mixture is almost done, dump in the seasonings and cheese.
Heat up the tacos on a cookie sheet in the oven.
Add the mixture to inside of the hard-shelled tacos.
Optional: add a salad mixture to shells as well.
Treat yourself to a cold glass of lemonade. (That’s what my mom and I did! 🙂 )
