Dream Live Thrive the Dherbs Battlefield; How I made It Ova’

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

6 servings
Vegan
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup barley
1/2 cup raw walnuts
6 ribs romaine lettuce, chopped
1 bag organic blue corn chips

Flavor Punch!

1 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

Salsa

1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
¼ red onion
1 tomato
Dash of coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Rinse barley in a fine mesh strainer; soak barley in 2 cups water overnight; drain; add to a medium pot with 1 1/2 cups water or veggie broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. (**See below for cook times without pre-soak.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooked barley for recipe and save the rest for another use.

2. Place walnuts in a food processor or magic bullet; mix flavor punch! ingredients in a small bowl and add to walnuts; pulse until well combined; stir in cooked barley.

2. Mix salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Lay a few chips on each plate; top with 1 rib chopped romaine, crumble 2 Tbsp walnut barley mixture and 2 Tbsp salsa.

**Rinse barley; add to 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 45 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Lasagne

Serves 9 large portions. Can be made in a 33 x 27cm -(or similar size) lasagne dish, or made as individual portions on the plate.

Nut Cheese

2c macadamias
1c pine nuts
2 T lemon juice
2 T nutritional yeast
2 yellow peppers
2T fresh parsley
1T fresh thyme
2t salt ½c water as needed

Process all ingredients together adding as little of the water as possible until a fluffy consistency is achieved.
Walnut Meat Layer

1 ½c walnuts soaked 1 hour or more
1c sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for 1 hour or more
2T dark/brown miso
2t dried oregano
2t dried sage
5T nama shoyu
½t cayenne pepper
2T olive oil
1T agave nectar
1t sea salt

Grind all ingredients in a food processor, leaving the mixture slightly chunky.
Tomato sauce

1 ½c sun dried tomatoes
2 soft dates
2 cloves garlic
2c tomato, seeded and chopped
1 ½T dried oregano
2t salt (depending on how salty your s/d toms are)
1/3c olive oil
2T lemon juice

Process in a food processor until smooth.
Green pesto

2 c tightly packed basil leaves
¾c pine nuts or walnuts
½c olive oil
1t salt
1 clove garlic
1T lemon juice

Process all ingredients, leaving plenty of chunkiness!
Spinach Layer

6c torn spinach
5T dried oregano
3T olive oil
2t sea salt

Place all ingredients in a bowl to marinade and wilt for 1 hour or longer, putting the covered bowl in a dehydrator will help this process but it’s not essential.
For the assembly

5 medium courgettes (zucchini), cut lengthwise and marinated in 2T of salt and 3T olive oil for 10 minutes.
Pinch black pepper

Assembly method:

Line the base of your dish with a layer of the courgette strips that slightly overlap.
On top of this put down a layer of the walnut meat, then the cheese, then tomato sauce and finally the pesto on top. Finish this with another layer of slightly overlapping courgette strips.
Repeat step 2 but before adding the final layer of courgette, take your wilted spinach and create an additional layer with that.
Placing the whole dish in the fridge for several hours will firm it all up slightly which will make it easier to cut into portions.
Garnish individual portions with black pepper and a sprig of basil.

For the broccoli
5 cups (500 g/1.2 lb) small broccoli florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
Mix all ingredients together a in large bowl and massage with your hands until the broccoli becomes softer. Then leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Transfer the broccoli to a nonstick dehydrator tray and dehydrate for 4 hours at 105 degrees F. You may find it useful (but not essential) to turn the tray around halfway through. as the broccoli closest to the fan will dry quicker.

For the sauce
1/4 cup tahini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon yacon syrup or agave
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 teaspoons tamari
1/2 of a garlic clove
1/2 of a small de-seeded chili
1/2 cm cube of fresh ginger
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
Mix with dehydrated broccoli when ready to serve.
Serve with the parsnip “rice”.

For the parsnip “rice”
1.5 cups (275 g/10oz) peeled parsnips
1.5 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon light miso
1 tablespoon cold-pressed sesame oil
3 spring onions, finely chopped
Grind all ingredients, except the spring onions, in a food processor until fluffy and rice-like.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chopped spring onions.

An absolutely delicious and hearty kale salad by Lauren Felts of The Holy Kale with ingredients inspired by the Mediterranean. Raw kale is chopped and combined with parsley, kalamata olives, cucumber, capers, artichoke hearts (optional- not raw), sundried tomatoes, pecans, and fresh lemon. The dressing is a creamy and delectable blend of raw tahini (try Dastony’s – it’s the best!), balsamic vinegar, sea salt and honey. Nourishing on every level. If you love the flavors of the Mediterranean and love your greens you will adore this salad.

Ingredients

4 c Kale, chopped

.5 c Parsley, chopped

12 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped

1 c Cucumber, peeled and sliced

4 tbs Capers

1 c Marinated Artichoke Hearts, chopped

2 tbs Sundried Tomatoes, packed in olive oil

1/4 c Pecans, raw and chopped

1/2 Lemon, juiced

Dressing

1/4 c Tahini (raw is ideal)

2 tbs Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Sea Salt, unrefined

1 tbs Honey, raw

Instructions

1) Place the kale into a large mixing bowl and add in lemon juice.

2) Massage juice into the kale for about 3 minutes, until the kale has softened and broken down.

3) Then add other salad ingredients to the kale and mix.

4) Mix dressing ingredients into the kale salad. Then massage until the dressing is coating the entire salad.

Serve!

Dream Live Thrive the Dherbs Battlefield: In Love With a Stripper

Had a great weekend, spent most of Saturday resting around the house.  I hit the gym 5 days in a row so my body was grateful for the rest.

But lets talk about those Patriots!!! Yup, my Team!  I literally ran out the front door into the street yelling Patriots Patriots Paaaaaatriooooooots! I was ridiculous lol and I loved every minute of it.  What I didn’t like however was not know enough recipes to make my super bowl party Super, so I went to my moms house instead of going to any parties where there’d be a ton of crap that I once had a love affair with.  I’m still craving dat gum chili dog lol.  But but worry, I’ll be prepared for the next big event.  I’ve run into an amazing Raw chef Cynthia Jackson you can find her @RawJackson_ who does amazing things with zucchini lol.  Just wanted you guys to check out a few of her pics.  I’ve been very dedicated to the gym, but in truth I’ve been struggling with keeping the Raw part of the deal.   It wasn’t my intention to fall in love with a stripper but I think I’m falling head over heels for Raw Jackson’s stripped down Marinara sauce.  Geesh!  She makes Raw food look and taste amazing.

All of these dishes are mouth watering incredible.  My new weeks goal will be to learn how to make a few of her famous dishes and clear 10 minutes straight on the Stair Master.

ON another note;

I had a good time with my vocal students at the Lula Washington Dance Theatre too.  The babies are working on a medley for their Spring concert, its unfolding nicely.  One of my favorite things to do is to randomly choose a student each session to stand a sing a solo of their choice, just a verse and a chorus is all I ask for, nothing long.  The purple in the exercise is to break shyness and prepare them for what its like to audition.  This particular day I had no choice but to choose the shyest girl in the class as all the other present student s had already done it.  I’m so glad it happened this way.  

She’s a beautiful 9 year old girlie girl.  Beautiful little chocolate smile with a big personality, until its time to sing.  Though it did take prodding she made it, and when she did, boy did she deliver.  We’d thrown out a few song choices out to her but all were vetoed she finally went over to her mom who sits in on the class and whispered something, her mom smiled she came back over to her seat.  Pulling her folder to her chest as a security blanket her lips curled and eyes got bigger and she went for it!  The baby started singing and I dat gum near started crying, not only had she found the missing piece to the medley we were putting together but she also sang words, the exact words I needed to hear.

Its funny how that happened, aye?  She finished almost out of breath and then smiled, we clapped and smiled back at her.  With my eyes watered I said, “That’s It” you found the missing piece.  I looked at her mom and said “Wow tarts exactly what I needed”  After class her mother told me “I didn’t know she was going to sing that.  She told me a different song, I didn’t see that coming.  That was the Holy Spirit at work” to that I agreed.  It’s amazing the eventful ways our Love Source chooses to love on us.  I didn’t take it lightly the big message that came from the heart of this little girl.  I felt loved and I could tell she felt free.  Shyness was no longer holding her hostage. Oh and of course I’m not gonna tell you the song here… you have to come to their concert in April, 🙂

The Skin I live In: A Forest Fool of Food; 100 Pounds and Down

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Entering the Forest

Lush, misty and lavish gardens strummed with vines of the most decadent of fruits.  Oh, the sweetest in sight that I’ve ever seen!  The dim warm tropical trees bore only the best nature has to offer.  Lets see! There was the nacho tree, the vines of fried chicken, oh and the giant soul food oaks.  The streams of my favorite soda pop and grass made of spaghetti, with sauce.  Clouds of soft doughy potato bread and at the center of this amazing forest was a tree like none other- with leaves of chocolate brownies and a trunk of ice cream that when you dipped your brownie in the flavor became whatever you like.  I loved my chocolate brownie covered with pecan praline ice cream!  Yesssss, it was Death Heaven!!!!

Laaawd I’m so glad I woke up from that dream.  Lol.   I felt like sugar diabetes was inching my soul away as I dipped and dived all up and through that place.  Swinging like a monkey on red-vines from tree to tree.  Let me tell you something.  Getting passed the 1^st stage of your weight loss journey is definitely a milestone, but what happens after that is complete temptation.

Since when do I have such vivid dreams that won’t let me escape?  I never have dreams about winning the lottery, but here I am in Willy Wonka’s Soul-food Extravaganza.  What the hell! Lol.   Oh the battle of the mind.  It’s such a tumultuous road as it is, but now my minds begun playing some serious tricks on me.   Good thing I recognize an attack when I see one.  You’ve heard me talk about preparation- making your meals the night before, cutting up that wonderful fruit and freezing it so its smoothie ready, keeping an arsenal of nuts and seeds for snacking and keeping a few ready-made packaged items.  But now lets talk about how to make it good.

What I got from my dream is this “I Miss Flavor!  That does not mean I don’t appreciate the wonderful tastiness of every vegetable I’ve been eating, and I damn sure love the fruit.  But there is nothing like a fat taco with cheese and guacamole.  So, I went and learned how to make “Raw Tacos.  It’s simple, we don’t have to sacrifice flavor because we’ve cut the fatty meat, high calorie cheese and corn tortilla.   And it’s easier than you think.  All you need is a blender, a bag of raw almonds; yes I said almonds, a bag of cashews and all of the regular trimmings that garnish.  

What you’ll need: Makes Twelve Tacos… and no you don’t need to eat all twelve. Damn! Share… lol.

Blender or food processor

Spatula or wooden spoon

Knife

2 bowls

The Meat:

1 cup of Organic Almonds

3 tablespoons of water

2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Half a clove of garlic

Pink or Sea Salt to taset

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 whole leaf Oregano

1 teaspoon Paprika

Pepper to taste

And a little Red Pepper flake for heat

In your blender:

Pour your almonds in the blender; press the chop or crunch setting until the almonds have been refined a bit. Not powdery.  Nobody wants a soupy taco! Lol.  Add the olive oil while on blend then add two tablespoons of water.  You’ll only add the third tablespoon in the mixture is too thick, which more than likely it will be, ha!Once the mixture is the desired texture, add your spices one at a time.  Feel free to add scallions if you like also.  You don’t want the spices to knock you down however.Blend it all up then use the spatula to scrape into a bowl.

The Cheese:

1 cup of raw Organic Cashews

2 tablespoons of water

1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Half of one lemon

1 clove of garlic

Pink or Sea Salt to taste

After cleaning that blender!  Drop your cashews in and begin that wind and grind again, add you oil and then a bit of water… You want this mixture to be creamy.  After the desired texture is on point, add your lemon juice and that mmmm garlic and keep that blend going until it’s thick and creamy. Salt to taste and you’re ready to go.  Spatula that mixture right into a bowl.

Taco time:

Quarter of an Avocado

Pico de Gallo (store bought fresh is fine)

Hearts of romaine (Your taco shell)

Grab a plate and lay three romaine hearts out, cleaned and dried.

Spoon and spread some of your creamy cashew cheese on the lettuce first, then add your meat (almond mixture). Be sure to chunk it on like you would beef or turkey tacos, not too much but enough to see its there.  Top with a few avocado slice and then garnish with that Pico de Gallo and if you want, squeeze just a bit of that lemon juice atop.  Mmmmm, bon appetite!

This is one of the many simple recipes’ I use to curve those cravings I’ve had along the way.  I also have a decadent dessert I’ll be posting soon; it’s as simple as a hand full of cashews’ and some sliced berries.  And it is delicious!

Photos: Me and Chef/Life Coach Tanjareen

The Skin I lIve In: 100 Pounds and Down Day VIII

Monday morning, up and at uhm! 🙂 It’s a beautiful Cali day, feeling good in my hood.  It’s funny the things you learn about yourself when your daily rituals change. And I mean you learn fast too!  I’m not so nice when I’m really hungry. Lol.

For years I’ve been able to work the entire day without any grumbles or hunger pains, no fussing or fighting; but now when I’m hungry the boxing gloves come out.  At first I thought I was imagining things; “I couldn’t be This upset over who moved the spoon” kind of thing, but as it turns out, as a T2D (Type II Diabetic) one of the most frequented emotional tangents is anger when hungry or blood sugar is low.

Who would have thought that not having some applesauce could make a person go Postal?  Well, like I’ve been saying, it’s an everyday learning experience.  When I got rid of the dairy and meet, poultry etc and foods cooked at high temperatures I hadn’t realized how my mood would be connected to my eating habits and food choices.  Nevertheless, I’m getting a grip.  Really!  I’m adding more foods that would not otherwise make the weekly grocery list, snow peas and hicama, hummus and Greek olives, hell kale for that matter.  Every day I try something new at home or in a restaurant.  The point is my dedication is leading me in a new food direction.

Check this out, a breakfast or lunch smoothie recipe I came up with myself!  And guess what folks; it is delicious!

The “Thank God its Monday” Smoothie.  Makes three servings.

1 banana broken up

1 cup of fresh cantaloupe

1 cup of fresh spinach

The juice from 1 whole orange

The juice from ½ a lemon

2 full celery sticks, (tops are optional)

2 cups of ice

1 teaspoon of Agave nectar

In a blender add half of you ice and ½ of the OJ, pulse until mixed, add your bananas, cantaloupe and keep the blender going until smooth, add your spinach, blend on high, add the other half of your OJ and the lemon juice continue blending, add celery the other half of your ice and a bit of agave to taste.  Pour in a glass and enjoy a bit of heaven.

Part of eating better for me is eating Fun, cooking, preparing and trying new things is what keeps me alive and well in this process.  Figure out your flow so you can Go Get It!

In the last 24 hours I’ve had Cheesy Kelp Noodles (all raw) Sushi with no fish or rice, just veggies, mmm good and even…check this out… Raw Nachos, the best!

Look below for my flow.

See you in a bit.

Share this: Abraham McDonald Music The Life

Thank God for the inner voice that matters so much to personal strength. Today has been a test in and out.  From sun up to sun down I have had every temptation presented my way.  Like most people I’m accustomed to the foods and daily eating habits I learned as a child.  As I’m unlearning those inset habits I’m seeking out new ones it’s clear that I can’t take something away without putting something new in.

I have to laugh at myself because I realize how “profound” I appear to be at this moment.  But had you seen me at Trader Joes (market) earlier today you would have definitely told me to “get it together!  Lol.  There was nothing sweet nor profound about the inner thoughts I was having of strangling someone from hunger as the service worker attempted to lead me to what she thought was a good idea.  An aisle, with oh say, 200 bags of nuts in different varieties; all roasted and salted and stripped of every bit of nutrience needed to consider it “live food.  She smiled I snarled and managed to chisel out a bit of dry humor, I grabbed a bag from what they considered a variety of raw nuts (4) and some dried fruit and got the hell up out of there.

I was completely disgusted and discouraged!  Hungry as hell and with an attitude building to be the size of Mount Rushmore.  Terrible at its best! So, what did I learn today?  That this here journey will not be easy but I completely believe and Know that I will do it.  My new mission is not to find foods, treats and snacks that remind me of what I ate growing up, but instead find new ways to create a broader taste pallet.  Nope, much like you I am nowhere near habituated to eating raw everything, but I do know there are some cool ideas to explore as I uncover the new me.

As I’m appreciating the “becoming me” I’m also delving into the rich flavors that I took for granted not only weeks ago.  An avocado SAVED MY LIFE today! Lol.  Avocado with a lil sea salt, pepper and cayenne was a saving grace as well as the homemade trail mix I was able to make thanks to Traders limited but available nuts and dried fruits.  After that I had a mixed greens salad with a bit of fresh pressed extra virgin olive oil, lemon and vinegar…of course I mixed some fresh herbs into it and finally felt great.

Living good, right or healthy isn’t always easy, but it IS LIVING!  In my moment of discouragement I realized that this is only on 1 person, but that’s because it’s for the most important person I know…Me.  I took my temper tantrum like a man J forfeited my need to kick and scream, pulled out a Big Boy Pill and got my ass what I needed to stay the course.

Variety is the key to survival for me, well, variety, a good sense of humor and a personal desire that I didn’t even recognize I have.

It’s like my good friend Diane Warren wrote about for the Legendary Whitney Houston, “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength; once you find that mark, that private personal space of courage…Daily I might add…because it IS a daily walk… You’ll find yourself standing hill on top of HILL…Victorious!

The Skin I Live In; 100 Pounds and Down Day IV

Setting the tone for weight loss success has a lot to do with personal attitude.  I’ve been readjusting my attitude a lot lately.  I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of cool things, meet a lot of cool people and see a bunch of cool places.  But in all of that, the hustle, the pressure of living I’m seeing now that I have not always had my ears, eyes or heart open for that matter, I have not always been “Present” as my sis Niecy Nash would say…”baby, Stay Present!

Being that I’m on the tightrope of accountability and transparency now, I’m looking and noticing that I very well might have been so consumed with what I wasn’t, what I didn’t have or who I didn’t know that I became a mystery to myself.

I like to say that I’m an extroverted introvert.  I know how to be “on” but that does not make me “present”.  I know you know what I’m talking about; a room full of people but still alone, it’s your birthday but everyone else is celebrating it better than you.  I’ve even been the person who is SO happy and content that that was a lie too.  Just another face I put on, a way to disregard or elude my true feelings.  My true self.

Uncovering, shedding the layers fighting for new air in a suffocating world has made me take shorter breaths yes, but it’s also made me think about the spaces and places I want to breathe in.  Do I even want the “dream” I’ve reached for?  What if the best place, resource for air is right here in the now and the clearing of so much personal junk.  I believe that there is a time for everything under the sun… Maybe the time I’ve so dreamed about is contingent upon my renewing my mind and rebuilding my spiritual walls.

Needless to say, I’m “THERE”, “Here”, and “Present” I’m in a space and time of success that is completely dependent upon my being Honest with me.  I’m becoming ok with today being a less than perfect day, or the fact that changing my diet will at times mess with my energy and attitude.  I’m not saying that I can just go off on others because of what I’m choosing to live now, but I am definitely ok with not putting on a face so You can feel better about My mood or attitude.

The truth of the matter is that I’m human, and though that does not grant me a pass to The Thom Foolery Show, It does mean I have a right to every emotion and feeling God blessed me with.  I’ll cuss and scream; I’ll cry and moan, I’ll push and fight with everything in me.  Hell! I may even throw things. Lol.   I’m detoxing every part of me, and well hell, it doesn’t feel so good.

With that, I’m off to eat this damn grapefruit that I’m swearing will taste like a Mandarin Chinese Chicken Salad lol.

Wanted to let you know what this DHERBS Full Body Cleanse consists of.  Remember, the cleanse is dope by itself but you won’t get the weight loss results you desire without changing your diet and adding movement to your daily regimen. 

I take 30 herbal supplements a day in capsule form and a ½ teaspoon of charcoal before bed… Yes, I said charcoal.  You can visit their site for full details on each supplement.

(1) Blood and Lymphatic

(2) Cardiovascular

(3) Liver and Gallbladder

(4) Lungs and Respiratory

(5) Kidneys, Bladder and Adrenals

(6) Colon and Digestive Tract

(7) Carbon

Look I make no false promises, no false hope only the real deal, this is what I’m doing to change my life.  I love singing and performing, I love speaking and teaching and I want to be able to do these things for the rest of my life should the good Lord allow me to.  I just know that it’s gonna burn is all, lol.  I ain’t no punk though.  I know it can and WILL happen with me applying what I’m learnign and believeing that I can do it.

The Music Box Awards Pre-Gala 2011 From left to right, Assemblyman Isadore Hall, Chair & Key Adminstration Post John F Kennedy Center Mattie McFadden-Lawson, Founder Children Uniting Nations Daphna E. Ziman, MEEE 🙂 , Assitant Principal and Youth Advocate Dr. Joyce D. Rushing, and Director Amazing Grace Conservatory GIGI Bolden.  A wonderful night.

The Skin I live In; 100 Pounds and DOWN Day III

Becoming the Change YOU want to see.

One of the fastest things I’m learning as I take on the DHERBS Full Body Cleanse is well, hell; it really does cleanse you, mind, body and even connecting with your Master Love Source.  Day three is feeling good, but like most working people, Wednesday is hump day and it was definitely that for me!  I started the day a lil different today, as my spirit was low.  I had to find that one thing that could ignite my daily staying power.  Why was my spirit low you ask, cause today I wanted a damn sandwich! Lol.

In my 35 years of living and 20 years of weight challenge I have neva, eva dreamed about food.  I mean dang y’all.  I literally woke up reaching for a slice of pizza! That Did Not Exist!  Needless to say I was a bit humored and also shocked.  It’s funny when we begin to redevelop ourselves and recalibrate our thinking a number of psychological things begin to emerge.

One of my challenges has been uncovering my cowardice. Now, I’m not talking about fist fighting or running away from something I know I have to face.  I’m talking about the things we never say or needed to say; afraid even that we’ll lose our grip on what we feel is our best reality.

I’m learning that weight gain when not medical is largely due to things, people, failures, hurts, misguided trust, anxiety and well a lack of confidence. Things like being picked last on the team at 7 years of age, if picked at all, or a secret crush that’s never realized because you’re looking at everything you’re not instead of recognizing you’re the perfect love creation from your Master Love Source.

Being a coward for me has seemingly been my way of escape.  In my past I would run from the things that hurt me and accept the lies being forced into my mouth.  A soda pop or honey bun could always make it better as a kid.  I became much more decadent as I’ve aged; bring on the Bosa Nova 4 layer chocolate mouse cake. Ha! Yesssss.  Oh I mean, no, no… Lol.

Before I learned that I could sing, I learned how to cook!  A gift from my mother, definitely but the kitchen turned into a safe haven of sorts and I was definitely the KING! 🙂 No one questioned me there and no one looked down on me.

As a matter of fact, one of my sisters and I would be sent into the kitchen to “figure it out” when food was low.  We could figure a gourmet plan in minutes out of anything pretty much.  Made me feel powerful, present and wanted.  For me, the kitchen was the wrong place to affirm my existence and importance, plus I was still no G. Garvin, Emeril Lagasse or Paula Dean for that matter.

Don’t hear me wrong, food is Not a bad thing, and I am a fan of incredible culinary artistry, but you’ve heard it said,

“too much of anything couldn’t be a good thing”

Weight loss is not just a physical thing; it’s a mental clearing as well.  You ever hear the saying “can’t see the forest for the trees?  Well let me simplify… Your Belly Is In The Way!  All of that junk inside is stuck forcing you to be stuck with it.  Getting passed my cowardice is not about a fistfight it’s about a life fight a will to be the complete glory my Master Love Source has born me to become.

It’s a one step at a time process, melting away each layer you’ve added on to feel safe, worthy, strong and significant.  You can’t accept the vision for your body or your life without accepting the path, the journey and all of its stunning hills of splendor and its low and dry valleys.  There will be colorful, picturesque peeks, strong blistering winds, leveling life plateaus and gangly luscious trees for shade to rest as well.  The point is…I’ve Put On My Boxing Gloves because I’m in the fight of my life!

As I’m tackling my personal demons and whooping their asses, I’m finding the new me, or should I say, I’m accepting the me that was always there…

Check me out at the boxing gym…I really thought I was doing something!  When I almost passed out, I realiazed I actually was Doing Something… Becoming the Change I want to See!

The Skin I Live In: 100 Pounds and Down Day II

I saw a movie with Antonio Banderas recently, the premise was, well, crazy as hell. But it did leave a lingering notion to ponder. If I could be anyone else, who would I be? If I could change any body parts, which would I choose? The more I thought about the “modern” world with all of its cutting and changing of sorts, bleeding to be someone you weren’t born to be… I decided! Yes, there are changes that need to be made, some shape shifting that needs to happen but more than any of those thoughts was the wondrous truth that I would Never want to be anyone more than I want to be me. So why not make me Better!
Though I wouldn’t want to be anyone else, live in any other persons skin, and I damn sure don’t want to change any body parts…is there a way to be a better, brighter, more in tune me without succumbing to the lazy idea of cutting it off, over lapping and layering it, pinching and pulling on it?

Yes! There is! Wake up Fat Fat! Day II

The Wake Up Call for me was stepping on an electronic scale that read “ERROR”. I mean, what the hell!!!? You mean to tell me they don’t even make home scales that could tally my weight? It was disheartening, embarrassing and I even felt a bit of humiliation to say the least. And the truth is, there was no one there pointing fingers at me, laughing or making me feel like I was less than human. No one physically pointing I mean.

In one fell swoop I felt everything I’d felt back in my 11th grade math class. I came in, I sat down and the floor picked me up! Lol. Now, the reality is, the chair was a misfit. But it was still terrible. The teacher laughed 1st and there went my confidence as the classroom went into an uproar. The scale represented for me years of feeling alone and unwanted, reasonably unattractive simply because I weighed more than others. An untruth.

I was so clouded by the weight I’d put on that I began to limit my idea of self and who I am called to be. Leaving the weight behind is easy, (kinda) ☺ but the memories and reasoning in why I chose to eat the things I did, well, that’s the part that has to be fixed. I say has as in the present, because I still struggle, I still revert back to some of those thoughts that make me feel like salvation is Not in the church but in Church’s Chicken. But NOW the difference is, I call Victory before the battle. I understand that how I think about myself determines how far I’ll go, how much I’ll win, what I will accomplish. The goal is set and the mark Will be met. But that takes arming yourself properly. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.

My weapons of choice:
• DHERBS Full Body Cleanse
• A Gym Membership (Not a damn visitors pass) a pass can be revoked, membership is a decided action
• A RAW Food diet (Laaaaaawd knows this one is a work in progress)
• And Margo my fearless trainer (She’s last only because I have to be self motivated. Weight loss is a journey; no one is obligated to do this with you.)

Day 1 was hard, my mood was a flux, and I could all of a sudden smell every sweet and savory ingredient known to man and for some reason everybody seemed to be speaking to me extra loud and in code. Don’t know What that was all about. Lol.

I did manage to find some good raw food and I had two brilliant workouts. Yes ladies and gentlemen I said two, 2, dos, more than one. Believe it or not the workouts made me feel incredible.  Look! The process is a process. Lets not weave false doctrine or smoke and lights…It’s going to take hard work to make the PV (Physical Vision) come to life. Lord knows I hope I’m as positive tomorrow as I sound today lol. Each day is different.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about me walking in the house to the smell of homemade hamburgers and then getting asked to make a store run for cupcakes, soda and cheetos.  Lord knows, it took everything in me not to slap DEEE hell out of everyone in my path. Lol.

  Everything you see here is raw, homemade and delicious.  From the homeade Kale Shake to the Raw Tacos with Sun Chorizo (nuts and seeds) to the Hearty homemade salad.

Keep an eye out for my work out posts, I’m 6’8 and doin it!

This is my “What the hell! look as I waited to directions in the airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.  I spent two amazing weeks there performing and seeing the amazing city’s of Jerusalem, Nazareth, and a few others.  Amazing to say the least.

The Skin I Live In; 100 Pounds and DOWN!

 

August 20th, 2012

 

Morning world!  Today marks the 1st day of a new journey for me.  I’ve accomplished many things, and have had many opportunities but nothing and no one has challenged me like the road I’m beginning to journey.  Weight loss is one of the most talked about and feared subjects/realities in America today.  We glorify the challenge of losing weight, but not many meet the mark of the challenge.  Today however I embark upon the “newness of me.  Not that I am unhappy with Abraham and how Abraham looks…I always say, “Feeling fat and being fat are two different things”. But what I have not been able to say is, “Being fat and feeling healthy, energetic, spontaneous and agile go hand in hand.  For me, it’s not so much about how I look.  Though chocolate looks better when tall and chiseled…its about my will to live, to have and see my children in the park as I throw the ball or chase the family dog one day.  

 

Several years ago when I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, I didn’t really know what it meant for me, I didn’t know the constraints it would begin to have on my life.  Well, the truth is…its MY LIFE.  How dare some foreign, outside “thing” come in to dictate MY LIFE.  Again, I had to realize that it was me, and the decisions I’d decided not to make.  Things like choosing better foods, adding exercise to my daily regimen for life. Things like having another scoop had apparently become such a big deal that Diabetes decided to come in so that I’d exercise some kind of life discipline.  

 

Well, I’m no longer counting on the “policing” diabetes has shadowed me. I’ve decided to stand up, put on a cape, a badge of honor and most importantly my ever sustaining right to live healthy and free.  I’ve decided to cleanse my body and lose the weight necessary to assist in weaning me off of the diabetic pills that “balance” me now.  I’ve decided to be my own superhero and become the change I want to see.

 

This is a blog about the ups and downs of finding myself; in health, in life, in love and FREE.

 

 

 

Day 1 DHerbs Full Body Cleanse

 

 

 

I learned about this cleanse just a short while ago.  After getting a tutorial on how the body works in short, I learned that everyday toxins and poisons affect more than I knew.  I could change what I was putting into my body, but I also had to rid it of some things in the process of restoring my body to proper health.  DHerbs combined with daily exercise and a raw foods diet for 20 days will give my body the flush it needs so that I get a fair chance in restoring this chocolate to its once glorious state! J

 

 

 

Since I’ve NEVER done this before, I’ve decided to do a daily account on how I’m feeling, if it’s working, do I want to throw chairs and hit the wall because I want or need a turkey burger!? Lol.  I mean, I’m hopeful, but we’ll see together how this one goes.

 

 

 

Break-fast:

 

Starting the day with a new shake I learned about over the weekend.  Kale Shake: Kale Bananas, Coconut, Agave and Pistachios. Mmm Good.  Lets hope I don’t charge the 1^st person I smell a slice of bacon on.

 

 

 

Here we go baby!!! 100 Pounds and DOWN!

 

 

 

See you in a bit AB

 

 

 

 

Me and Stacey Dash Directors Guild of America, Hollywood, CA: NAACP Theatre Awards

I was tapped to honor Legendary stage and screen actress Diane Carol with a performance of Music of the Night form Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera 2011.  Stacey was a beautiful and welcomed party to my sound-check.  This photo was taken before the patrons were escorted into the building.  I was elated to serenade Ms. Dash with a private performance.