This Blood Purple Antioxidant Smoothie makes for a good and healthy Halloween drink!
I meant to post in on Halloween but since that didn't happen --- this makes a great immune-building, healthy smoothie especially for the fall when most people are getting ill. This smoothie is a good way to start the day.

It looks more purple in real life than in the photos

• 1 small beet
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup frozen strawberries  
• 1+ frozen bananas (I didn't have ripe bananas when I made this)

If the smoothie tastes too strong with the beet, you can even out the taste by adding bananas.


 



This smoothie is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K as well as Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium, Folate and Fiber as you can see below.
Here is the nutrient breakdown, not including bananas.

Ingredients

Avocado
- sliced or spread
Chickpeas
-warm up with seasonings like nutritional yeast, pepper, onion powder, etc.
Tomato
- sliced

Other Proteins
- Could add tempeh/seitan "bac'n" in place of or with chickpeas
Condiments (optional)
-Just mayo (vegan) or vegan cheese slices (like Chao which is the best for sandwiches)

Avocado

Chickpeas - Tomatoes

These are the ingredients that I use:

Sauce Base

• Nutritional yeast (good source of Vitamin B12 and other B-vitamins)
• Daiya (or other brand of) vegan cheese
• Almond-coconut milk
• 1/2 to 1/4 tsp Braggs Amino Acids (or salt)

Add-ins

• Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Peas, etc.

Pasta

• My favorite type of pasta for creamy dishes like this is rice pasta since it gets very mushy and starchy when cooked.

These cookies are great for a snack, after dinner sweets, morning energy boost (when you're low on fruit), etc. These cookies are sweet and loaded with nutrients. Last time I made these, I was able to take leftover cookies with me to class and they were the best snack for that needed morning or afternoon class energy (when I didn't have time to make smoothie to bring with).











I couldn't really find any vegan coconut butter cookie recipes so I halved and altered KP's "best vegan chocolate chip cookies" and made these with the addition of coconut butter.
Most vegan cookies use coconut oil, which is still good. However, I think using coconut butter is better as it comes with more nutients (a bit less fat) 2 Tbsp of coconut butter is 20 grams, while 1Tbsp of any oil is about 14-16 grams fat.

For this recipe I used

dry
1/2 cup flour + 1 to 2 Tbsp quick oats (or more flour)
1/8 tsp pink him sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 TBSP Flaxseed (can use more)
1/2 tsp sodium-free baking powder (I highly recommend Hain brand)

wet
1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp organic raw/turbinado/coconut sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp coconut butter (how to make coconut butter)
3 to 4 Tbsp almond/coconut milk

mix dry and wet

then add:
1/2 tsp Bragg raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla

I use 1.5 to 2 Tbsp vegan chocolate chips (photographed chocolate chips are from Trader Joes).

Makes 9 cookies (measured with tablespoon).

Patriarchy and misogyny is the one of the major issues within the Black community that is most popularized through popular rap music and this issue is thoroughly explained in Christelyn Karazin's recent post titled, "Why No Self-Respecting Black Woman Should Pay to See “Straight Outta Compton."




Karazin's video addresses many important and too often ignored issues and truths about the misogyny against women of color especially that which continually exists within and because of the black community (that allows for this to happen).

Hip hop and rap culture (which follows an extreme patriarchal basis) allow and continue the mistreatment and marginalization of women of color in the black community as well as LGBQT identities. The devaluation of women of color while elevating women of whiteness, the promotion of violence against women especially women of color, and the glamorization of all forms of criminality are the messages that are conveyed through too many popular rap songs. I'm not saying all rap/hip hop does this, but most of the popular rap songs out today do. This isn't to say that rap/hip hop are the only music types that do this as there is a lot of sexism in the country music industry and few rock songs. However, neither of those two are really as popular--reaching huge, youth audiences--as hit rap songs that do not help the black community. These are the issues that are too often ignored, continuing the marginalization and mistreatment towards women of color as well as Black individuals whose identity also intersects with the LGBQT identity/community.

I always thought that it was popular hip hop/rap music that perpetuates and contributes to the stereotypes, misogyny, and violence against women of color. I don't listen to hip hop/rap so I don't know many names nor the history until watching this video. However, I am aware there are very few hip hop/rap music artists who do not contribute to the degradation and marginalization of women of color and those artists either don't make music anymore (e.g. Queen Latifah) or aren't very popular (e.g. Common).


A recent post from Madam Noire titled, "Another Black Man Bashes Black Women." Women at Madam Noire talk about a recent instance exemplifying the disrespect towards black women by black men in the hip hop industry. The women talk about how these attacks of disrespect, sexism, stereotypes against black women happens way too often on account of black men. They also talk how these men fail to stand up for and defend black women, let alone rectify the false stereotypes they constructed while they are constantly defended and supported by black women. Just watch the video below or click here to see the discussion.

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In the Gender/Women's Studies courses I have taken, there was always a discussion on the oppression, violence, degradation, and overall misogyny inflicted upon women of color, and the sources from which it all occurs as well as the cycle that perpetuates it (which I have addressed earlier in this post). Topics discussed in class included an evaulation of the music and culture that manages to perpetuate the toxic cycle against women of color.  I based a section of my essay for my Feminist Theory course on the concept of intersectionality, which you can read below from page 2 to 5. The part of this essay that really relates to this topic is on pages 3 to 5, where I mention and discuss feminist scholar Kimberle Crenshaw, who coined the term intersectionality. It is within those pages that the importance of intersectionality is emphasized. This whole post relates to the concept of intersectionality, the intersection of ethnicity/"race" and gender. There is only one race as in the human race/species so...

The company known most for it's vegan butter products has expanded over the years to now offer other condiments, boxed meals, and snacks. Earth Balance's vegan-version of the popular cheese crackers has been out for a while, and I recently tried them. But of course, the box is now gone (eaten within a few days, oops).

I have been told that these squares are more like cheese-its than the actual cheese-its (and the person who said this is not vegan, who recently had the original snack). To me, they taste like the perfectly light and crisp combination of Ritz crackers and Cheddar cheese. That is the most accurate way for me to describe it.

Whenever I go to Kroger, I end up with more vegan junk food than I do at my Whole Foods...
Yet when I shop at Walmart, I get affordable organic fresh and frozen produce and very little vegan junk (even though Walmart now carries So Delicious Ice Cream). It's nice that healthier alternatives to junk are expanding. It may not be super healthy, but at least these alternatives are a lot better than the original junk that they emulate. They offer a start and an option to worse snack foods.

A lot of people ask and wonder why there are now so many vegan/healthier versions that try to emulate the taste and likeness of popular junk foods. The reason for that is because a lot of these vegan products have had to step it up due to criticism of not being similar enough to the actual non-vegan meat/dairy items. So for people trying out or transitioning to healthier eating or veganism, those products can be helpful as a temporary substitute to what they are or were used to.
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The deliciousness...




It's summertime which is the perfect time to cool off, stay hydrated, and keep the vitals lifted especially with climate change, heatwaves and trying to keep the electricity bill low. So, here's a smoothie that is perfect for the summer and wellness.



Ingredients used in this smoothie:

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup baby kale
• 1.5 cups frozen mango
• 1/2 cup organic frozen cherries
• 3/4 cup org. frozen berries
• 1-2 frozen bananas

On a television-related talk-show note, my favorite comedian Wanda Skyes was recently on the Ellen Show as she is promoting her stand-up tour, which I hope to see when she comes to Atlanta. Anyway, I came across this video of the two in what I could only wish would become a new show called "White & Black." Basically, if this were an actual show, I would definitely watch it.