Beginning the Vegan Lifestyle

(Wild rice, mock scallops made from King oyster mushrooms)

I began the journey to a vegan lifestyle over 3 years ago. In August of 2017 I stopped eating bacon, the only pork I was still eating at the time. I had given up beef and pork a couple of years prior. In 2015 I began the journey to myself. During the discovery of myself , I researched meats and what eating flesh and foods made from flesh did to the body. I also studied foods of indigenous people and African tribes. My native ancestors and our African ancestors mostly lived off of plants, herbs, berries, and seeds. There are medicine men and women in both cultures that used herbs and plants as medicine as well as food. So many people of color and some of my family members suffer form diabetes and high blood pressure, and I wanted to change the narrative for myself and future generations who spring up out of me.

Veganism isn't just about being healthy, but for me becoming vegan was more spiritual than physical. I stopped eating flesh for my health, but also because of who I was becoming. In order to vibrate at a higher frequency I had to stop eating certain foods. I had to start eating living foods that give life, not dead animals. Some people's reason for becoming vegan is to save the animals, but my reasoning goes much deeper than that. As a spiritualist certain aspects of life are not conducive to me harnessing my gifts and spiritual powers. Eating the right foods opens up your pineal gland (third eye) which allows you to see things clearly and truthfully. Eating flesh and foods made from animals calcifies the pineal gland and clouds your perspective.

Before you begin the journey to veganism it's important to explore your Why. Why do you want to become vegan? I told you my reasons, but each person's Why is different. After you've determined why you want to become vegan, you then need to decide what type of vegan you want to be. Do you want to just be a vegetarian and still eat dairy products, or do you want to become a raw vegan and eat raw uncooked veggies, fruit, nuts,and seeds? For the new vegan it's best to start out simple and explore with new fruits and vegetables. Being vegan doesn't mean you just eat salad or vegetables all of the time. Veganism includes: vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, and seeds. For vegans, vegetables are cooked without meat and vegan or non-dairy items are used in the place of eggs and cheese. Some grains that are popular among vegans are: wild rice, black rice, brown rice, yellow rice, spelt, kamut, and quinoa. Popular seeds for vegans are: chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, and pumpkin seeds. Nuts to include in a vegan diet are: almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts, and hazelnuts. Beans and legumes such as lentils, garbanzo beans, and black beans are great for beginning vegans.

Farmer's Markets or an actual farm are great places to shop if you're vegan. Stores like Sprout's, Whole Foods, and Aldi are excellent for purchasing veggies, fruit, and processed vegan foods. As a new vegan you want to stay away from so much processed food. Brands like Boca, Gardein, Morning Star, and Beyond Meat are okay in moderation, but any type of processed food is not good for you over time. As a new vegan you're looking for ideas and a variety of foods to add to your palette. The vegan lifestyle gives you an opportunity to explore many new foods. Farmer's Markets like Nam Dae Mun offer produce and foods from around the world; you can try new foods you've never heard of before. If you find yourself missing the texture of meat, mushrooms (oyster, portabella, shittake), eggplant, and jackfruit are great substitutions for meat.

Make the transition to veganism your own! It may be easier to slowly ween yourself off of meat by cutting out beef and pork first, followed by chicken and fish. The use of processed vegan foods may be of good use in the beginning. There are many brands of processed vegan foods in the stores; some of my favorite brands are Gardein, Yummy, and Dr. Praeger's. Sprout's brand foods are a great value and taste great too. As a new vegan research lots of foods and decide what is best for you. Tauheedah Michelle and Purple Poet Publishing LLC are launching a vegan cookbook entitled, "Empressive Eats"  to offer help for vegans who are looking for great vegan dishes. I will offer up some of my favorite vegan recipes in this unorthodox cookbook. Be on the lookout for "Empressive Eats", meanwhile I wish you Peace & Blessings on your vegan journey.

(Vegan Lasagna with Spring Salad Mix)

 

What are you Thankful for?

On yesterday most of you celebrated a day that the U.S. calls, "Thanksgiving". We in the enlightened world call it, "ThanksTaking". How can you really be thankful for a day that celebrates foreigners invading people's land and taking it over? White so-called "settlers" arrived from Europe and as part of their nature they raped and murdered the natives of this country. I could do a whole history lesson on Thanksgiving, but I want to discuss something a little deeper. What are you thankful for, and why do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Last Sunday I had a get-together at my house that had nothing to do with a holiday or religion. It had all to do with love, at least on my end. I can't say the reasoning for my family attending, but my reason for having the get-together was to spend time with the people I love... my family. I don't need made up days or white society to tell me when to love and when to celebrate, or even WHAT to celebrate. I'm thankful and grateful for everyday because each day is an opportunity to spread knowledge and try to liberate my people. David Banner (my future husband) made a great point in his Twitter post yesterday; as black folks all it takes for us is a day off and some food and we'll bow down to whatever society says. He also added, "You say you're with God but you celebrate a demon's day. Are you thankful for what they did? What do we stand on or for?' Brother Malcolm X said, " A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."

In 1862 Virginia passed an act that combined Native Americans and Africans (African Americans) into one category as "Negroes and other slaves". Did you know that some black people are actually descendants of natives of this country? There were Native Americans, or Indians as we like to call them here in the south. They were killed or shipped to concentration camps. Lake Lanier is a huge Indian burial ground. Waters from the Chattahoochee swallowed the natives and buried them alive underneath the water. I guess that would make Lake Lanier a sacred burial ground that white people love to invade. Some people (black people especially) can't see past the facade of pagan days, religious days, man-made days. As long as we get a "day off and some food" we're good. We even celebrate days that are detriMENTAL and harmful to us.

What are you really thankful for? Do you need a special made-up day to celebrate love, family, life? I'm planning another get-together for next month to celebrate my grandmother's 89th bEARTHday and my grandson's 10th. Their birthdays are just days before Christmas, but who needs to celebrate a white man who is obviously not coming to save us? I'd rather celebrate the people in my life who are special to me, and those that I know love me. I'm thankful and grateful for life, love, family, my business, and knowledge. What I know can't be "unknown", but what I learned can be "unlearned". As a people if we're going to be strong and unite we have to let go of these European holidays and mindsets. Put your mind to work on your family, your health, and your business. Create your own special days for you and your family. What are you thankful for?