Hold Your Head Up Sis! (and a Quinoa Channa Burger/Patty Recipe)

Blessed Love

Today's and yesterday's reasonings on the group in Facebook have really been deep. And I know some Sistren shy away from saying more than they do, or going too in depth - but I encourage it because we are there to strengthen one another. The reasoning has to be intense in some way or else what's the point lol. Right?
 I know Sistren all over share the same fears, insecurities and struggles as wife, mother, daughter, employee - everything! We all at some point actually go through the same changes in tide, whether it's insecurity about a relationship, parenting, how you live, your job, the list goes on. you can never be altogether perfect for everyone or everything all the time, and sometimes you may want to just break and give up. You might want to escape from something that is at the end of the day, your responsibility.

So it is important to always have faith and to always go deep within yourself and truly find that Irit of JAH within. Relying on the wisdom of other Black Wombman who have put the teaching out there is a blessing waiting to be grabbed. It is important to truly take care of yourself and know yourself as a wombman. Everything in our life is connected to the other: the way we think, feel, how we eat, what we do and don't do, how we feel about others, interact with others - each one of these things is connected to the other. So there must not only be an evaluation and motivation of self to get these things in sync, but a positive outlook on one's life and being. We have to feel accountable to/for ourselves to make and receive the best for ourselves! Without that to hold on to things will fall apart, life wont be manageable, relationships wont sustain. Let's face it - nothing is perfect but we can try to be and do better every day. Feeling defeated one day doesn't mean that you are. The right frame of mind will pull you through everything.

The lesson I take from today is to look within and Iditate on my own vibes - what I am putting out there, what am I receiving as a result. What can I do better. I feel motivated to work harder on things that I let slip. How am I accountable for my own imbalance of happiness/unhappiness?

The journey is never ending and winding, but it is ours to embrace and make the best of in any given situation. I pray that all Sistren in whatever situation they are in will take accountability, criticism and enlightenment and work harder to get to the strong Wombman they see themselves being.


That being said... how about a recipe!

I just made these on a whim

Quinoa Channa Burgers/Patties

1 small or a half of a sweet potato - like 1/2 cup mashed

1 cup chick peas or channa

1/2 cup quinoa

4 chives

2 garlic cloves

1 pimento pepper

1/2 an onion

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp curry powder

dash ginger powder

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp coconut milk powder

2 tsp  arrowroot powder

1 sprig fine leaf thyme

salt and 1/2 lime optional

corn flour

water

Method

1. Boil or bake sweet potato and cook the quinoa - I added the curry, cumin and turmeric to the quinoa as well. You can add it there and put in the mix if you want to.

2. Blend the fresh seasoning with the channa or chick peas, use some water and the oil to make it moist. you can also use a good masher - it doesn't have to be as smooth as I made mine. add lime here also if you use. I also added the coconut powder, arrowroot powder, cumin, saffron and so on at this time to flavour.

3. Mash potato and add to channa and mix those together. let the quinoa cool by spreading it out on a plate and setting by a window. It worked fast for me!

4. Add quinoa to the potato channa mix with 4 1/2 tbsp of corn flour.

5. Mold into small patties or big burgers. This could make about 4 medium burgers. Dust with corn flour on both sides. 

6. Set on foil that is greased and bake on bottom rack for 15 minutes on each side or until golden brown. 150 degree celsius or medium heat . 

7. I really loved these patties - mine were flat so they were more patty like, but next time I am making burgers that are thicker.

I ate them with a  salad

And then as a burger sandwich - I LOVE how they taste with raw food! I would recommend pairing it with a salad or like the sandwich but made with a special homemade bread not store bought! 

  

Channa is often used as "mock fish" because it DOES have a seafoody taste, this is the first time I ever really tasted it like that for myself. There was really a seafood flavour in the patty! So definitely try this patty - overall I think I have a lot more ingredients than might be necessary, but it was a trial and error that worked well!

More Love and Positive Word Sound and Power for the Sabbath Iditation

I am really going to have a blessed sabbath, learning from Dr Jewel Pookram 

Omega Ites!

Sis Ila

Twelve Basic Steps to Ital Livity

Selamta, peace be upon the I!

I do hope that all RasTa or Afro Queens and Dawtas are blessed and in Irie Irits :)
As I said before, I would try to post as much on Ital Livity as I can, to help those who want to eat and live better, or who wish to lose weight. Today's tips are basic steps towards becoming Ital in the everyday routine...

As RasTafari say, "Ital is Vital!"
Hopping aboard the Ital train takes a lot of costs, preparation and build up - you have to get informed about the journey, make all the necessary equipment or utensil or food purchases, and you've got to stick to your schedule, do what is planned, and full-joy it.
As it pertains to "becoming" more Ital conscious, it's not as simple as one might think
- Ital is not just about not eating animal products -
 Ital Livity is about learning:
the nutritional and toxic value of foods, beverages and medicines;
the correct proportions of foods, herbs and beverages to eat and drink;
how best to prepare each food and herb to derive the most nutritional value;
how to use plants and elements to live, heal and cure rather than as an emotional appetite;
how to substitute toxic foods, beverages and medicines for healthier, natural options; and also
how to cultivate the most organic foods for self-sustenance.

In other words, Ital is an entire lifestyle, awareness and movement which takes a lot of commitment, zeal, budgeting and patience.

Because there is so much to consider, one can easily feel overwhelmed, and stumble over many blocks along the path. Hopefully these and other points to follow can make light of an entire lifestyle:

 1. Purchase some literature on food and nutrition and holistic living. Try authors such as Suzar, Queen Afua and Dr. Llaila Africa.

2. Increase your intake of herbs (cooking and tea herbs), nuts, seeds, peas, beans, ground provision, vegetables and fruits each day.

 3. Eat vegetables raw as much as possible, or steam them for no more than 5-8 minutes. Always try to prepare them in a way that preserves the nutrients.

4. Drink herbal tea, garlic, ginger, beetroot, lemon, water as much as possible. Juice everyday, or drink natural juices and coconut water more than store bought juices which are pasteurised, or lack in nutrients.

5. Buy less or no sweets, snacks, shelf-foods which contain animal products, preservatives and sugars that damage the nervous and immune systems. It is better to make your own snacks and meals than to buy "ready-made" or one-step cooking products.

6. Seek natural herbal cures for problems like high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, stomach upset, depression, anxiety, pain, cramps, ADD/ADHD, autism and so on; instead of depending on pharmaceuticals which are damaging to the body.

7. Refrain from vaccinations, steroids, toiletries, dyes, relaxers. dairy, flesh, birth control pills, alcohol and drugs which all damage the internal organs, systems and cause diseases later in life and are fatal.

8. Use natural cleaning products for beauty and for cleaning the home. Baking Soda, lime, orange oil and vinegar are great natural cleaning agents for the home. Citronella is a great bug repellent. Baking soda can also be used as a face scrub and toothpaste.

9. Commune with nature often, find joy in the beauty of nature and in relaxation away from society.

10. Exercise the body and do good works for the Irit daily.

11. Treat the earth, air and waters with raspect, do not contribute to pollution and speak out against bad habits whenever possible.

12. Start some kind of home garden, even if you don't have land you can use pots. IN this day and age with GMO and chemicals, it is better to know where your food comes from if you want to remain healthy and immune to common dis-eases. Plastic bottles can be recycled to make pots as well. Be creative and find places and ways to grow your own food. Check out Mbele Tv for more information on how to DIY.


Well that's all I could think of for now, as I'm sure there are more points to Ital Livity than these.
As promised, I will make posts over time that will contain information pertaining to these basic points too - especially sugars, chemicals, vaccinations and Ital beauty. Hopefully my Sistren will write a few posts too!

Though it's not definitive and filled with details, this list can still help to give a clearer picture of Ital and help ones evaluate their current level of Ital Livity. I personally need to work on cleaning the home with natural products rather than these disinfectants which are so strong and toxic! Everyday I'm working to eat more raw and less sugar - I am working up the nerve to cut out sugar and shelf-foods altogther, which can only really be done right when you have a good home garden going, or a nice organic grocer.

Regardless of the little difficulties that prevent us from eating and living as Ital as we'd like, Don't give up the trod! Ital is the key to the God-Self and Sacred Wombmanhood.

Selah! RasTafari
Ila

Crazy for Cous Cous!

Greetings all Royal Dawtas of RasTafari Selah!

Eating Ital is not just about being vegetarian, it's about knowing the nutritional value of foods themselves, and what can and cannot be eaten in excess. Though grains like rice and pasta are versatile and downright tasty, they are starchy and give the body excess sugars and carbohydrates - such add weight, spike blood sugar and blood pressure levels, increasing the overall toxicity to the body combined with other unhealthy snacks and meats. Grains also have gluten, which is an allergen to some people.

 (I'll post about the best type of eating habits for Wombman and good substitutes for unhealthy foods - which also promote weightloss - soon!)

If you haven't discovered the best alternative for bread, pasta and rice,  it is time to try cous cous. Cous cous is a pasta too, being rolled yellow granules of semolina and wheat. It is the staple food of North Afrika and the Maghrib diet in Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Algeria. Kus Kus as it is originally written, as Afrikan language has no "C", is a good source of niacin, thiamine, and selenium which is hard to find in foods. Selenium protects the arteries and heart from disease and blockages. It also provides protein for muscles and energy, and potassium for heartbeat and blood pressure.Because it is a "light food" it also helps to reduce weight - and keep that weight off! It's still made from wheat, so it still unfortunately has a high glycemic index like rice - which means it can spike insulin if eaten too much by a diabetic -  but kus kus is still definitely a better option than pasta and rice.


Kus Kus  goes perfectly with veges and salads and peas! It really looks like rice but takes only 8 minutes to prepare! The kind I and I get over here in the West is pre-cooked, so we just have to boil water and let the Kus Kus draw it all in for 5 minutes. Really really easy, and you can make exactly how much you need at the time.
 The proportions are generally 1 cup of Kus Kus to 1 1/2 cups water. 1 cup serves about 3-4 Idren depending on how much every I wants to "nyam." (I "nyam" a lot lol)

My favourite dish is green pigeon peas, Kus Kus, mixed steamed vegetables (usually brocolli, eggplant, chinese cabbage) and plantain. I also usually add a raw salad of beet, tomato and lettuce/cabbage on the side. I also like to change it up with black-eye peas, lentils or channa. Here's one of my meals in the past when I first started to eat kus kus. I usually mix up all my peas with the kus kus first!

Kus Kus "Salad" Recipe:

1 cup kus kus

2 garlic cloves

half an onion, or 1 small onion

1 small piece of ginger

1 pimento pepper

small leaf thyme any other fresh herb or spice

corn niblets

spices: tumeric/saffron, geera/cumin, paprika, sea salt

2 tbs water

1 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock

 a small saucepan 

- Finely dice the herbs and fresh seasonings

- Heat the 2 tbsp. of water, medium heat, in a small to medium saucepan or a skillet with a cover, if you have one.

- Add the freshly diced seasonings and saute for 2 minutes. 

- Sprinkle in the spices - a dash of paprika and cumin and salt. Stir well for another minnute.

- Add the corn, vegetable stock or water and about 3/4 tsp of saffron, and bring to a boil - I add a lot of saffron personally, probably a whole tsp. This is how my saffron water looks, it then turns red. Make sure to dissolve the saffron well.

- When it boils, turn off the heat and stir in the cup of kus kus quickly.

- Cover and remove from heat. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Usually it should look like this (but yours will have corn and seasonings):

 

- Fluff with a fork, serve it up!

This is how it traditionally is served in Afrika, they don't do much seasoning of the cous cous, generally the stew has all the flavour. The pasta is buried under  a stew of vegetables and maybe a piece of meat here and there:

Try something new, you can still have a filling hot meal, with less fat!

Blessed love!
Sis Ila