Happy Thursday! I just couldn’t help myself with that title! I must have listened to New Edition sing, “If It Isn’t Love” like one million times when I was a little girl. This edition of Recipes and Random-ish is hitting your mailbox just a few days after I watched the fellas hit the stage in Atlantic City.
The song title is so appropriate when it comes to food. And for sure when it comes to plant-based food. Making healthier food choices is all about love. Love for ourselves, for our families and for our community. And there was Candy Girl love in the air for all 6 members this past weekend.
So what did I eat in Atlantic City?
Everyone always wants to know what the plant-based girl is eating. Yes, I am a plant-based advocate who is out here in these streets trying to get more people to put more plants on their plate. More fruits, grains and vegetables. I am not vegan. As a reminder, vegans are people who don’t consume anything that ever had a face or a parent! Let that sink in….
If we haven’t met before, let me give you the short version. After a year of pain from head to toes, I visited a Rheumatologist. She ran a battery of tests and we discovered that my body was filled inflammation. Inflammation hurts. There are foods that can cause inflammation. For my body, sugar, dairy and meat were at the top of the list. I took some classes, met some vegans and vegetarians and eventually started remixing my plate.
I am eating less dairy than I was five years ago. I don’t consume meat but I will have the occasional seafood. I am really focused on adding new fruits, grains and vegetables to my plate. That is what I want you to focus on. I do not want you to detox the fun out of eating. Let’s enjoy every bite. I hope the recipes found at the Black Girls Eat website are helping you do just that.
So when I was in AC, I enjoyed pineapple gelato, vegan pizza, and some really good food at the Amada restaurant which is located in the Ocean hotel. I truly enjoyed my 24 hours of Mommy Night Out.
The Recipe: Flatbread Pizza with Tomato and Caramelized Onions
I had some fun making this flatbread pizza. You might have seen me in the latest Instagram Reel dropping the tomatoes. I used a vegan pepper jack cheese from Follow Your Heart. It gave my pizza the perfect spicy kick. Check out the recipe at the site and let me know how it goes!
The Random: New Edition Saved My Life
Ha! Okay that’s a little misleading but not really. My best friend, my cousin and I were such Candygirls. We were songwriters so we spent the majority of our time singing, writing, performing and dreaming about being on tour with New Edition. I remember how we cried when Bobby left the group. I also remember that we made very little time for “regular” boys because we had to be sure to be ready to go if we ever got the call.
We never missed a show. My mom would faithfully and incredibly show up with front row tickets for any show taking place in NYC, New Jersey or Connecticut. I was always right there for the spotlight when Ronnie said, “She’s bad I know she’s bad.” Whew!
What’s really cool is that eventually, we all got to spend time with the fellas. My cousin and I actually visited Boston and navigated the notorious Orchard Park Projects. Like any urban city, the pitfalls were many. As a Bronx girl, I knew exactly what their neighborhood was all about and it made me even happier to know that they escaped it.
We went to every show and somehow got access to every hotel just to catch a glimpse of them and their girlfriends in the lobby. They were rockstars for sure. And us? Yeah….we were Candygirls :-)
Thanks for hanging out with me. Spring is in the air. Let’s get some new fruits, grains and vegetables on our plate. You can do it! Follow me on IG and Tik Tok and don’t forget to shop with me for plant-based snacks, kitchen gadgets, meal planners and more on Amazon!