Designing and Living Your Fullest Life with Execumama and Naturi Beauty

EDITOR'S NOTE:
CONGRATULATIONS, KRYSTAL GRANT—you're the winner of the ticket to Execumama's "With Mom in Mind" event. Akilah will reach out to you with details on how to retrieve your ticket.



I’d already written two stories, put the finishing touches on a book proposal, had a phone conference and several lively email exchanges with a handful of aspiring writers, sat through an intense book deal negotiation, pulled homework duty, served up dinner and took notes at a two-hour meeting with a board for whom I serve as the secretary, but that didn’t stop me from sitting down to my MacBook at midnight, convinced I could push out a deep post on the exploitation of black girls in advertising.

Um, yeah. I got out all of one sentence, and then my fingers, my eyes, my brain—all three gave up. I was dog tired and just didn’t have it in me to be deep. But I definitely had it in me to feel guilty about it. You know, the way we women—and especially us moms—do.

My sisterfriend Akilah of the fabulous EXECUMAMA, put a stop to the madness.

"You have 6 bazillion pots on the stove, and for damn sure, you have earned the right to stop trying to cook every single pot of stew perfectly right. Let it go, and leave the guilt at the bottom of a glass of wine where it belongs. No one will die or get hurt if you don't do that particular post tonight. Two days from now, will you even remember this concern? Probably not, because another pot will be bubbling over and you'll be Denene-Millnering it with finesse! Let. It. Go."

See? That’s why I love me some Akilah. My girl, author of Execumama: A Pocket Guide For the Twenty-something Mommy on the Move, is expert at helping moms like me find balance—to understand that it is possible to have it all, be happy, and let go. Akilah writes for the young mommy set, but this older mommy can most certainly still identify with her call for women to "define, design, and live your fullest version of womanhood."

Now, my girl is taking her concept off the pages and bringing it to life in her new women-focused workshop, With Mom in Mind™—an afternoon designed to help new and veteran moms and moms-to-be infuse healthier eating, less stress, and more focus to our everyday lives. It's not about piling on—this workshop is about learning how to let go and enjoy our lives in all their manifestations.

Akilah's built quite a team to help her help us moms; she's bringing with her the talented culinary artist (and MyBrownBaby "Taste" contributor!) Shelley Chapman of Naturi Beauty Concepts; Christine Martinello, educator, speaker and author of the bestselling book, The Momager Guide: Empowering Moms to Leave A Loving Legacy, and; certified Yoga instructor Tiffany Campbell, each of whom will share quick, easy, healthy recipes, time-management tips, and an interactive yoga session respectively with attendees.

Akilah promises great conversation, giveaways, and, most importantly, useful resources for moms looking to live their authentic life.

Want to join in on the fun? The inaugural event of With Mom in Mind™ will be held April 24, 2010 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Studioplex on historic Auburn Avenue, here in Atlanta, GA. TIckets are $40; for more information, click HERE.

For my Atlanta connects: Want a chance to win a ticket of your own to this spectacular event? Leave a comment telling me how you "let go" when mommy stress threatens to overrun you, and you could win a ticket to With Mom in Mind™. A winner will be randomly chosen; the prize value is $40, and does not include transportation to the event, though if you live outside of GA and have an ATL-area friend who could use an afternoon of mom power, you, too, can qualify to win. The contest ends at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 2010; the winner will be announced Monday, April 12, 2010.

Good luck—and congrats, Akilah, on what is sure to be a fabulous event!

On the MyBrownBaby Table: Grab Cakes

By SHELLEY CHAPMAN
of Naturi Beauty

Grab Cakes? Yes, you're right—sounds a lot like Crab Cakes. They're actually a lovely, perfectly seasoned, vegan version; tofu, crisp veggies and arame (a type of seaweed) team up and lend their incredible flavors to these Grab Cakes, guaranteeing that you and your loved ones will be grabbing for more. Keeping in mind the demands of family, career and our own self- imposed schedules, I made sure that these vegan sea treats were quick and easy to prepare and wouldn't leave you in a crabby mood because of prep and clean-up. Enjoy!

What You'll Need

* 1 block 16oz. firm tofu, drained
* ½ red bell pepper
* ½ green bell pepper
* ½ yellow onion
* ½ cup spelt flour
* ½ cup bread crumbs
* 1 TB dijon mustard
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
* ½ tsp parsley
* ½ tsp thyme
* ½ tsp adobo
* S &P to taste

How To Make It:

1. Prepare tofu by wrapping in cheesecloth or paper towels and draining excess liquids.
2. Prepare arame according to package directions and mince.
3. Process both bell peppers in food processor until finely chopped and the liquids begin to release.
4. Mince onion.
5. Break tofu into pieces in a mixing bowl.
6. Add pepper, onion, bread crumbs, flour, arame and spices to tofu.
7. Mix with hands until tofu is crumbly and all ingredients are well integrated.
8. Let sit for 15 minutes.
9. Shape into patties and brown in med/low heat on both sides—about five to six minutes per side—in a mix of vegan margarine and oil.

Serve with a side of your own tasty dipping sauce.


About our MyBrownBaby contributor:
Shelley Chapman is a culinary artisan whose passion for "natural, from scratch, quality ingredient meals" led her to consult on meal preparation, planning and holistic consumption as a personal chef for her company, Naturi Beauty Concepts. She offers private culinary services in the Atlanta area, specializing in Vegan and Vegetarian cuisine with a global influence. For more tasty vegetarian/vegan recipes, please visit Shelley's blog at Naturi Beauty.

On the MyBrownBaby Table: Chocolate Chip Cookies Santa Will Love

By SHELLEY CHAPMAN

It's holiday time, and everywhere you turn, sweet temptations are lurking—on kitchen countertops, in office break rooms, on coffee tables by the fireplace, where anxious little kids looking to curry last-minute favor with Santa pile cookies high. As much as your favorite pair of jeans may hate them or your aerobics instructor makes you regret them, the truth is, baked holiday goodies are simply irresistible. And these treats? They're downright addictive. Make these with no regrets: It's okay to indulge every once in a while, and certainly when the treats you're making are made from scratch, with love and lots of Vegan goodness.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cremes with Chocolate Ganache

What you'll need:

* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 10 TB vegan margarine
* 1/4 cup almond milk (note: you can substitute with soy or rice milk)
* 3.39 oz vegan vanilla pudding mix
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1.5 cup flour
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 3/4 cup chocolate chips ( though I just pour until my heart is content!)

To prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F; lightly grease two large light metal baking sheets.

2. Cream vegan margarine, pudding mix and sugar.

3. Mix in milk and vanilla.

4. Add 1 cup of the flour, plus the baking soda and salt. Mix until well incorporated.

5. Mix in the remainder of the flour.

6. Fold in the chocolate chips; the dough should be formed.

7. For best results, spoon the dough onto plastic wrap or wax paper and shape and roll into a log, then refrigerate for a minimum of 10 minutes so that you can cut it rather than spooning it; it's a much easier way to handle sticky cookie dough. (Note: The other great part about rolling is that you can cut off what you need and bake it and store the rest in the fridge. Not interested in rollin' and plastickin' and paper waxin' and refrigeratin'? No worries: You also can pinch off pieces of dough, roll them into balls and flatten them with your hands to shape your cookies.

8. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes - no more than 9 - until they are just a little browned around the edges.

9. Let cool completely before preparing the cookie sandwich with the Chocolate Ganache.


Chocolate Ganache

What you'll need:

* 3/4 cup soy, rice or almond milk (I use vanilla flavored almond milk)
* 1/4 cup vegan butter
* 12 oz. chocolate chips

To prepare:

1. Put milk and butter in a double boiler.

2. When the butter melts, add chocolate chips, and stir until chocolate melts and mix is creamy and smooth

3. Once creamy, remove from heat and allow to cool. Ganache will become slightly hardened. Spread over one cookie, then top the Chocolate Ganache with a second cookie.

INDULGE!

About our MyBrownBaby contributor:
Shelley Chapman is a culinary artisan whose passion for "natural, from scratch, quality ingredient meals" led her to consult on meal preparation, planning and holistic consumption as a personal chef for her company, Naturi Beauty Concepts. She offers private culinary services in the Atlanta area, specializing in Vegan and Vegetarian cuisine with a global influence. For more tasty vegetarian/vegan recipes, please visit Shelley at Naturi Beauty.

On the MyBrownBaby Table: Candied Yam Sticky Buns

By SHELLEY CHAPMAN

In addition to November being my birthday month, I have many reasons to love this time of year—particularly because of all the goodies I get to create and consume. Between Halloween treats, birthday dinners, Thanksgiving feasts, Christmas gatherings and New Year's Eve galas, I often find myself in culinary heaven. In past years, my offerings have been confined to my friends and family, but these days, I share my creative foodisms with the world via NaturiBeauty Blog and MyBrownBaby guest posts, and so my inner creative food genius is demanding I. BRING. IT. And BROUGHT IT, I have, with this special recipe, the perfect compliment to winter chills, comforting warmth, and that lovely holiday spirit. I've combined the spice of cinnamon, the sweetness of brown sugar, and the comfort of candied yams and rolled it all up into a nice, spicy, rich November treat: Candied Yam Sticky Buns—vegan style. Dig it...

CANDIED YAM STICKY BUNS
WITH VEGAN CREAM CHEESE VANILLA GLAZE

Dough Ingredients
*1 15oz. can of candied yams/ 1/4 cup reserved liquid
**2.5 cups self-rising flour
4 TB caster sugar
4.5 TSP Ener-G Egg Replacer
3 TB warm water
8 TB melted vegan margarine
Pumpkin Spice
Cinnamon

Filling Ingredients
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 TB caster sugar
Generous dash of cinnamon

Glaze Ingredients
1/2 cup sifted powder sugar
2 TB vegan cream cheese, softened
1 TB vegan margarine, softened
about 2 TB boiling water
1 TSP vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS FOR DOUGH
1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
2. Mash candied yams with pumpkin spice in separate bowl.
3. Add flour, sugar, salt, more pumpkin spice in large bowl
4. Mix yam mixture in two parts with flour mixture (it will be crumbly)
5. Mix Ener-G Egg Replacer with 3 TB warm water; add to yam flour
6. Mix melted butter with reserved liquid from canned yams; add to flour mix in three parts as you continually mix dough.
7. Once it resembles dough, shape into a ball
8. Flour clean, flat surface and rolling pin; roll dough into an oblong shape or rectangle about 1/2 inch thick & about 10-12 inches wide

FILLING DIRECTIONS
9. Mix brown sugar, caster sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle/spread evenly on rolled dough.

ROLLING DIRECTIONS
10. Start rolling form longest (length) side, careful not to break the dough, until completely rolled like a jelly roll.
11. Once rolled into a log, cut into eight even sections.
12. In an 8: cake pan, arrange pieces cut side up in a circle starting around the edge of pan and working toward the center.
13. Bake at 350 deg for 30-35 minutes.

GLAZE DIRECTIONS
14. Sift powdered sugar into bowl; make a well in the center.
15. Place cream cheese and butter in center.
16. Pour boiling water over the cream cheese and butter and stir to mix (add in more water if necessary), until glaze coats the back of the spoon.
17. Stir in vanilla.
18. Drizzle glaze over the rolls; serve warm or cold ( I like 'em hot!) and ENJOY!

*If you prefer not to use reserved liquid, you may use 1/4 cup almond milk or soy milk (vanilla flavored is best)
**If you do not have self-rising flour, you may substitute 2.5 cups of all purpose flour with 1 TB of baking powder

About our MyBrownBaby contributor:
Shelley Chapman is a culinary artisan whose passion for "natural, from scratch, quality ingredient meals" led her to consult on meal preparation, planning and holistic consumption as a personal chef for her company, Naturi Beauty Concepts. She offers private culinary services in the Atlanta area, specializing in Vegan and Vegetarian cuisine with a global influence. For more tasty vegetarian/vegan recipes, please visit Shelley at Naturi Beauty.

On the MyBrownBaby Table: The Warm Mediterranean Flavors of Moussaka

By SHELLEY CHAPMAN

October can be wishy washy: Some days it's warm, some days it's cool and some days it's just plain cold. Fall is the time when we begin to slow down, plan for the months ahead and, if you're like me, get your palate ready for warm, comforting winter dishes. I enjoy exotic tastes and experimenting with flavors, spices and textures that transport me to enchanting locales. Especially when it's cold, windy, rainy and snowy outside, I like to picture myself in some place warm, in a loose fitting sun dress, sitting in an outdoor cafe with my handsome partner and some serious culinary throwdown on my plate. *giggle*



To transport myself in this cool October month, I decided to visit Greece and enjoy warm, savory Mediterranean flavors. With the help of a fanciful cookbook I picked up in London, I co-created a Roasted Veggie Moussaka. Traditional Moussaka is made with lamb and eggplant in a rich creamy sauce. However this vegetarian version features oven-roasted eggplant, red bell pepper, portabella mushrooms and red onion in a blend of tomato sauce with savory herbs, topped with a feta cheese and yogurt cream. This season, don't let cold weather keep you in. Your palate will open a world of flavors. Journey with me.

ROASTED VEGGIE MOUSSAKA

Ingredients
1 lrg eggplant, thickly sliced
2 med zucchinis, thickly sliced
2 red onions, cut into small wedges
2 red bell peppers, cored, deseeded, chopped roughly
2 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
5 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Salt/Pepper
2 eggs beaten
14 oz. canned diced tomatoes in juice
10 oz authentic Greek Yogurt (I like Fage brand)
2 oz. authentic Greek Feta Cheese

To Cook
1. Place eggplants, zucchinis, onions, peppers and garlic in a roasting pan/casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil, toss together, then sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.
2. Roast in preheated oven at 425 deg for 30-35 min. Turn pan halfway through cooking and roast until golden brown and tender. (Note: veggies will reduce by half)
3. Meanwhile, beat eggs, yogurt, salt and pepper. When veggies are cooked, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
4. Transfer and put half the veggies in a layer in a large ovenproof dish/casserole dish.
5. Spoon over canned diced tomatoes with juice.
6. Add remaining veggies.
7. Pour over yogurt mixture and crumble over the feta cheese.
8. Bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown. Serve at any temperature.

About our MyBrownBaby contributor:
Shelley Chapman is a culinary artisan who has tended to her palate by traveling and dining at unique eateries and collecting recipes, tips and culinary stories for her own delight and nourishment. Her passion for "natural, from scratch, quality ingredient meals" led her to consult on meal preparation, planning and holistic consumption as a personal chef for her company, Naturi Beauty Concepts. She offers private culinary services in the Atlanta area, specializing in Vegan and Vegetarian cuisine with a global influence. For more tasty vegetarian/vegan recipes, please visit Shelley at Naturi Beauty.