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As I continue to explore the diversity of the culinary world, I’ve come to the conclusion that every culture has something wonderful to share. Spicy and complex flavors are my childhood favorites and my take on traditional gumbo is what I’m bringing to the fall table! My Afro-fusion style gumbo is a healthier and spicier take on this old southern favorite.

Rich and hearty soups are a staple of African cultures worldwide and the diaspora is no different! Gumbo has a rich and savory history and is well known throughout the southern united states and much of the nation in general. The fact of the matter is that I love food in all it’s richness and diversity so much, that I’ll try just about any dish (from anywhere in the world) at least once. That’s why I love making my Afro-fusion style gumbo throughout the fall and winter seasons.

Homemade beats store-bought every time and that’s why it’s always a good idea to check your pantry each season to make sure you the necessary ingredients for those home favorites. Also, it’s a good idea to always check food ingredients and items to make sure that they are GMO and additive-free. For more on this, check out my earlier post on toxic additives in your name brand mayo!

Disclaimer: This post contains product affiliate links!!

My Love of gumbo

This love for gumbo stems from the fact that it reminds me of a traditional okra soup that is made in south-eastern Nigeria. It too is composed of a variety of meats including seafood. Unlike the traditional version from back home, it’s more of a gravy, is eaten with rice (some add the rice to the gumbo), and lacks the level of heat and spiciness.

I’m not going to get into the history of gumbo here but suffice it to say that it is a yummy dish that varies across the state of Louisiana and the southern united states in general. All I can say is, it is delicious and filling. Depending on what recipe you go with, the level of richness is synonymous with the number of fat calories.

In one of my creative moments, I decided to cook an Africanized version of this dish that contains far fewer calories and increased the spice and heat profile. I call it, “ Afro-fusion gumbo” because the flavors differ from the typical version of gumbo, which has far fewer calories (due to fat) and uses the spice profile that I grew up with.

Below is a list of my go-to spices for my Afro-fusion style gumbo recipe. Most of these spices are perfect for boosting the immune system as well as a number of other health benefits!

Ingredients for my Afro-fusion style gumbo:

1. Shrimp (NOT farm-raised, that stuff is trash)-2 cups
2. Organic andouille sausage-1 1/2 package (cut into coin-sized rounds)
3. Free-range organic chicken-(you can also substitute this with rotisserie chicken to cut down on cook time)
4. Curry powder-2 tablespoons
5. Turmeric-1 1/2 tablespoon
6. Nigerian hot chili powder (use black pepper for a low lectin version)
7. Bay leaves-3
8. Dried thyme- 1 teaspoon
9. Dried basil- 1/2 teaspoon
10. Garlic- 15 cloves (roughly chopped)
11. Coconut oil-2/3 cup
12. Indian basmati rice( for a low lectin version)-1 cup, steamed
13. 7 cups homemade chicken broth
14. 1 cup shrimp stock (I make mine from scratch)
15. Red onion-1, large
16. Okra-1 1/2 cup of roughly chopped okra
17. Green bell pepper-1 large sized
18. Celery- 1 stalk, finely chopped (I prefer to use only a little of celery in my version)
19. 1 small bunch of fresh parsley (I left this out of my recipe because I don’t care for parsley)
20. Cajun seasoning (make sure it’s a brand without mystery ingredients!)
21. 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (use an unbleached and additive-free organic brand)

Assembling your ingredients

Once you’ve assembled all of your ingredients for this Afro-fusion gumbo, you’re ready to make your gumbo. Next, start by chopping all the vegetables; you can also do this the day before in order to save time.  The key to this dish is the roux (I call it a fancy word for gravy, but oh well)! To make the roux, in a large dutch oven (or cast iron pot)heat the oil over medium heat. After the oil is hot, whisk in the flour to form a roux. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until almost black in color, 50 to 55 minutes.

Bringing it all together

Next, slowly pour in the shrimp and chicken stocks while constantly stirring until the stock is fully incorporated into the roux. Mix in the dried basil, cayenne, garlic, celery, bay leaves, bell pepper, okra, parsley, onion, etc. Bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 hour.

Before you add in the smoked sausage, in a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices and brown them well on one side (2-3 minutes) and then use a spatula to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate. Then, add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot.

Add the remaining cups of chicken broth plus the shrimp broth, veggies, parsley, and roux to the pot and stir well to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.

Finally, add the remaining ingredients to your Afro-fusion gumbo mix except for the rice, and simmer until the seafood is cooked and the okra is tender (approximately 10 to 12 minutes). Ladle into bowls and serve with a scoop on top or you can add your rice to the gumbo instead.

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!

Her passion

Her desire and calling is to help women achieve balance and a healthy lifestyle by going deeper, setting boundaries, and embracing the goddess within. She’s about helping other women change unhealthy patterns and lifestyle habits that have kept them in bondage to seeking permission and approval from the outside. That means connecting and embracing their own essence and power in order to rise up and live an aligned fit-lifestyle. Tonye’s greatest joy is to partner and support her fellow goddesses as they courageously embark on a journey of transformation, empowerment, healing, and health.

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Summer is the perfect time to detox from processed foods and unhealthy habits and nutritious does not mean boring or unappetizing. As a matter of fact, some of the yummiest desserts are made from fruits like this awesome tropical summer sorbet! Plus, all the ingredients are low in fat, no processed sugars, and dairy free!

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Summer is the time when you feel like shedding the excesses in life and move on to new things! One healthy way to do this is to detox your diet and replace processed additive-laden foods with healthy and nutrient dense meal options.  I love my desserts as much as the next girl, but I’ve found and created healthy alternatives that are big on taste, flavor as well as nutritious. My tropical summer sorbet is the perfect dessert for a hot summer day and it’s satisfying and packs a healthy punch.

This summer sorbet is filled with frozen fruit, almond milk, and coconut water you’ll give your body and your skin a healthy boost of nutrients plus stay hydrated in the summer sun! Great skin and a healthy waistline don’t happen overnight but you can almost guarantee both when you color your plate with fruits and veggies.

Tropical Summer Sorbet

My latest summer recipe is rich in vitamin C, K, antioxidants, flavonoids, minerals, and electrolytes all in one 6oz cup! It’s amazing how much goodness you can pack into one serving when you decide to put your health first. Also, if you really want to kickstart your healthy weight loss journey try my 10 Day Vegan Detox Program so that you can look better and feel great, without the pressure!

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Tropical Sorbet Ingredients:

Making smoothies and sorbets are easy and simply require a few fresh or frozen ingredients plus a little bit of creativity.

1. 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries

2. 1/2 medium banana (ripe)

3. 1/4 cup of cubed frozen mango

4. 1/4 cup of frozen pineapple

5. 1/4 cup of coconut water

6. 1/2 almond milk

7. 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Next, I like to combine frozen ingredients so I don’t have to use ice and it’s ready to serve as soon as you scoop it out of the blender. This is a good idea if you’re on a budget but you want to make sure you’re adding a good amount of fruits and veggies to your diet.  Once you have all of your ingredients simply blend together in a high-powered blender.

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way to transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about just helping you lose weight quickly, she’s about elevating your life from the inside out. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

Her favorite words are “helping you look better, feel great, without the pressure!”

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Aging gracefully?

Very few women want to age gracefully these days and I’m one of them! Forget the old stereotypes of crows feet, ”dress your age”,  the 40-year slump, and so forth. I’m also a firm believer in self-care and self-love and THAT means doing those healthy ”things”, that stave off premature aging, weight gain, and the slowing down of my metabolism. There are a number of ways we can increase our strength and youthfulness and that’s through exercise, diet and excellent selfcare! I’ve got 5 exercises for women over 40 that are simple, straight forward and easy to do.

The fab 5 exercises

Today we’re talking about some of the top 5 exercises for women over the age of 40. The truth is, we’re ALL aging and breaking down-yes even the little ones! This is the natural life cycle in nature but that doesn’t mean we have no way to slow down the aging process and in some instances, reverse it. I’m all in for anything (healthy that is)that will help fight signs of aging on all fronts.

As you know, I’m also a skincare freak and I have a ton of helpful tips and tricks to help you get fit, get and maintain the best version of your skin, and more!  But this post isn’t about that! For some of my top secret anti-aging remedies read up on ”The 5 Skincare Ingredients You Need On Your DIY Face Masks”.

The reality of it all

Exercise, diet, detox and “de-stress” can both slow and reverse the effects of aging as well as combat the effects of the environment. I don’t know why so many women are afraid of lifting weights, but this is one of the surest ways to increase muscle tone, tighten the skin and increase bone density!

A combination of cardio and “real” weight training go a long way to increase your physical strength, silhouette and muscle tone. Want toned tight arms and legs? Weight training, baby! The realities of the aging process make it even more important to hone in on those workouts that get results. This is why I choose to highlight these top 5 exercises for women over 40 everywhere!

With that in mind, let’s get cracking! The first exercise that I call “pain in the butt” (because it works) is:

1. Squats. Squats help build your leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves), aids in burning more fat, as it is one of the most time-efficient ways to burn a lot of calories.

2. Planks. The plank is one of the better workouts for core conditioning but them too works your glutes and hamstrings, supports proper posture, and ameliorates balance. As someone who hates doing crunches, planks are a godsend! Plus, your risk of injuring your neck is lower and this works more than just those core muscles. These are a great exercise for women over 40 who want well-defined abs and a strong core.

My all time favorites

3. Lunge. Before you start moaning girl, just let me tell you, lunges are a girl’s best friend! They’re not just for twenty-somethings, lunges are for every woman! The lunge aides in sculpting, strengthening and toning your legs and glutes. They also improve the flexibility of the hips. While they are uncomfortable, lunges will quickly get your butt lifted and sculpted if you’ll commit to it.

4. Burpees. These are a full body strength training exercise within every rep. Not only that you will work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles.

5. Dynamic plank.  Like the previous exercises, the dynamic plank is an excellent way to isolate the core area without crunches. I’m no fan of crunches (even though I do break down do them on occasion). I always recommend planks if you’ve got issues related to the neck area. Not only does this exercise strengthen your core, it also works your chest and shoulders.

What to keep in mind here

While there’s no magic pill to help sculpt the body you want, these 5 exercises will get you well on your way to looking better and looking better without the pressure.

Having said all of THAT, any good fitness guru will tell you that without a healthy diet, you still won’t get the results you want!

So for those who are still struggling with where to begin, grab my FREE Pantry Detox Gude GUIDE HERE

Also, to help you fill your fridge with produce that’s free of toxic chemicals get the complete Introductory Produce, Shopping Guide grab a copy HERE!!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Over the years I’ve learned the power of what diet can do for the body. It can help heal or cause disease. When I first thought of trying a vegan detox, I still wondered if it was all hype. After I decided to use myself as a guinea pig, I can’t deny it’s effectiveness.

We’ve heard so much about the vegan lifestyle, plant-based diets and more. The real take away is that adopting a plant-based diet will make a huge difference in health.

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We all know how hard it can be to shed those unwanted pounds, ditch the bloat and ultimately gain a healthier body!

Over the years I’ve found the best way to reset my body, lose the bloat and stubborn weight, is to for the greens. In my case, that means going on a vegan detox or radically upscaling my fruits and veggies. That all translates into minimally processed foods, no animal products coupled with healthy oils and nuts!

Who would have thought a vegan detox could help you look better, feel better without the pressure?! I’m not one for gimmicks or yo-yo diets so I keep it simple and stress-free by upscaling my intake of fresh foods.

Adopting a vegan diet for the short-term or on a permanent basis is always a good thing. Every day more research comes out about how a vegan or plant-based diet promotes healthy weight, increases healthy cholesterol levels and boosts longevity.

There are so many benefits to going on a vegan detox that I simply don’t have the time to go into it all. Needless to say, after a lot of feedback from friends and besties I began a vegan detox program to help other women get the results they want without the drama or stress of trying to figure it all out on a busy schedule.

So why go on a 10 Day Vegan Program at all (or for any other length of time)?  While it’s not a cure-all for every ailment under the sun doing a vegan detox (diet reset) has a lot of benefits.

The Benefits Of A Vegan / Plant-Based Diet

1. Better sleep
2. More energy
3. Improved digestion
4. Radiant and healthier skin
5. Improved mood
6. Lowers your risk for diabetes and heart disease
7. Improved weight management
8. Reduces inflammation

So what do vegan and plant-based mean?

In simple terms, a vegan diet means a diet free of all animal products-no meat, poultry, dairy, or even honey! A plant-based diet is based on fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. I like to think of it in terms of a continuum where at one end lies the strict vegan and somewhere near the middle is a diet that is largely plant-based.

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Point for point, a vegan detox is a must not just to detox your body in the short term but as a way of life! It will literally change your life and your health.  While a number of research documents highlight the benefits of vegan and plant-based diets, few tell you how to make that shift.

While I don’t believe in restrictions, vegan and plant-based diets are sustainable only when you incorporate them as part of a healthy lifestyle. So a good way to start is to try a vegan detox program to help reset your mind as well as your body. Issues related to stress, fatigue and an inability to sleep can often be eased with what you put on your plate.

For instance, it’s been noted that certain foods like bananas, sweet potatoes, broccoli, have been shown to improve sleep cycles. Not only that, did you know cashew butter, peanut butter, avocados, kale, almonds, walnuts, spinach, and squash are all nutritional powerhouses?

They contain vitamin B6, tryptophan, and magnesium and do a lot for boosting your sleep cycle. So if sleep is an issue for you and you don’t want to deal with the nasty side effects of synthetic drugs, adopting a vegan diet is the way to go!

Also, greens such as Kale, Swiss chard, fortified almond or soy milk, and dried figs have a higher amount of calcium than dairy milk (which researchers have said, actually leach calcium from the body). Plus, if you’ve been dealing with inflammatory illness, plant-based diets are an excellent way to relieve those ailments.

Broken record here but, foods rich in omega-3 fats like chia and flax, as well leafy greens (i.e. kale) contain chlorophyll which helps to increase the alkalinity of the body.

In English, that means they help to combat inflammation in the body which in turn helps with weight loss and bloating!!

The average American diet is high in processed foods that are associated with an increase in weight gain, high blood pressure, and other inflammation-related illnesses.

Switching to a plant-based or mostly plant-based diet is one of the most sustainable ways to lose weight and keep it off. Also, it will help you look and feel better in the long run and who doesn’t want that? That’s why I always recommend a vegan detox program of some sort to flush toxins out of your body and reset your system for better health and wellness.

It’s really not that hard or overwhelming if you start with the right tools and really get serious about shedding the unhealthy weight and overhauling your lifestyle for the better. If you’re still not sure where to begin and feeling clueless, grab my FREE Pantry Detox Gude GUIDE HERE

For the complete Introductory Produce, Shopping Guide grab a copy HERE!!

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

[/et_pb_team_member][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

If you haven’t heard about the proven benefits of homemade chicken noodle soup, you’ve probably been buried underneath a pile of rubble by now! Let me just start by saying, momma knew what she was talking about when she said that chicken soup is a cure-all staple!

Needless to say, the power is in the bone broth (i.e. chicken bones Y’all!), spices, and other healthy ingredients that make up this recipe. For me, I’m putting an African twist on this favorite recipe so make sure you head over to my Youtube site to see how the full recipe comes together in real color!

My inspiration for this Afro-fusion homemade chicken noodle recipe comes from childhood nostalgic moments living in Nigeria. When I was a little girl, my mom gave us all kinds of potions and tonics to keep illness and poor health at bay. To this day I can still taste that pungent flavor of Norwegian cod liver oil on my tongue! We also had all kinds of soups, and beverages that she and the elder women in our neighborhood swore by!

This is a lot different from the condensed canned stuff masquerading as “as good as” homemade chicken noodle soup! The only things you’ll find in those cans are some GMO chicken, lots of sodium, overcooked bleached flour noodles, preservatives, and more.

With that in mind here are the ingredients you will need for this Afro-fusion homemade chicken noodle soup:

1. 4 medium chicken drumsticks (organic, free-range chickens)

2. 1 small red onion

3. 1 small yellow onion

4. 1/4 cup of chopped green onions (organic)

5. 3 cloves of garlic (medium)

6. Organic gluten-free spaghetti pasta (follow directions for serving size)

7. 2 tablespoons curry powder

8. 1 teaspoon turmeric

9.  1/2 teaspoon of allspice

10. 1/4 teaspoon spicy paprika

11. 2 tablespoons of Himalayan pink salt

12. 3 tablespoons of Braggs Amino Acids

13. 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

To bring this recipe to life is really easy and there are no fancy steps involved. Simply fill a large soup pot with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil while tossing in all over your dry spices and the other ingredients. Next, add the onions, garlic, and chicken drumsticks to the pot and boil at medium heat for 25 minutes. Also, you can add other veggies to this mix as well (i.e. carrots, etc) in order to make this dish your own.

Next, turn the heat down to low and allow your homemade chicken noodle soup creation to simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes and add your noodles in the final 20 minutes. To see what this dish looks like check out the video!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!

Why I love it

This is my number 1 DIY all natural face mask because it helps fight lines, wrinkles and dark spots. It’s loaded with potent ingredients to help naturally fight against the effects of environmental pollution, aging, acne, and acne related scarring.

I can’t say enough about DIY anti-aging face masks and other skincare creations!

Why you need to add a face mask to your skincare routine

The environment does enough harm to our skin without using skincare products that are loaded with toxins and other mystery ingredients. While it’s all good to use skincare products that are all-natural, diet also matters! When I was in my teens and 20’s my mom always went on about making sure I eat healthy so that my skin will be healthy!

She was so spot on! This is especially important for women as we are constantly dealing with hormonal cycles. I really began to tune into this when I start led having some serious health and reproductive issues. Even to this day, I regret that I didn’t start early enough. I truly believe that I could have done more good for my reproductive health and fitness if I had played closer attention to the research that was coming out at the time. Live and learn right?

My skincare story

My DIY anti-aging face mask creations are based on my own experience and that of family and friends. I really encourage you to try your hand at making your own DIY anti-aging face mask and skincare so you know what works for you and with ingredients, you can trust.

The following DIY anti-aging mask uses fresh avocado as a base because of its unique properties. I’ve also used greek yogurt as a base in some of my other DIY skincare.

What you’ll need

This is the list of ingredients you will need for this DIY anti-aging face mask. It will also make enough for approximately three applications.

1. Half of one ripe medium organic avocado
2. One tablespoon of organic turmeric powder
3. One teaspoon of Ceylon powder (this is the best variety to use)
4. Half of one teaspoon of jojoba oil (use the cold-pressed organic variety)
5. One and a half tablespoons of organic raw honey
6. One glass mixing bowl (don’t use plastic)

How to make my DIY anti-aging face mask

Combine all of these ingredients using a hand mixer, processor or mash with a wish or clean wooden spoon. I prefer to use a stainless steel metal whisk to whip everything together and to make sure they are quickly incorporated into my DIY anti-aging face mask.

A quick note

Since this is handmade and has perishable ingredients, this recipe should be kept in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. I keep mine for about a week but no longer than a week and a half.  Remember that there are no preservatives in this mixture so you need to refrigerate your DIY mask. However, I’ve noticed that when I add a few drops of tea tree essential oil, my DIY face masks last longer since the tea tree oil is anti-microbial.

I have so many other recipes waiting to join this one but this is one of my favorite DIY anti-aging face masks. Whenever I make a new creation I always try to make sure I use my must-have ingredients included in most of my recipes.

About the author 

Tonye Tariah is a Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies”! For her, that means she helps each woman in a unique way; helping them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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There are so many benefits to crafting your very own all-natural DIY face mask not only because you know exactly what’s in it, but because it’s packed with anti-oxidant rich ingredients without added chemicals or fillers.

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I’ve received plenty of questions about my go-to skincare regime and remedies but this one is becoming my favorite! This particular DIY face mask is my #1 DIY recipe because it helps fight lines, wrinkles, dark spots, acne and acne scarring. It’s loaded with potent ingredients to help naturally combat all my skincare concerns.

One thing you need to note though is that, regardless of how awesome your skincare routine, DIY face masks, elixirs or potions, what you eat (i.e. diet) plays a huge role when it comes to the health of your skin. My mamma always said “what you eat shows up on your face” and it’s so true!

Akey way to clean up your skin is to detox both your body and your diet of all the processed, prepackaged and other unhealthy foods you’ve been consuming by switching to a plant-based diet. Whether it’s vegan (which I prefer for this purpose), vegetarian or paleo; clean eating is the basis for a healthy youthful looking skin. My next secret weapon is my recipe stash of all-natural fresh DIY face masks.

Since I love avocado so much what better base ingredient to use in my DIY face masks than avocados?! I know there is a lot of talk about avocados in the media, but the benefits are real and lasting. Today’s recipe uses avocado as a base combined with raw honey, jojoba oil, and turmeric.

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Here’s the list of ingredients I use in this powerful DIY face mask along with their beneficial properties:

Avocados: the natural oils found in it can penetrate deep into the skin, helping to soften and hydrate dry and flaky patches. It is also an excellent source of more than twenty vitamins and minerals. The long list of nutrients includes vitamin B, C, E and K,  riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, potassium, etc.

Also, because of their high healthy fat content avocados leave your skin looking softer and younger as they literally smooth and plumps up the skin.

Turmeric:  not only reduces inflammation, it also helps to reduce acne and any resulting scars. The curcumin in turmeric is excellent for helping to diminish dark spots and lightens the skin over time.

Matcha is his high-quality green tea containing chlorophyll which a powerful detoxifier. So what is it? Matcha is simply pulverized green tea, made from the entire leaf. Because It contains catechins (a type of polyphenol) matcha powder is a powerful antioxidant. The catechins(https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea#1) help trap and inactivate free radicals in the skin, countering many of the signs of aging. I use the powder form in my DIY face mask recipes because it is much more concentrated than the liquid form we drink.

Raw honey is naturally antibacterial, so it’s great for acne treatment and gives the skin a dewy effect. While honey is great for the skin in general, raw honey is the best because it is pure, unheated, unpasteurized and unprocessed. This is probably one of the most important characteristics associated with raw honey as it preserves all the natural vitamins, enzymes, phytonutrients and other nutritional elements.

Jojoba: oil has a high amount of ceramides, which cover the skin cells and are responsible for their hydration. It quickly absorbs into the skin and does not leave behind any oily residue. Adding this to your DIY face mask gives it the extra punch it needs.

Jojoba helps in creating a powerful barrier against moisture loss, allergens, and dust pollution. Itl also moisturizes dry patchy skin and restores balance.

Not only that, jojoba is an excellent remedy for anyone suffering from skin disorders like eczema and rosacea. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help in reducing the redness caused by dry skin and other conditions like rosacea.

As always, start from the inside out grab my FREE Pantry Detox Gude GUIDE HERE. Detox your skin from within and remember that your skin is the largest organ of the body!

Also, for the totally clueless ones who need a starting point, help yourself to my free Introductory Produce, Shopping Guide HERE!!

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Aqn anti-inflammatory beverage must-have for the season!

It’s getting to be that time of year again and that calls for one anti-inflammatory beverage we all should have in our kitchen recipe book! I love foods that are packed with beneficial nutrients and this cup of cocoa does not disappoint.

A healthy twist on an old favorite

Made with unsweetened organic cocoa powder, this spicy version of a home favorite tastes yummy and is good for you too. I’m a turmeric fiend and I could not resist putting my own spin on a childhood favorite. The end result is spicy homemade turmeric cocoa that both tasty and loaded with health benefits.

About that Cocoa

Cocao is an ancient beverage and cocoa powder itself is loaded with flavonoids that improve blood flow, helps to balance cholesterol levels, rich in antioxidants, speeds healing, and aid in reducing your blood pressure, etc.

So, it only made sense to combine the superpowers of cocoa with the anti-inflammatory healing powers of turmeric and honey to make this a truly inspired power beverage!

Creating my homemade anti-inflammatory turmeric rich cocoa uses only a few ingredients and is low in calories but rich in texture as well as nutrients. Most of these benefits help heal the body and combat inflammation. Also, let’s  not forget to add that extra bit of decadence by topping it off with a dollop of froth using your home gadget right here!

Some of the benefits

Turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger all possess a myriad of health benefits. The beauty of this recipe is that these ingredients complement themselves in such a way as to create a complex blend of spicy goodness.

Ingredients

1. 1  1/2 tablespoon organic cocoa powder

2. 1/4 teaspoon organic turmeric powder.

3. 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

4. 1/2 teaspoon of organic raw honey (sweeten to your own taste).

5. 1 cup of coconut-almond milk (vegan option; you can use dairy if that is your preference). I like to use this or a vegan cream for those times when I want to have a decadent frothy hot beverage!

6. 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon.

Preparation

Bring almond coconut milk to a boil, adding all ingredients starting with the cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric followed by the cocoa powder. Make sure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated and then allow the mixture to briefly simmer.

You can also add in approximately 1/4 cup of water to thin out your mixture if the consistency is a little thick. Next, pour your beverage into your favorite mug and enjoy!

A little advice about refined sugars

Also, it’s  always a good idea to minimize your intake of processed sugar . This is one reason why I use raw honey, blackstrap molasses or ripened fruit to sweeten most of my dishes where possible (green stevia is another option).

For those days when I’m  craving a frothy decadent cup of yumminess, I use my trusty hand frother. You can get yours right here!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free.

Her approach to healthy living

When it comes to a healthy lifestyle, she believes “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out.
She’s not about helping you lose weight quickly. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Okay, let me start by saying, I  love men! well, most of them. The sane ones; not the cheating-lying-controlling ones!

Now that that is out of the way we can all move on ladies. When I look back at the younger me in my 20’s and 30’s, I really want to smack her! I love her but, gosh was she naive. It would have been great to have a single woman’s guide to navigating this particular journey!

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As I sit here musing on the past and contemplating my upcoming birthday (every year comes a lot quicker), I find it difficult to accept the fact that as a single woman, I wasted a lot of time land energy looking for validation and my own self-worth in the eyes of a man-another fallible human being.

Unfortunately, I feel that we have been “bred” or “conditioned” to looking for validation outside of ourselves. From the time we’re young girls, we are taught to “seek” approval and to be viewed as “good” girls, “giving” and yes, “womanly”. But all that really did (at least in my case) was solidify the notion that I was not enough and that I needed outside validation in order to feel “worthy”. As a single woman in 2018, I can’t help but cringe at those memories!

Over time I grew to resent the role and position that I had been forced to live in by both my culture (as an African woman) and society as a whole. There is nothing uplifting or growth-inducing by being made to feel that you have no worth if you haven’t birthed a child or are someone’s wife! Traditionally women are made to feel all levels of stress (pressure) and angst to get married, birth children and become the perfect daughter-in-law!

What hypocrisy and bondage! It took me a long time to break that conditioning and along the way, I made a lot of mistakes with the opposite sex (I’ll talk more about that later) but better late than never right? Suffice it to say, personal development goes a long way towards freeing yourself from toxic relationships, etc.

This series is dedicated to all the women who traveled the same road and earned her own battle scars and is finally learning what it means to be free! I figured I’d do my civic duty by sharing some simple truths and perspectives in my version of the single woman’s guide to a drama free life. Here are a few things I wish I had learned when I was younger:

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Here are a few helpful tips and pieces of advice I wish I had had as a single woman, all those years ago:

1. If a man you’ve just met tells you to smile, tell him to stay in his own lane and piss off! (I’ve always detested when people, usually men try to take ownership of my emotions). Own your emotions and every other part of you. You are under no obligation to “perform” on demand!

2. Don’t give your number to guys you meet in the parking lot of the post office, grocery store or the club. Chances are, he’s a “collector”, cheater or player (I’ll explain later). Take my advice, it’s not worth the drama. Plus, if he turns out to be stalker-ish you won’t have to change your number.

3. If he only wants to meet at your place doesn’t want you to meet any of his friends, family, etc he’s probably married.Kick his ass to the curb; again, you don’t need the drama and it’s a waste of your time anyway.

4. If it feels like he has to “fit” you into his schedule or his life, chances are you are not a priority for him-it’s time to cut that cord! Most honest men will tell you (i.e. your male friends) if you’re really important to him and valued, he won’t have to “fit” you into anything. A wise assessment from a veteran single woman once shared this nugget with me!

5. Never, ever have intercourse with a man who has not been tested for STD’s (and yes, I mean actual proof!); you’re literally TSTL (too stupid to live) if you give him a pass. Remember my mantra: self-care is healthcare, ladies!

6. If after you’ve been dating for a bit, and he starts making “suggestions” about what you should wear or “improve” your appearance, it’s time to give him the ax. Depending on the context, (I’m being generous here) this usually marks the subtle beginnings of control and or manipulation. Make him aware of it, shut it down, or better yet cut those ties.

These are just a few sage words for the single woman’s guide to drama-free living. I’ve got a growing list for the rest of the series. What are your tips for single women in the current social climate?

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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We all have gifts left over from the holidays, that we’d either rather toss (it didn’t fit your vibe, thoughtless, cheap last-minute buy; be honest) or regift for the “right” person (i.e not you). My solution is to use these less than stellar jewelry “gifts” for some of my DIY home jewelry decorating projects.

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If you’re like me, you feel guilty about throwing such gifts and trinkets in the recycle ♻️ bin so you try to find more “tasteful” ways of repurposing these sorts of gifts.  Since I’m big on finding creative ways to decorate and multi-purpose a variety of odds and ends, it’s DIY jewelry home decorating time!

Using unwanted trinkets for DIY jewelry home decorating projects

A DIY Jewelry project for decorating the home is a perfect example of creative ways to switch things up in your living spaces. I’ve found that old or unwanted trinkets and such, work well for accessorizing your favorite spaces and repurposing your humdrum household items. In fact, chunky or thick ropy necklaces are awesome for those spaces that need a little bit of bling to add some personality.

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As I dug through my stash of items for my goodwill drop-off, I came across a chunky gold ©Akira choker that just got my creative juices flowing! While it wouldn’t do for my particular tastes in jewelry (mine tend to lean towards natural precious and semi-precious metals and stones, plus my sensitive skin can’t handle anything less), it is perfect for a DIY jewelry home decorating project.

Fortunately for me, there was no cutting or splicing required for this particular DIY job and this was largely due to the fact that it was already the perfect length as a drapery tie-back. The brushed gold multi-stranded choker had enough links for it to be repurposed as a drapery accessory and took less than 10 mins to fashion it into an excellent DIY home decorating success!

It’s still early days yet so in the spirit of decluttering and detoxing your life, grab your copy of my detox pantry guide (click on the image above) and keep the momentum rolling!

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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