Plant Haul! Check Out the Newest Additions to My Plant Family
I will never get over the feeling of getting a new plant. Adding more green life to my space just does something peaceful to my body and spirit. So when I’m feeling stressed, anxious, or just generally having a bad day, tending to my plants helps me ease those feelings. Even just sitting among my…
Butternut Squash Fries + Vegan Popcorn “Chicken”
I’ve been blessed to be able to grow, harvest, and share an an abundance of butternut squash this season. Because of that, y’all are gonna get these squash based recipes honey! Today I’m bringing you a fairly easy recipe that you can make to switch things up and try something new. I love experimenting with…
8 Tips for Easing Seasonal Depression
I wrote my very first blog post 1 year ago today! 🥳🎉 I’m so proud of myself for sticking to this blog and sharing my thoughts with you all. And this is a topic that’s important to me. With the transitions of summer to fall and fall to winter comes a difficult time of year…
Manifest Your Vision with the Harvest Moon and this Playlist!
Tonight, if the clouds permit, you should be able to see the Harvest moon shining brightly in the sky. It is so named because this moon would allow farmers to harvest their crops late into the night, reaping the rewards of a hard season at work. This is also the full moon that is closest…
Green Smoothies for the Win!
Do you experiment with green juices/smoothies? I love a good fruit smoothie but green based smoothies are perfect for boosting your nutrient and vitamin intake. I’m talking iron, calcium, fiber, folate, vitamin c, vitamin k, antioxidants and more. Often times they have an acquired taste. Sometimes they’re a little earthy or tangy. And every once…
Book Recommendation for Organic Gardening
Many people believe that you have to be born with a “green thumb” to be successful with plants. While I do think that some people seem to be more spiritually inclined to work with plants, I believe that anyone can have a green thumb! What you may not know is that taking care of plants…
Fajita Fridays! (Vegetarian Style)
You’ve heard of Taco Tuesday but today I’m bringing you Fajita Friday!! Vegetarian Style! A fajita is a popular Mexican dish that traditionally features grilled meat and sautéed vegetables wrapped in a flour or corn tortilla. However, only using vegetables is not only acceptable, it is just as delicious! *wink* Today I am bringing you…
Garden Log #4 – Energy to Soak In (Through Yoga and Meditation)
7:00 am and you are watering the garden. Pulling some weeds, tilling the earth. She is ready. When you get your hands into soil, things become intuitive. At some point, your fingers begin to work on autopilot, as if you know exactly what you’re doing without even thinking. Because some part of you feels like…
What I Learned From Growing Sunflowers for the First Time!
I absolutely love sunflowers. Of all shapes, sizes, and colors. So much so that I have artificial sunflowers around my house all year round. From bright yellows to deep amber hues, they rest in vases that adorn my dining room and bedside tables and are clipped to decorative string lights that drape along my living…
Garden Log #3 – Growth Update
Hey plant lovers! I hope y’all are doing amazing. I’d love to share an update with you on how my garden is doing. I was hoping to do these Garden Logs a little more frequently but the busyness of work and other personal duties (plus my pandemic induced procrastination) led me to keep pushing it…
10 Simple Eco-Friendly Ideas for Your Home + Garden and Why Reusing is Important!
Did you know there’s something even better than recycling? Before we send items to be recycled, we can give them a second life by finding ways that they can be used again. Reusing is even better than recycling. How so? Because although recycling is very much necessary for our environment, it still requires energy to…
Liliane: Resurrection of the Daughter by Ntozake Shange
If you liked For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf, you might enjoy this Ntozake Shange hidden gem, Liliane: Resurrection of the Daughter. Liliane is a coming-of-age story about a young Black woman who is searching for self, seeking to understand, and exploring her liberation as she navigates the…
A Post-Workout Smoothie: Kale, Banana, and Peanut Butter Fusion!
This is one of my all time favorite smoothies! It’s so yummy and has the best balance of fruit and greens plus the added flavor of peanut butter for a smooth and rich taste. This smoothie is the perfect way to treat yourself after a workout routine or just to get your day going! Ingredients…
How to: Propagate Golden Pothos!
Hey plant lovers! Are you in need of new plants? Do you have a favorite houseplant that you wish you could have more of? Do you want a cost effective way to increase the greenery in your home? Then this post is for you! Here’s an easy tip on how to get the most out…
Is Your Self-Care Practice Where You Want It To Be? Here’s One Simple Way to Check!
Sometimes we think that we’re doing enough for our self-care because we drank more water than usual for one day, we bookmarked the latest Instagram post from our favorite fitness guru, or we took a screenshot of some random wellness mantra that we’ll most likely never look at again. Although these are fine to do…
It’s Time to Repot Your Plant!
Hey fellow plant lovers! Did you know that you need to routinely replace the pots that your plants are in? In their natural habitat, plants have ample space for their roots to grow and to receive nutrients. But when we place them into containers, we are limiting the space that they have to do this.…
Celebrating Juneteenth with Sounds of Blackness and Songs for Freedom
In spite of all this calamity going on, June is an exciting month for Black people and Black history. Not only is it Immigrant Heritage Month, Caribbean Heritage Month, and Pride Month, it is also Black Music Month! And today, of course, is a very important holiday in African American history: JUNETEENTH! Juneteenth (June+19th) marks…
Low Effort Meals: A 10 Minute Veggie Soup!
Today’s highlight meal is a quick and easy soup that I made for lunch. Since working from home, I’ve lost some of my usual motivation to cook. Normally, I would have meal-prepped my lunches for the work week but that routine was disrupted because of this COVID-19 madness. When you’re home virtually 24/7, besides the…
Low Effort Meals: A Simple Veggie Sandwich
I say veggie but if we’re being technical, everything on this sandwich, besides the onion, is a fruit! Don’t believe me? Read more here about the fruits that we commonly refer to as vegetables. I love a simple and refreshing sandwich. This one includes an avocado spread lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and topped…
Garden Log #2 – Intruder Alert!
Isn’t it the worst when you realize that a critter or an animal has been perusing and prowling through your garden? This morning I found some of my bean plants mushed into the soil. It didn’t seem like anything was eaten but something really church stomped on my bean plants y’all! One of the stalks…
Garden Log #1 – Weeds, Vines, and Shears
Today, my boyfriend and I did a lot of work in the garden. Emphasis on a lot. We pulled weeds from the garden beds and cut down a bunch of vines using shears borrowed from my neighbor. I’m so glad that I have neighbors who are not only interested in my garden but also care…
Morning Cleanse and Immune Booster
A simple juice that will leave you feeling refreshed and renewed! This juice is super easy and tasty. It’s filled with nutrients that are linked with lowered cholesterol, improved eye and gut health, lowered blood pressure, and more. Ingredients include: 2 medium sized carrots1 (gala) apple4 frozen strawberries1 tsp of minced fresh gingerjuice of half…
COVID-19 is Causing Me to Reflect on My Mental Health
Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! This month and what it stands for is so timely. We will always, always, always need to talk about mental health and how it affects our daily lives, interactions, health and well being. Especially during this time. Sitting at home has forced me to do a lot of self-reflection. When…
Quarantine and Chill: Birthday Edition 🎉🥳
If you would have told me a couple of months ago that I would be spending my birthday alone, in self-imposed isolation due to a pandemic, I would have laughed. And then maybe have asked you about what happens next. No, seriously, do you know?? Since I’ve been taking this Corona virus situation – and…
Super Easy Mediterranean Style Salad!
I’ve never really been the “salad as a main course” type of eater. Up until recently, I always believed that salads wouldn’t really fulfill my appetite and would leave me wanting to eat more. So I only ever had it as a side and I agreed when people jokingly called it “rabbit food.” But then…
🎆✨HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉✨It’s Time for 2020 Visions!!
A shift is happening. We’ve entered into a new decade and it will be ripe with new beginnings. We will see things not only as they are but also as what they can be. It isn’t a coincidence that this year’s number is analogous with clear and sharp vision. Of course, with every new year…
Celebrating Haitian Independence Day the Correct Way, with Soup Joumou!
Every 1st of January, Haitians around the world celebrate our Independence Day and give thanks to our ancestors who fought hard, shed blood, and died for our liberation. But on this same day, we also do one more thing: eat! It’s a tradition for us Haitians to cook and eat the most delicious pumpkin/squash soup…
Spicy stir fried cabbage, quinoa with stir fried veggies, and softened sweet potatoes
People always ask me what do I eat as a vegetarian. They wonder how I can actually be fulfilled without having meat on my plate. We’ve been so conditioned to believe that a meal isn’t complete without a portion of meat, which is absolutely false. I find that when I get creative and increase my…
Golden Beet Greens
Looking to mix it up in the greens department? Beet greens can be a great alternative to the traditional greens that you may be using (i.e. collard, kale, spinach, etc.). These greens can be used in many recipes such as salads, soups, sauteed dishes,cooked greens, smoothies, and more! They have a light and pleasing flavor…
Kindred, Octavia E. Butler
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time during the years of slavery? Would you chance a visit to the antebellum South if it meant you could not only meet your ancestors but possibly make a difference in their lives (and ensure your existence)?
How to: Spruce Up Your Top Ramen!
This post is for my college students, budgetnistas, and top ramen lovers. I got you! There was a time when top ramen was one of my favorite things to eat and cook. It was easy, quick, delicious (what is it about MSG and high sodium?) and – most importantly – cheap!
8 Tips for Easing Seasonal Depression
If you’re like me, you probably enjoy watching the seasons change and seeing the ways that nature takes its course. The soft whistling wind through the trees. The crunch of dried leaves with every step. The beautiful mosaic nature creates with burnt sienna and other shades of red, orange, and yellow. The last remnants of…
Helena's Haven 