JAMILA CRAWFORD- owner of EARTHCANDY* food.fashion.flyness
Well, what do you know; Creative Loafing Magazine got ‘hip’ to my movement and requested an interview with me!
Needless to say, I was totally excited and very honored. The publication sent food photographer James Camp to my home to get a few pictures for the feature story and we knocked it out in NO time!
‘Twas fun!
I enjoyed going to the garden, whipping up an herbal bouquet (the one you see in the pic) and I even made a kelp noodle pasta w/basil pesto medley for the shoot. It didn’t make the cut (womp womp), but the fact that I was getting a story was enough for me 🙂
Watch out world; I’m building my empire- one VEGGIE at a time!
Candles flicker, soft music plays. Generations of your kin are gathered around the table. Your family bonds and reminisces over another festive holiday dinner- a feast fit for royalty, replete with all manner of dishes prepared with love.
Uncles and cousins, aunts and siblings tell embarrassing stories or laugh at the musings of the baby, the newest family member, as he gurgles and coos.
Suddenly, abruptly a violent rumble rips through the loving affair.
The inhuman noise jolts napping Grandpa awake. Startled, Big Mama,who had carefully been slicing the large turkey and ham, drops her carving knife and fork to the floor in a loud clatter. The baby begins to cry as all heads turn in your direction.
Embarassed and ashamed, your head drops, acknowledging that the mournful and disruptive rumble was in fact your stomach – angered and empty, growling for sustenance, forsaken by a table with no sympathy for a vegetarian such as yourself.
A person can live on dinner rolls and white rice but for so long.
That’s where I come in…
This holiday season, don’t be ran “A-FOWL” by your family’s inability to prepare food NOT SEASONED with meat! Earthcandyarts can provide a healthy and hearty holiday meal that will make you the envy of your relatives! Choose from a selection of delicious vegan items which will be delivered in time for your family’s annual feast.
It’s been a while, I know, but I just HAD to share something with you!
This morning I woke up to the release of my interview with Frugivore Magazine, a magazine for men and women looking for a fresh approach to fitness and healthy living.
Take a look and support Frugivore Magazine. Hey; YOU may even have something well worth contributing to their publication!
Once upon a time, there were two wise men who sang,
“…There’s nothing better than LOVE…it’s better by far!” I totally agree. I mean, I’m so sappy that I tear up at weddings….on TV! Sitcoms, even! Ha!
So you can only imagine the pride I felt when I was asked to style the wardrobe and overall ‘look’ for a photo shoot with the “Couple of the Century” (in my book) Khnum Ibomu (a.k.a Stic.Man of Dead Prez) and his wife Afya Ibomu. It was for the cover of Naptural Roots Magazine! Man, I felt like I was dressing them for their wedding day :).
Oh wait; no need to imagine- I made an earthcandy* food.fashion.flyness. episode of it, so you can see for yourself :).
Just be sure to grab a box of tissues first. Enjoy!
For more on Earthcandy* Food.Fashion.Flyness, LIKE my fan page and follow me on twitter!
Aww yeah… it’s THAT time o’ year again– (almost) SUMMERTIME!
You know the time of year where it’s hot enough to swim and wear tank tops, but not “officially” (according to the Farmer’s Almanac) the first day of summer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it annually- I HEART summertime! I’m like a bear, hibernating during the winter months awaiting the weather to break for the better (in my opinion)…
One of my fave ways to usher in the best season in the world is….*drumroll*…..FIRE up the GRILL!
Yes, nothing says ‘welcome summer’ like the sound of friends laughing, splashing in the pool, listening to old-school mixtapes all while breathing in the smell of charcoal-infused goodness cooking on the grill. I swear, you can put a sneaker on the flames and I’m first in line with my plate! Okay- I’m exaggerating, but you know what I’m saying :).
Grilling is not just for meat prods, people…make room for VEGGIES!
Skewer ’em, lay ’em sliced across the grill, or basket ’em- it’s all delicious. A sure-shot marinade for any veggie is 1 part each: soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, lime juice or rice vinegar and agave nectar…salty, tangy and sweet 🙂
Well, well, well….lookie look! It’s been TWO years since I’ve eaten any cooked foods! I’m still on the RAW ROLLERCOASTER! Yes! Shoot, I’ve surprised myself like you would not believe.
(Here are the chronicles from my first year of “living foods”…)
When I was younger, I recall mentioning to myself–in passing– that I’d probably adopt a raw food diet by the time I turned forty or fifty. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be doing it waaaaaaaay before the time I envisioned. Heck, I can’t even remember WHY I said that as a young woman. Premonition, I guess!
Now, am I gonna eat like this forever and ever? Only time will tell.
Nevertheless. here I am and I feel GREAT. So much so that I’d like to share my favorite cheesecake recipe with you, in celebration! I won’t eat mine all the way up–I’ll wait for you to make YOURS so we can celebrate together!
Now check out the video so you can get to baking–or rather, “un”baking! Enjoy…
Raw Cheesecake (serves 8-10)
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For crust:
1/2 cup each RAW walnut, pecans, and macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dates, pitted
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut shreds
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For filling:
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3 cups RAW cashews
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup agave nectar
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
water (if needed) to help blending (using no more than 1/4 cup)
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For fruit sauce:
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1 cup fresh strawberries (tops removed)
agave nectar (to taste)
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To make the crust, in a high-speed food processor add walnuts, pecans, macadamia, dates and pinch of salt and process until finely ground. In a cheesecake pan (or a 9′ round cake pan), sprinkle coconut evenly on bottom BEFORE putting crust mixture down. Next, put crust mixture down even across bottom.
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For the filling, in a food processor, put cashews, lemon juice, agave, coconut oil and vanilla in and blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, add a little water at a time to ensure creamy consistency. Use no more than 1/2 cup.
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Pour filling on top of crust, smooth out the top with a spatula, following by placing in the freezer for an hour to solidify and obtain its shape.
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For the sauce, in a blender add strawberries and agave and blend until smooth. place liquid mixture in squeeze bottle or simply use a spoon to apply over top of cheesecake, once it has been removed from the freezer.
I’m back! I’m continuing my weeklong indulgence in all things FELA! In Part 2 of the FELAbration episode, I party at the 4th Annual SPREADLOVE FELABATION and 10th Anniversary of Rich Medina’s Jump-N-Funk afrobeat party. The celebration continues with live performances from The Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra plus the cast of the FELA! Broadway Production.
*In the melody of  Kool and the Gang ‘s “Celebrate“*:  “FELAbrate good times, c’mon! Let’s FELABRATE” 🙂
That’s exactly what I did for a week straight; celebrate the life and achievements of the legendary Nigerian hero, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
In Episode 6 (part I) of Earthcandy* food.fashion.flyness., join me as I indulge in “all things Fela”, from seeing the Broadway play, hanging out with the dancers/Queens from the FELA! production to partying to the grooves he’s inspired the world over with!
Femi Boma Ibim and yours truly are joining forces in the name of food and fashion….heck, AND flyness!
I’m talking a complete raw AND vegan menu, a fashion show featuring Honey On Wax (Femi’s crochet clothing line) and Khepra Obi with Adn Blazer, a Holiday Gift Market Place and sounds by  DJ Naka the Ear Dr.!
Good people, good food, good vibes; what more can you ask for?
Experience delicious foods, learn the benefits of a healthier diet, meet old friends and new people, and get your last minute holiday ‘shop on’ ALL IN ONE NIGHT! Kick the NEW YEAR off right ! 😉
Admission is $5 all night (menu pricing separate) and it goes down from 8-1am at f22 studio!
See ya there! If you can’t attend, stay tuned for pics 🙂
(l to r) Earthcandy's Jamila Crawford, Nawal, her band members: Aurore Voahangy Coriton, Claudine François, Jean Baptiste Gbadoe,
In this episode of Earthcandy* food.fashion.flyness. I go on a unique musical journey of the Francophone diaspora with singer/songwriter NAWAL who hails from Comoros ( an island in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mozambique). Now based in Paris, France, she is recognized as a key figure from her native islands.
Nawal sings and plays gambusi (guitar and the long-necked lute), harmonic flute, mbira (Zimbabwean thumb piano), daf (Iranian frame drum) as well as other instruments. She’s also self-produced her first two albums, “Kweli” and “Aman”.
I caught up with Nawal while she’s celebrating her new release “Embrace the Spirit” with a tour in the USA. The experience was incredible and I felt like I was travelling over the Indian Ocean as I watched her perform and listened to her lyrics.
earthcandy* 