Naturals United has a New Location

Hey guys!
I made the announcement on facebook a few months back, but just to reiterate:

Naturals United is now NaturalsUnited.com on wordpress. That is where my latest blog posts are being made.
Also, if you haven't already, follow us on facebook, twitter, instagram, and tumblr for more updates, photos, and inspiration.

Thanks again for still reading and staying connected!

remember, stay calm and love your natural hair :)

Delicious Black Rice Recipe

Part of my natural hair journey is taking care of my body from the inside out. If I'm healthy, my hair, skin, and nails reap the benefits. So, here's one of my favorite vegetarian recipes:

black rice and spinach salad

You'll need:

spinach, 
an avocado, 
a carrot, 
a tomato, 
garlic, 
parsley, 
black rice, 
olive oil, 
sea salt, 
grounded black pepper
manchego 

For some ingredients, I don't really measure the exact amount. I think measuring can make cooking stressful and tedious. This salad recipe is suppose to be easy and delicious.


Step 1:
Boil some black rice. The best way to do this is pour the amount of black rice you want in a pot. Then, add some water such that the level is about an inch higher than the rice. Turn the heat of the stove all the way up until it begins to boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat all the way down to the lowest temperature. Cover the pot, and let it simmer. Periodically check on the rice to make sure that it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Tip: one way to avoid sticking is to drizzle a little olive oil over the rice, add a splash of water and stir.

Step 2:
While the rice is cooking, chop the spinach, tomato, and avocado. Then finely chop the parsley and garlic. Lastly, take a peeler shave a carrot into thin slices.











Step 3:
When the rice is ready, season it with a little sea salt and black pepper. Now that the rice is done, it's ready for plating.
Tip: If you're having trouble deciding if the rice is cooked, have a taste. If it is soft enough to eat, but firm enough not to be soggy, it's done. Be careful not to overcook the rice. It does take longer to cook than white rice would, but it's worth the wait!.

Step 4:
Add the spinach, avocado, tomato, carrot shavings, garlic, and parsley.

Step 5:
Add a little sea salt, black pepper, and drizzle some olive oil over the salad. 





Step 6: 
Top it off with a little bit of manchego.

Bon Appetit!

United Member Roy Lee

Meet Roy Lee!
Roy is a martial artist, musician, and training in the field of phlebotomy. He attended Gwinnett Tech, went to training school for phlebotomy, and teaches martial arts at Total Boxing. Roy also plans on going back to school next year.

What is your nationality?
 I am black, white, and Native American. My grandmother says that we have Thai in the family as well, but who knows!

Have you always had big hair growing up?
No, I've always had a buzz cut as a kid and haven't even started growing my hair out until my junior  year of high school. Once I did that, I grew it out a lot and then I cut it, grew it out again, and cut it again. It was like a cycle.




Why did you decide to cut your hair?
Mainly, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get a job. As a young man, it's hard for people to take you seriously if you don't have a sharp hair cut. I've been encouraged by a lot of people to get my hair cut as well, so I gave in.

Where did you go to get your current haircut?
I actually went to Great Clips! The stylist that cut my hair had a good understanding of what I was going for even though I had trouble explaining it to her. I was surprised, she really hooked me up!

Have you  noticed a difference in your professional life with shorter hair? Do people take  you more seriously?
There hasn't been much of a difference so far professionally. Socially speaking, I haven't traveled to other circles to see if people see me differently at first glance. To be honest, I wish just kept growing it out. 

 












How does your family feel about your hair?
My mom was always telling me to cut my hair. She's very adamant on me getting a hair cut. Even though I didn't cut all of it off, she does like the haircut I have right now. 

What is your current hair regimen? 
Right now, I wash my hair every other day. I condition it every day and I apply leave-in conditioner every day after I wash or co-wash. Occasionally, I put gel in it for styling.