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Our Simplified Vegan Banana Bread Recipe

2/27/2021

A favorite recipe made even simpler. I was craving our popular dessert, ‘This Bread is Bananas,’ but when I looked in my pantry I didn’t have all the ingredients, so I improvised. The results were excellent. A smaller and thinner banana bread rich in taste. It's simple and fast to make. Plus, it's healthy and vegan.

Paired with some plant milk, I savored this new banana bread with you, our reader, in mind. I'm calling this recipe, 'Our Simplified Banana Bread'. Now, we can do one recipe or the other based on what we have in our kitchen.

Here's the Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Oat Flour + 2 Tbsp
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
5 tbsp Brown Packed Sugar (you can also do white or coconut sugar)
1 tbsp Unsweetened Cacao Powder
2 Medium Ripe Bananas
1/4 cup Applesauce
3 tbsp Coconut Oil (you can sub oils)
1 tbsp Olive Oil (you can sub oils)
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Process:

Preheat your oven to 350°F
Using a fork, mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in the other.
Then combine. Lumps are okay!
Pour batter into a sprayed loaf pan.
At this time, you can add nuts, cacao nibs, shredded coconut, etc.
Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350°F (the longer you bake, the crispier the edges).

Once removed from the oven, allow a few minutes to chill if you don't want to burn your tongue. While you wait, you can grab some coconut whip or pour yourself some plant milk. Enjoy!

If you try this recipe, tag us on socials! We'd love to see your creations.

by Jessica G Ferrer

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Latino Public Broadcasting Gets More Funds to Showcase Latinx Storytellers to Broad Audience

2/26/2021

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Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) will receive a $500,000 funding increase starting this fiscal year. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced announced it recently. The funding, which brings CPB annual support for LPB to more than $1,850,000 for FY2021, will help the organization in its mission to fund, produce, distribute and exhibit works in media that convey the depth and breadth of the Latino community to the broadest audience possible. That's great news for the Latino community.

Additional Support Aims to Increase Diverse Perspectives in Public Media

“We are delighted and grateful for this additional support from CPB,” says Sandie Viquez Pedlow, Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting. “Now more than ever, the stories of diverse communities need to be front and center in our national narrative. This generous funding increase will enable us to empower more Latino mediamakers and bring their stories to audiences through public media’s broadcast and digital platforms and local community outreach across the country.”

Latino Public Broadcasting is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 to support Latino filmmakers and to foster national public media programming by and about the rich and diverse Latino community. Its signature works include the award-winning PBS series VOCES and documentaries, series and specials including Latino Vote - Dispatches from the Battleground, Building the American Dream, Raúl Julià: The World is a Stage, Dolores, Willie Velasquez - Your Vote is Your Voice, Maria Hinojosa’s America By The Numbers, No Más Bebés, American Masters and VOCES John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway,American Experience A Class Apart, The Longoria Affair, Reportero, the landmark 3-part series Latino Americans, American Experience Roberto Clemente, American Masters Cacho Uno Mas, American Masters Orozco Man of Fire, Precious Knowledge, Latin Music USA, and many others.

Latino Public Broadcasting, headquartered in Los Angeles, receives annual funding from CPB, the steward of the federal appropriation for public broadcasting.

“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) welcomes the funding increase for Latino Public Broadcasting,” said Chairman Raul Ruiz. “The funding will help promote inclusion and community engagement and empower Hispanic filmmakers and story tellers. With Hispanics comprising over 20% of the US population, it is critical that we elevate the contributions of Hispanic Americans and our diverse experiences in the national narrative. The CHC looks forward to seeing more Hispanic representation in the media market.”

“I am very pleased that the CPB is providing additional funding to Latino Public Broadcasting,” said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40). “Latino Public Broadcasting plays a pivotal role in highlighting the beauty and talent of our Latino culture. By sharing our perspectives and stories, it helps to amplify the voices of our communities and to foster a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the social and cultural perspectives of Latinos and our many contributions to the nation.”

The $500,000 funding increase is one of five that CPB is making to members of the National Multicultural Alliance (NMCA), which also includes the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), Black Public Media (BPM), Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) and Vision Maker Media (VMM). Since its founding more than 50 years ago, CPB’s mission has been to provide universal access to high-quality programming, especially for the unserved and underserved. CPB uses a strategic framework called the “Three Ds” — Diversity, Dialogue, and Digital — to reflect its commitment to innovation, inclusion and community engagement.

“CPB’s commitment and funding for diverse filmmakers and storytellers spans decades and has resulted in content that educates, informs and inspires mutual understanding and respect,” said Pat Harrison, CPB president and CEO. “Our increased support for the National Multicultural Alliance will build on that foundation and ensure that public media’s content reflects the broadest range of cultural and social perspectives. The NMCA comprises individual organizations that encourage and fund diverse storytellers whose voices and experiences might never be heard without their support.”

About Latino Public Broadcasting
Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) is the leader in the development, production, acquisition and distribution of film and digital cultural media that is representative of Latino people or addresses issues of particular interest to Latino Americans. These programs are produced for dissemination to public broadcasting stations and other public media entities. Providing a voice for the diverse Latino community throughout the United States, Latino Public Broadcasting is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. LPB also produces the acclaimed PBS documentary series VOCES, exploring the rich diversity of the Latino experience. VOCES presents new and established filmmakers and brings their powerful and illuminating stories to a national audience — on TV, online and on the PBS app.

Between 2009 and 2020, LPB programs won over 130 awards, including three prestigious George Foster Peabody Awards as well as Emmys, Imagen Awards and the Sundance Film Festival Award for Best Director, Documentary. LPB has been the recipient of the Norman Lear Legacy Award and the NCLR Alma Award for Special Achievement – Year in Documentaries. Sandie Viquez Pedlow is executive director of LPB; Edward James Olmos is co-founder and chairman.

About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for email updates.

by IC Mag Editors

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Hispanicize Partners with the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative to Help Educate the Latinx Community about COVID-19 Vaccines

2/26/2021

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A COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, It’s Up To You / De Ti Depende is the platform for the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative. Representing one of the largest public education efforts in U.S. history, English and Spanish creative assets will appear nationwide across all media platforms beginning this week. The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative have also partnered with Hispanicize to amplify the campaign message across its expansive virtual platform, leveraging its massive digital reach and long-standing connections within the Latinx community.

Hispanicize #DeTiDepende special edition represents the largest virtual gathering of Latinx influencers, celebrities, community leaders, frontline workers, doctors, entrepreneurs and others aimed at being a force for good around Latinx COVID-19 recovery. Grounded by NGL Collective’s iconic Hispanicize platform, the free half-day virtual event will take place on Friday, March 12th from 9am - 12pm PST / 12pm – 3pm EST. Hispanicize #DeTiDepende will cover topics spanning vaccination education, family and wellness, economic recovery, Latinx heroes and more served up in a highly engaging and interactive virtual environment.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hispanicize had previously supported its #UnidosTogether initiative across two hugely successful virtual events that took place in July and October during Hispanic Heritage Month last year. In total, the two virtual events attracted over 18,000 attendees, 75+ A-list speakers, 16 sponsors and generated upwards of 60 million impressions.

“As the leading producer of Latinx virtual events, NGL is extremely proud of our Hispanicize franchise and our successful pivot to virtual that enabled us to reach infinitely more people. Hispanicize has always been synonymous with celebrating Latinx unity and empowerment, and a virtual environment has allowed us to bring that message for free to tens of thousands at a time. I’d like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our partners at the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative for helping to make this special Hispanicize #DeTiDepende event possible at a time when our community needs it most,” said David Chitel, CEO of NGL Collective, owners of Hispanicize.

The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative have undertaken comprehensive and ongoing research to understand audience mindsets and how to effectively message to build vaccine confidence around the It’s Up To You / De Ti Depende platform. To date, the initiative has raised over $52 million for a national communications effort to increase confidence in vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. Leading contributors to date include Amazon, Apple, Bank of America, Cisco, CVS Health, Facebook, General Motors, Google and YouTube, the Humana Foundation, NBCUniversal/Comcast, Salesforce, Verizon, Walgreens and Walmart. Significant contributions have also been provided by Adobe, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association, BNY Mellon, Business Roundtable, Citi, Ford Motor Company, JPMorgan Chase, the New York Life Foundation, Stanley Black & Decker, Synchrony, Target, Unilever, Wells Fargo and ViacomCBS.

“We are pleased to partner with Hispanicize as part of our broader efforts to educate and empower people across the country–particularly communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic–so they can make an informed choice about vaccination for themselves and for their families,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “Our extraordinary partners across the communications industry are uniquely positioned to amplify these critical messages at scale. Through this truly unprecedented effort, we can get back to the moments we all miss and save lives.”

In addition to Dr. Anthony Fauci (Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH), the following participants are confirmed for Hispanicize #DeTiDepende, with others to be announced soon; Paola Ramos (Journalist & Author ‘Finding Latinx’), Beto Perez (Founder, Zumba), John Leguizamo (Actor, Activist & NGL Partner), Henry R. Muñoz III (Founder, Momento Latino / Co-Founder, SOMOS US), Lindsay Casinelli (TV Host, Sports Journalist and Mom), Janet Murguia (President & CEO, UnidosUS), Luis Guzman (Actor & Activist), Beatriz Acevedo (CEO, Entrepreneur & Cultural Strategist), Enrique Sapene (TV Host & Personality) and Jessica Flores (TV & Radio Personality), Father Augustino Torres (Corazon Puro), Yarel Ramos (Anchor, Univision’s Edicion Digital California), Dr. Angelica Cifuentes Kottkamp (Assistant Professor of Medicine & Infectious Diseases Specialist, NYU Langone), Dr. Daniel Campos (DNP, APRN Board Certified & Author), Dr. Eduardo Sanchez (Chief Medical Officer For Prevention, American Heart Association), Dr. Paulina Sosa, MPH, DrPH (Chair, Latinx COVID-19 Task Force), Dr. Robert Rodriguez (Emergency Physician, SF General Hospital / Professor, UCSF Dept. Emergency Medicine), Flaco Navaja (Spoken Word Poet), Isis Reyes (MSN), Angelica Celaya (Actress and Mom), (Mariposa de Barrio), Giselle Blondet (Actress, TV Host, Entrepreneur & Mom), Tania Sanjurjo (Director of Creative Development, COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, The Ad Council), Charysse Nunez (Insights Lead – COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, The Ad Council), Luis Miguel Messianu (Creative Chairman & CEO, Alma) and PJ Pereira (Creative Chairman, Pereira O’Dell).

To register free for the Hispanicize #DeTiDepende special edition virtual event visit Hispanicize.com.

by IC Mag Editors

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'80/20 Plants' Launches Spanish Service Infused with Latinx Food Heritage

2/25/2021

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A digital health company that delivers nutrition advice at your fingertips called 80/20 Plants, announced a new partnership with International Television host, investor, and activist, Marco Antonio Regil. The partnership augments the brand’s recent launch of their Spanish service, 8020plantas.com, which provides a customer experience infused with the rich Latinx food heritage. Regil and 80/20 Plants will focus on raising awareness and providing diverse communities with the tools they need to make the switch to a more plant-based lifestyle.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has cited that three out of the five leading causes of illness and death among Hispanics are directly attributable to diet and poor nutrition. Positive changes in diet and other lifestyle choices can have a significant impact on the health of the Latinx population, reducing risk factors such as obesity.

“I look forward to seeing my Latino community thrive and succeed. We need to reverse the diabetes and obesity epidemic that is killing our community. Embracing a Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I am honored and excited to join Matt and the 80/20 Plants team on this meaningful mission,” said the host of 100 Mejicanos Dijeron aka the Mexican version of The Price is Right.

Regil currently dedicates his time to helping Latinos lead healthier lives through his Marco podcast and online courses. After going plant-based and eating more whole foods, Regil immediately saw his health and energy levels improve – leaving behind digestive problems as well as chronic gastritis and colitis. Now, he’s focused on sharing his experience and bringing those changes to the Latino community.

“We are excited to officially welcome Marco to the 80/20 Plants family,” said Matthew Tullman, CEO and co-founder of 80/20 Plants. “Health conditions related to nutrition disproportionately affect Hispanic communities, and we want to reverse that trend for the current generation and for generations to come. To make lifelong change possible, with Marco, 80/20 Plants engages our members not only in their native language, but also in a way that’s sensitive to their cultural food heritage.”

80/20 Plants provides nutrition services including one-on-one coaching, plant-based recipes, individualized plans, on-call support from a Registered Dietitian, video lessons and an enthusiastic community of support. Comparatively, a fraction of those services from a typical nutritionist may cost as much as $75+ per session. You can currently join the app for just $9 a month.

To find out more about 80/20 Plants, visit the 80/20 Plants website at 8020plants.com or their Spanish-language website at 8020plantas.com, or follow their Instagram page @8020plants or @8020plantas.

About 80/20 Plants
80/20 Plants is a revolutionary nutrition coaching tool powered by machine learning. 80/20 Plants makes the transition to a plant-based diet approachable, simple and fun. Only 80/20 Plants combines practical tools with real-time, personalized support. Our mission is to move people and the planet to a better, healthier future through approachable and fun one-on-one coaching, community and practical education.

IC mag

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Setting Realistic Sales Goals amid a Pandemic

2/24/2021

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We just got through a really crazy year, didn't we? 2020 is definitely one for the books. And although it gave us a lot of headaches and heartaches, it also gave us several opportunities to reevaluate what's important and to fix our eyes on things that are meaningful. It realigned us and our values in ways that we already forgot.

And while lofty dreams and ambitions are not bad but actually good for businesses, the pandemic grounded us and brought us back to reality. We now face a new year with a slightly different approach from the way we did in previous years.

One of the areas where this difference is quite evident is in the way businesses have set goals for this year. In light of the pandemic's adverse effect, business owners and corporations have outlined more realistic goals for their companies, especially when it comes to sales and conversions.

One of the biggest considerations that they factored in was the financial capability of consumers given the present global health and economic climate.

What makes goals realistic and attainable?
It has always been said that when you set goals, they should be smart -- not the word "smart" but the acronym S.M.A.R.T.

Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Relevant. Time-bound.

Goals should be smart enough to adapt to certain situations. They should be outlined with a certain flexibility to it that will allow it to still be beneficial despite any disruptions, like COVID-19.

Given the number of businesses that closed shop, the millions of people who were laid off and furloughed, and the ones who are now working at home, all of these statistics should be factored into how you set your sales goals for 2021.

Simple Steps to Setting Realistic Sales Goals amid a Pandemic

Step 1: Revisit your 2020 goals and see where you're at.
A good business always, no matter what it is, whether it's a traditional brick-and-mortar retail shop or a buy-and-sell-property-online type of business, has a specific set of goals for each year that it operates. Now would be a good time to dig up the goals you have written down for 2020 and see how much of it has been met and accomplished. An honest-to-goodness evaluation is needed to determine how successful you are. However, you will also want to consider the pandemic if you didn't hit your annual goals, just like almost everyone else.

Step 2: Go over your long-term plans.
Before you start making your plans and outlining your goals for this year, it is recommended that you dig up your long-term plans first.

Considering how disastrous 2020 was, you might want to reevaluate your long-term plans because of the many changes and disruptions the pandemic caused. A lot of your plans would either be no longer feasible or outdated with everything that's happening now.

Medical and business experts all agree that, even with the vaccine, this new normal we have now will likely last longer.

Step 3: Take a look at your sales trends from the past year.
Because we're still in a pandemic, it's important for business owners and corporations to manage expectations by reviewing data from the previous year and facing the hard facts.

If your company was one of the few that performed exceptionally despite the health crisis, good for you. However, not everyone is as fortunate. Since most experts believe that 2021 is most likely just an extension of 2020, you need to manage your expectations that you will probably do the same, if not a little bit better, than last year. This will give you a good idea of what your main goals are in terms of leads, conversions, and sales.

Step 4: Find out what the competition is doing.
In any industry, competition is one of the main driving forces of innovation and progress. Business owners become highly creative and innovative just to stay ahead of the competition. Acquiring knowledge about what your competitors are doing to boost their sales during this time will be a valuable resource for your company's own survival.

Step 5: Identify your sales capacity.
One of the biggest parts of sales planning is sales capacity. With a lot of companies affected by the pandemic, it would be wise for you to take a closer look at your sales capacity. Check the production level of each of your people, especially those in sales, and based on the total generated production or revenue, you will have an idea of what your sales capacity is. You can use this information to generate an estimated volume that your team can realistically handle and deliver this year.

Adjusting your goals and making them more realistic does not necessarily mean you're lowering your standards and compromising your company. It just shows that you are willing to adapt and adjust accordingly to the signs of the times. The ability to adapt to changes is one of the traits that will keep you in business during and beyond a crisis.

By IC mag Contributors

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Latin Banana Recipes with 'The Croods'

2/22/2021

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Already a favorite, The Croods: A New Age is getting ready for its Blu-Ray + DVD release this February 23. In celebration, they are sharing with us a gallery of delicious Latin recipes with a common ingredient: the banana.

This delicious fruit has a starring role in the film, and its included in several dishes in the Latin culture. After all, it is a very versatile fruit. In Argentina they make fried fritters, in Panama it is used in a stew. In Puerto Rico, we make "guineitos en escabeche". Let's not forget about our very own plant-based banana bread recipe, This Bread is Bananas.

Let's get straight to it. Here are The Croods inspired recipes. Plus, we have some activities pages so the little ones are distracted at home while you cook.