![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_z_dBKMebgiE/S5Wmu3PWvuI/AAAAAAAAAEI/BsQ72IoMlKc/s400/IMG_1262.JPG "Heartwarming Cornbread. Dedicated to Oscar Winner Mo"Nique")
Organic Dill Pickles
Banana Cake
My old friend Jason Sugars posted on my my Facebook wall this week, requesting Banana Cake, just like his Grandma used to make. I don’t know about you, but that’s a hard act to follow. Almost anything our Grandparents do for us is wrapped in a golden glow of love and affection. Well, almost everything. Remember Christmas Fruit Cake? My Grandmother Dell, God bless her, used to proudly serve us slices of her notorious Christmas Fruit Cake every holiday season, and my sister and I would shudder at the sight of it. You know the kind I’m talking about: Red, green, and yellow cherries, with so many raisins you’d break the dense slice apart, desperately searching for any sign of cake? To be fair, it was store bought, and back in the day, and it was kicking around every house in the ‘hood. Thankfully, we also enjoyed Banana Cake….all year ’round. Phew! Instead of trying to live up to Grandma’s recipe, I inspired myself by thinking about Jason. He has the most beautiful spirit, and exuding pure sunshine. Making the cake, I couldn’t help myself; I had to make a smile out of the banana slices. Every time we bump into each [...]
Caramelized Butternut Squash with Coriander, Cumin, and Fennel, and Garlic
All I have to say about this recipe is WOW WOW WOW! We’ve all savored the natural sweetness of butternut squash, right? Smack dab in the middle of Fall, it’s pumpkin, sweet potato, and squash central. I’m not a mystic, but the universe says you know what I’m talking about. Question: Have you ever roasted a squash with a mixture of coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, garlic, and olive oil? Hoooo weeee! Lawd a mercy! The caramelized, sweet, mildly spiced gorgeousness of butternut squash awaits you. No one will believe it’s not sweetened with a little somethin’ somethin’. Just tell ‘em it’s sweetened with love, baby! Caramelized Butternut Squash with Coriander, Cumin, Fennel, and Garlic 1 large butternut squash, washed, seeded, and thickly sliced 2 cloves of garlic, minced tablespoon coriander seeds tablespoon cumin seeds tablespoon fennel seeds teaspoon red pepper flakes teaspoon pink himalayan sea salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1. Preheat the over to 400 F 2. Wash, seed, and slice the butternut squash. Set aside. 3. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes into a coarse powder. Add the garlic and grind the mixture into a [...]
Spicy Rice with Black Eyed Peas
I will set the scene: Garlicky Collard Greens, Buddha’s Coleslaw, Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Spicy Rice with Black Eyed Peas. Needless to say, we threw down. You might be thinking, “whoa, what’s up with rice and sweet potato? Isn’t that a lot of carbs?” My answer: Not if you have a little of both…HELLO! Just to give you a visual, my plate looks like this: A large portion of greens and coleslaw (and I mean large), a small sweet potato (no butter thank you), and a small portion of rice and peas. If you are a veggie like me, don’t scrimp too much on the rice and black eyed peas. The beans give you a nice serving of protein. Garlicky Greens Buddha’s Coleslaw If you are serving the rice to children, please skip the red pepper flakes. Basmati cooks quickly, so I make two batches (one spicy, one not) and save some for the next day. For the grown folk, rock the red pepper flakes, you will not be disappointed. The garlic and tomato paste give the rice a zesty, tangy edge that you will love. If you are hankering for a bit of meat, throw in some fried catfish [...]
Buckwheat Soba Stir Fry
Today’s post will be as quick as it takes to make this stir fry. This statement is not entirely accurate. The writing will take longer, but you’ll have a delicious meal in minutes. By time you cook, drain, and rinse your soba, your veggies will be ready to rock! Stir, serve, and enjoy a thoroughly cleansing meal. How simple is that? It’s been a monster of a week with construction going on in the house: Builders in at the crack of dawn, knocking out the ceiling in our living room, stuccoing the outside of the house, tiling and plumbing bathrooms. Oy. This is the first peaceful Sunday in weeks, and I’m going to chill and read Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” with a nice cup of Earl Grey. I will post “before” and “after” photos soon! Buckwheat Soba Stir Fry 8 oz package to buckwheat soba (I use Eden Brand) 2 tablespoons sesame oil for frying 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped 2 medium carrots, sliced in diagonals 3 inch piece of daikon, sliced into matchsticks 3 leaves dino kale, deveined and sliced lengthways 5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1 tablespoon gomasio to season (also by Eden) nama shoyu to season 1. Heat [...]
