Strawberry Spinach Salad

It's the morning of my first day of summer vacation and I am giddy with excitement.



There I said it, summer!



In Trinidad some people assume that you are being silly to call the July/August long vacation, summer. We don't have four seasons like the temperate zone countries. So technically we don't have summer. It's perpetually warm here. What we do have is a period of more rain, then

Caribbean Smashed Potatoes

I'm here to talk about smashing stuff.

Can I confess that more often than not I arrive home in a mood that is more conducive to smashing things, rather than preparing dinner.

These potatoes are two thumbs up, high five, secret handshake delicious AND they have the added bonus of giving you an outlet for burning off some of the day's stress.
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Here is how you go about pretending that

Jamaican Red Snapper Stew - Photo Update

Fish becomes the star ingredient in many Trinidadian homes during the season of Lent. Tomorrow being Good Friday we will be having Fish Broth. While planning for that I was reminded of the meal in the picture below. I was never satisfied with my initial images of this dish so I retook the photo. As you can see from the date I forgot all about posting it. Better late than never, I guess. The

Avocado Tostadas

It's been raining avocados.

Last week a man we barely know gifted us with a huge bag of these pears. Unfortunately he ran off before I could marry him.

Most unfortunate agreed my husband.

Almost everyday for the last month someone (bless 'em) has given us an avocado and I've been eating slices of buttery pears daily. A thick, crusty, hops bread with a smash of avocado in between is considered

Sweet and Sour Thai Shrimp

This is a quick stir-fry recipe which takes on the character of a stew with a satisfying broth at the end. As long as you chop all your vegetables the night before it only takes 10 minutes to cook the following day.

This is nothing like a Chinese sweet and sour recipe. The aromatic kaffir leaves and coconut milk  give this dish an authentic Thai flavour. That said, Kaffir leaves are a

Sunny With a Chance of Delicious

Close your eyes and think of the Caribbean. What do you see? I’m betting you conjured up clichéd images of perpetual summer, white-sand, beaches and cocktails with little pink umbrellas. It’s a pleasant thought, but I’m here to tell you the islands offer so much more.

Take for example our food. West Indian food is really, REALLY great. I mean, I know it hasn’t achieved the celebratory

Oven Roasted Ratatouille

This is a healthy and delicious version of a french classic. It makes a great side dish and is quick and easy. Leftovers can be stirred into pasta for another meal so that you can cook once but eat twice. The traditional method is a vegetable stew that is made on the stove top. It's not complicated but I prefer to make this in the oven. I like that I can prepare an accompanying dish at the