Doubles

Is it truly a sacrifice to refrain from meat if you exchange it for a vegetarian dish this delicious?



Probably not. 



Lenten abstinence doesn't have to mean bland food but honestly this feels a little like cheating because it tastes so darn good. One of my favourite things to eat during Lent is doubles. Oh, who am I kidding, like most Trinidadians, I eat this religiously all through

3 Vegan Recipes that pack some punch

Food bloggers spend a lot of time reading other blogs for inspiration. I met vegan / raw food blogger when she contacted me to have me create a photo for her recipe book The Joy of Raw and Vegan Cooking which is available now on Amazon. Follow the link to preview her book which features some beautiful photographs. Also, you will not be disappointed to discover Shernell's blog where she shares

Fat Pork Jam

It has been a fruitful holiday. We have been stuffing our faces with mangoes, West Indian cherries, yellow plums, and guavas. Wars are being fought over the few remaining sugar apples. 











One  uncommon fruit which we found on a drive through the country side was fat pork.  Bite into it and the unusual texture of it's interior, white pulp will clue you in as to the name. The

How to make microwave Cou-Cou (Trinidad Coo-Coo)

What's better than cou cou with stewed fish? Cou cou that doesn't need stirring until it feels like your arm is about to fall off, that's what.



What's the worse thing a friend can tell you when you have been proven wrong?



I told you so!



Yes Cynthia my friend feel free to unleash the three most annoying words in the english language at me.



You really did tell me so.



Cou

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

Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding (Vegan)

I know what you are thinking.

You don't have to say it.

Chocolate and avocado together, well that's just crazy!

I will admit to having reservations when I first saw the recipe.  

I also had ten fully ripened avocados. And just so you know there is only so much of this or this that a person can eat.

Chocolate and avocado though.........hmmmmm.

Hey, look it's a no cook recipe!





Niceness

Breadfruit Oil Down

Oil down (Oil dong) is a traditional Caribbean way of cooking starchy vegetables in a coconut milk reduction. Jamaicans call it run down. In Trinidad the most popular oil down ingredient is breadfruit which technically is a fruit but for cooking purposes it is treated like a vegetable. Because the breadfruit is sweet and buttery the accompanying meat tends to be a bit of something briny like

Lemony Sweet Potato 'Fries'

These aren't actually fried but baked and yet they are everything that you just love about fries - only healthier and without the side of guilt. Freshly baked with a sprinkle of salt clinging to their still hot sides you won't be able to restrain yourself.

Because the idea of  peeling and slicing potatoes for a large family is about as exciting to me as watching paint dry, my first attempt at

Black Bean and Corn Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

This versatile salad goes anywhere and holds up well in the heat unlike mayo based salads. It's great for picnics, backyard barbecues, the beach or wherever you choose to hang out with family and friends enjoying the outdoors. This is the salad that I am asked to make most often when friends get together for a barbecue.




Of course you can stay in and have this as well. You will want to

Sapodilla (Naseberry) Dawn Dessert - Raw Food is Wow Too

I'm slowly learning to come to terms with my altered body now that I have had children. But Wizzy you exclaim you’ve had 1 ½ years to get back in shape! As I was saying. It’s been slow going. Some days I cringe at my reflection and most days I honestly don’t recognize the woman in the mirror since I seem to be stuck in a mental time warp of my young adult self which is weird because that was a

I've been adopted!

The  food blogging arena is a crowded place. I don't suppose there is anyway to know for sure just how many food blogs are out there but I googled,  food, blog, recipe  under the blog category and my search turned up    93,377,565  food blogs!   Everyday I stumble across  new blogs that hook me with magazine quality photographs or draws me in with  fabulous writing.  You can set up a blog in

Pineapple, Beets & Carambola Salad

This recipe is for people who can't stand the earthy, ferrous and dirt flavour of beets. Surely I am not alone in my hatred of this root vegetable with it's pretty,  jewel-red colour?

I can't tell you how to feel about beets, but if you don't like them, then I can tell you that this salad  makes them  much more palatable. If on the other hand, you  have a love affair with these garnet bulbs,

Trinidad Corn Soup

We are in full swing for the annual Carnival celebration which culminates in a two day explosion of colour and music as masqueraders take to the streets in sequins, feathers and glittered splendor.  It is indeed something to be experienced. Even if you can't be here, you can still have a taste of Carnival if you make this soup which is sold by street vendors at most carnival fêtes.

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

The Best Thing that Ever Happened to Supermarket Tomatoes

Do you regularly eat vine-ripened tomatoes? There is no argument that tomatoes which are left to ripen on the vine have the best flavour of all. But how many of us are fortunate to have ready access to them?



I remember the first time I tasted one. I was 16 ( really just the other day;-) I was hiking with friends and we ran out of water. There was a farmer in a nearby field of tomatoes and we

Not So Skinny Bitch

Every once in a while I happen upon a recipe that tempts my inner skinny. That part of me that is buried under the ravages of pregnancy, busy days, skipped meals, little exercise and late at night junk food noshing. I found this vegan recipe for Pecan Crusted French Toast while browsing through my hairdresser's magazine stash in People Magazine Sept 2008.

"Huh?" I thought. "Egg bread (my

Caribbean Jerk Rice

I have had jerk every which way, on every kind of meat and fish and I can't believe it's only recently that I got the idea to try it with rice. We served this with stewed chicken. I used a mild jerk because of the kids but you could certainly go hotter if flames shooting from your tongue hot, is your thing. This was made with parboiled white rice only because we were out of brown rice. One of