African Recipes: How to Cook Okra Sauce (Ila)

Originally posted in March of 2011I have food texture “issues”, so I’m not a fan of okra. Even Yemesi couldn’t change that! 🙂 If you like okra though, you will enjoy this sauce… *You can serve this with Obe Ata and fufu/pounded yam. If you enjoyed this post, don’t miss future ones! Please be sure … Read More

Black History Month food - pounded yam recipe/ how to cook fufu

Easy African Pounded Yam (Iyan) Recipe

I have mixed thoughts about February being Black History Month in general, but I will take any opportunity to celebrate the important contributions that people from the African diaspora have made in our society. Food and recipes definitely fall in that category, so I’m sharing a pounded yam (Iyan) recipe in this post. I will … Read More

Valentine Day Recipes for Kids: Easy Cookies and Pink “Love Potion”

When it comes to making special treats for my little sweethearts, “easy” is one of my favorite words. These recipes for Easy Valentine’s Cookies and Bubbly Pink Potion (shared courtesy of Madly Madagascar) both fall under that category. Enjoy! EASY VALENTINE’S COOKIES These cookies are fun to make and, with a little help from mom … Read More

Celebrate Chinese New Year: Fortune Cookie Recipe

fortune cookie recipeCredit: Plato Spelunks
I have mentioned Handstand Kids Cookbook Company in the past. (I celebrated National Spaghetti Day with their “Mama’s Spaghetti & Meatballs”.) Their cookbook kits really are a great way for kids to experience preparing and eating recipes from around the world. To celebrate Chinese New Year, try their recipe for “Tell My Future Fortune Cookies” and enjoy writing your own fortunes!

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Healthy(ish) Easy Egg Foo Young Recipe

When I was 16, I worked at a Chinese-American restaurant. I definitely admire my bosses’ work ethic, because it was one of the hardest jobs that I ever had. As God is my witness, I will never accept “peeling buckets of onions daily” as a job requirement again! 🙂 Anyway, I primarily made the American foods, but I did make a few of the easy Chinese dishes.

In honor of the upcoming Chinese New Year (February 10th), I’m going to share a couple of easy Chinese recipes this week. One of the things that I noticed was that the food that my bosses prepared for their family was very different from the food that they served to the general public…it was much healthier. As such, I’m sharing a healthy(ish) version of one of my favorite Chinese dishes…egg foo young. I know that a lot of restaurants in New York add sprouts and cabbage or peas and carrots to their egg foo young, but I don’t. I prepare the meat omelet the same way that I did 20+ years ago (?!). I just don’t fry it in oil and I serve it with brown rice instead of white rice. [Read more…]

Friday Favorites (1/25/13): 12+ Big Game food & recipes

super bowl food and recipes
On Sunday, February 3rd, the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens will play in the Big Game 47. The fact that the two coaches are brothers is really the only football fact that I know. For me, the Big Game is mainly a fun time to gather with family and friends to watch the commercials and halftime show. Of course, I can’t forget the food. As such, below are my favorite FCM Super Bowl food & recipes…along with some contributions from my foodie friends. Enjoy!

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Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice (à la Chipotle)

cilantro-lime brown rice

Are you a fan of brown rice? I can’t say that I am, but there is a brown rice that I actually enjoy. It’s the brown rice that is served at Chipotle Mexican Grill, my favorite “fast-casual” restaurant. I took one of their menus home and made my own version. (It’s just rice, lime and cilantro. I simply had to play around with the combinations.) This rice is so good that it can easily be substituted for white rice…especially in Mexican meals!

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Crock pot chili: Two-step chicken chili recipe

simple-chicken-chili
Chicken, turkey and fish are basically going to be my “go to” meats for the next few months. (I’m participating in a low-key “fit by forty” challenge with a few of my girlfriends.) Since I prefer tomato-based chilies, I love this tomato based chicken chili recipe that I’m sharing with you today – especially with a dash of hot sauce! It’s really simple. Even if you don’t have a slow cooker, you can just cook it on a stovetop using the directions from the My easy chili recipe.

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