Food Pics From Jamaica

Not an egg fan, but this was like a quiche with veg. in the middle
fried on top of the stove

Stewed liver, yellow yam calaloo and green bananas

Fried fish with green & red peppers, dumpling,  pumpkin, green
 bananas...so good

Fried fish then stewed with the peppers and well seasoned
with traditional seasoning.  Dumplings on the side -
this was delicious.

Caloloo, cucumbers and ginger
and watermelon juice

Fresh sour sop normally comes in a can in the states

Papaya 

My favorite - calaloo, banana and pumpkin

Star fruit, soft and not to sweet.  I had this with breakfast
every morning

Display 

Melon, apples, pineapples and bananas, which were much sweeter than the states

Beets, Orange and ginger mixed in a blender.  

East Indian and Julie mangoes are so yummie.
Red sweet plums

Mushroom, corn salad, calaloo and fish

Mushrooms: The Other White Meat

Still enjoying beautiful Jamaica on my vacation and while eating some pickled mushrooms, I remembered that I still had post, about roasted mushrooms, waiting in draft mode that I wanted to share with you all. 

Mushroom, calaloo, corn salad and fish

I have  been experimenting with mushrooms for the last two years and I have found it to be an extremely versatile food.  Not only have I found it to be a great substitute for meat, but it also has great nutritional value, that you shouldn't discount.  I have tried maitake, shitake, cremini, and other varieties, either roasted, stewed, sautéed or sprinkled on salads.  I know what you might be thinking, and you can stop turning up your noses, and don't say they are fungi. Lord knows I get that reaction from a lot of my friends and family.  I bet if you only knew the nutritional value of mushrooms you would change your mind.  Maybe if you were to even try it, you would see that it can serve as the basis of a meal, as a side dish, whether stewed or raw or in salads.  It really doesn't require a lot of cooking time and that is also another positive aspect about cooking with this lovely fungus. 

Ingredients:

1 to 2 cups of cremini mushrooms

2 tbsp Vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp crushed red peppers

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup basil or cilantro chopped 

Mix all ingredients together except for mushrooms. 

Now add mushrooms into the mixture.  You can also put the ingredients into a Ziploc bag with the mushrooms and thoroughly shake so that every nooks and crannies of the mushrooms are marinated with the sauce.

Roast for 15 minutes on 350 degrees in the oven.  

Drain out the water and put back into the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.  

Optional, add a teaspoon of your favorite butter for a creamy flavor.

Mushrooms are quite delicious, easy to make and high in vitamin D and other nutrients as well.   As the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover.  

Mama's Sunday Mix

As I was drinking my morning juice of beets orange juice and ginger, one of the staff members in Jamaica, Rui Montego Bay asked me if I've ever tried the traditional Sunday morning juice. She said every Sunday most households make rice and peas, stewed curry chicken and greens, I suppose she meant calaloo, which is also a favorite of the Jamaicans. But what I didn't  know although married to a Jamaican man over 20+ years,  that carrot and  beet juice mixed with carnation milk is a must for the household every Sunday. She even said that some people would also add a little Guinness stout to it and top it off with freshly grated nutmeg. Well this is definitely one to try without the stout, not a drinker, but with silk almond or coconut milk (no diary either) which also has a heavy consistency like the carnation milk. Topping that off with fresh nutmeg would certainly keep my marriage very happy.  I will let you all know when I make it.  For those that want to add a little backbone, try it with stout.  And that didn't come from me.

Jamming Juices in Jamaica

I am blogging from Jamaica W.I. with my hubby on our 22nd wedding anniversary, but I couldn't help myself, I had to share some really delicious, fresh juices, fruits and vegetables that I was really excited about.  My hubby thinks I am crazy, because I was raving about the juices, while he couldn't get enough of the traditional Jamaican food like  calaloo (similar to spinach, but not quite), sour sop, dumplings, jerk chicken, green bananas etc.  Don't get me wrong, I more than indulged in these as well, but I was very happy for the morning juices and in the process I learned a few new juices that you may find delicious as well.

Calaloo, cucumbers and little fresh ginger was awesome.  It was really light and refreshing and great for the hot weather.  I will definitely try to make this, whenever I am able to get my hands on some fresh calaloo in the farmers market.

Banana and Strawberries

Cantaloupe, watermelon juiced - refreshing and delicious too

Papaya juice was absolutely out of this world.  Another to try.

Okay, not a juice, but calaloo, green banana, and pumpkin was my breakfast after the great juices..Really delicious, I must say.  Kept me full all day long after two hours of  zip lining in the morning.


Below fish with dumplings were some mornings or lunch time entree.  Yummie! 

Anyhow while I continue to have a great time trying out all these wonderful dishes, I hope you will just be satisfied with these beautiful pictures. 

Charismatic Kaleidoscopic Chickpeas

Here is a quick slam bam side dish that can  be made when you are pressed for time. Not only is it a beautiful sight, but it is healthy, filling and can be a nice side dish for dinner. Well it was part of my dinner tonight and very delish.  Try it!!

Ingredients:

1 cups chick peas (cooked)
2 tbs Apple Cider
2 tbs Vinegar
1 tbs Soy Sauce
1 tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Chili pepper (Optional...add extra for more spice)
1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
1/2 cup chopped beets
1 to 2 tomatoes chopped




Blend apple cider, vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil,  turmeric, mustard,  salt, black pepper and chili sauce into a bowl.

Mix chick peas, cucumbers and beets together. 

Blend both mixtures together.  Sprinkle chopped mint leaves on top and chill for about 30 mins or more.


Tasty, simple and as always healthy. 

Great Weather Calls for a Delicious Pear Smoothie

After this great weather today, a delicious smoothie was really a  nice way to end my day.  Here is a very tasty smoothie, I made to celebrate the advent of summer.   Pears, dates and frozen mangoes are a terrific combination and  can't forget very nutritional as well.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut water 
1 cup of frozen mangoes
2 pears peeled and cored
4 or 5 dates

Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend to get a nice smooth consistency.

Then enjoy!!

Absolutely delightful.....I hope the weather is great again tomorrow.  I think I want smoothie again. 

 
 
 

 
 

Jerk Chicken on Sunday

Sweet Potatoes, Spinach and Jerk Chicken

Cornbread

DeLicious Black Bean Burger

My eldest is visiting from college so I wanted to make her a nice lunch and dinner before she goes back today. So I made her a black bean burger for lunch before dinner. And for dinner, I will make Jerk chicken with sweet potatoes and greens on the side. I think that will put a smile on her face before she gets back to the grind.  Oh yeah, I forgot cornbread on the side too. :)

Ingredients:
Black bean burger (Makes 4 thick burgers)
2 cups black bean (Already cooked beans, however can can be used but rinse the beans first)
1 large carrots peeled and shredded.
1 small green pepper shredded
1 small red pepper shredded
1 tsp salt
Black pepper
Cumin
Corriander
2 tsp ketchup
1 tb flour
1 cup cooked brown rice or leftover rice which I had

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender except for flour 

The mixture should be a paste, then add flour little at a time not in clumps.

Heat a frying pan and drizzle with olive oil.  The oil should be really hot before frying.

Then fry until it gets a nice black crust on top.  Serve right away. 

Now let me get started on dinner.  I will post pictures later to make you all drool!!!

BeSpice: Totally Mixed-Up Beans Soup

BeSpice: Totally Mixed-Up Beans Soup: I really could go for a good "cow foot soup" today, with yam, dumplings and green bananas but hold on the cow's foot please.  But since I...

Totally Mixed-Up Beans Soup

I really could go for a good "cow foot soup" today, with yam, dumplings and green bananas but hold on the cow's foot please.  But since I don't have any of those items in my pantry, I will settle for a mixed bean soup instead, with any leftovers I can find in my  refrigerator.  Fortunately I found a 17 bean & barley mix that I recently brought from Trader's Joe's and thought to improvise as I went along.  Of course if you don't have this at home, you can create your own mixed beans by adding 1/2 cup to 1 cup each of pinto beans, white beans, split peas, green peas, kidney beans, garbanzo beans or pretty much any beans you have.  You may want to throw in 1/2 cup of barley or even brown rice.  I have actually made this mixture of  bean on many occasions, but each time I make it, it comes out differently depending on my mood or what vegetables I have in the house at the time.  So here is my recipe today and you tell me what kind of mood I'm in.

Make sure to soak beans overnight.

Ingredients:
3 cups of  Water
1 pack of mixed beans
1 can stewed tomatoes (no salt)
2 large Red/Orange bell peppers (chopped in small pieces)
2 Carrots (I used frozen because I forgot I had fresh ones)
1 bulb fennel (That's what I had - but cauliflower, spinach etc can be used)
Pinch of Salt (Add to your taste- I am always accused of not adding enough salt to my food)
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Black pepper
1 tsp Coconut Oil
1/3 cup Coconut Milk

After soaking the beans overnight for at least eight hours, be sure to rinse it a few times before cooking.  Add the water and the beans and boil for a good one hour on medium heat.  Stir often so that the beans don't stick to the bottom.  Check to see if the beans are soft by squeezing it. If they are still hard, then continue boiling until soft.

Once the beans are soft, then add the can of stewed tomato sauce, salt, black & cayenne pepper,  Let everything stew for about 30 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken.  If it is too thick then add a little water and stir.

Now add in the coconut oil, coconut milk, carrots, red & green bell peppers, and any left over you have.  I actually threw in a few strands of spaghetti that I had for dinner a few days ago.  In the past I have added rice, quinoa and baked sweet potatoes etc.. But improvise and you will see that the soup will take on a life of its own. 


Well, well, well, talk about filling and delicious.  While some of the beans melted and others didn't, the flavors really came together nicely.  To top it off, I sprinkled avocado on top and that was an absolutely  perfect filling meal for the entire family.

HAVE YOU FIGURED OUT WHAT TYPE OF MOOD I AM IN YET?

Papa Juice, Mama Juice and Baby Juice

Juicing has really become a lot of fun for me as I experiment with the wonderful mixtures of greens, fruits and vegetables. I am also learning that some of the flavors mixed together taste absolutely delightful, where others are more of an acquired taste.  The two subjects in my household have become my lab rats as I push them to try all my concoctions.  My hubby distorts his face and politely says, "it's too grassy" which means it is loaded with chlorophyll and it is rich with lots of vitamins and nutrients, however most times he says, "B, it's good".  My little one says, "eww, it's green", again and again, which means it is filled with good stuff, but she drinks it anyways.   Hmmm!!  Throughout this whole process I am realizing that each person has their own sense of taste, likes and dislikes..  My husband clearly likes his juices sweet with a subtle taste of the chlorophyll and my daughter hates green juices, just because.....


Here are some of my family favorites. but I guarantee you that when you begin you will find your own favorites too.   

(Most of the times I don't measure when making the juices, but just for your sake, I will make  suggestions, so play around and add or subtract)

_______________________________________
5 Carrots
2 leafs Kale
1 Apple
____________________________________
2 bunches arugula lettuce (Tried this last night, absolutely papa's favorite.  It was too sweet for me)
1/2 cucumber
1 ripe pear
________________________________________
1 orange
2 leafs of kale
1 cup of broccoli
1/2 grapefruit
1 apple
_________________________________________
1 orange                                   
2 bunches of broccoli with stalk      
1 lime

 (My little one admitted she liked this the best, while I substituted lime  with kiwi, she didn't like it. I also tried using cabbage instead of  broccoli and she noticed and didn't like it.  So I'll stick with her favorite  for now.  Every so often I sneak in a  few other leafs, but shhhhh!!!

___________________________________________

2 leafs of Swiss Chard
1 leaf Kale
handful of Spinach
handful of dandelion (bitter so use a little)
1/2 grapefruit
1 green apple
3 celery stalks

This is my power drink which keeps me balance for my hectic day.  I have tried mustard greens, different types of chard's, turnip greens, string beans, I have also used sweet potatoes, which is very starchy but good in beta carotene.  I haven't tried brussel sprouts yet  which I may just try tonight. But I am sure there are so many more that I haven't tried yet, which I am very excited about.  Please enjoy and make it fun.
_______________________________________________

Don't knock it till you try it. 

Wow Your Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

Pineapple Salsa

Chill for an hour or more and see the flavors

come alive.

Salmon is the kind of fish that really doesn't need much of anything for it to taste delicious..  But since it is Sunday and mommy taught us to wear our Sunday best, I wanted to give a little extra care to my Sunday meal and dress it up with a little extra pizazz.  So I decided to try it out with a tangy sweet and sour pineapple salsa mix.  I actually didn't have fresh pineapple but I found a can of pineapple hiding at the back of my cupboard which was just perfect.  So here is a recipe that will go very well with the catch of the day.


Ingredients for Pineapple Salsa:

1 cup of finely fresh pineapple (I used a can and poured out the juice, which I shredded in a blender)
2 tablespoon of finely chopped red onions
2 tablespoon of finely chopped green onions(I used leek instead)
1 teaspoon cilantro - finely chopped
1 teaspoon red bell peppers - finely chopped
2 tablespoon lime
Dash of red pepper, cayenne (for more heat add jalapeno pepper, this is optional- I didn't have any but really wanted to add this to the menu)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and chill for an hour or more for great flavor. 


The extra sweet tangy taste on the salmon was very good, and it made a big change from just an ordinary salmon to one with a little extra flavor.  This was just the right touch for our Sunday Meal.