One of the things that impressed me most about the Civil Rights Movement and continues to be a source of inspiration for me is the fact that there were so many every day people who contributed. It wasn't just about Dr. King, Julian Bond, and John Lewis, but also the unsung like Georgia Gilmore who went from cafeteria cook to unemployed as the result of the bus boycott to home-cook and entrepreneur who fed and financed the movement. I'm happy to tell her story in this month's post as well as offer up in the immortal words of Outkast's Big Boi - "some fish and grits and all that pimp shit!" Enjoy
Recipes from the African Diaspora
February kicks off Black History Month, and I'm excited to be participating in a Virtual Potlock with 27 other food bloggers. My contribution is this Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich which is a mashup of Japanese and Southern cultures. Look closely and you'll notice an actual plump shrimp cutlet instead of fried chicken thigh. The fried shrimp is then dipped in a spicy chili oil for additional flavor. And oh yeah, there is a history lesson in this post. Did you know as early as the 1500s Japanese had an African Samurai?
Sundays mean meal prep for me, which pretty much always means making 2-3 sauces for the week. As I tend to keep things on the simple end during my always busy week, having reliable, delicious and versatile sauce on hand allow me to elevate any basic dish whether its pasta, grilled chicken, or roasted potatoes. This collard green salsa verde qualifies as one of those do it all type sauces. It definitely skews on the healthier side, but in no way skimps on flavor. Besides the taste and versatility I find it's an easy way to get the nutritional benefits provided by collard greens on a daily basis without the labor of cooking up a big ole pot of collards. JUST keep things simple with the recipe and you'll love it as a condiment/meal enhancer.
A big green salad just in time for Thanksgiving side dish plans. It's a unique salad featuring an unlikely mix of ingredients that work magic together. Collard greens, baby lima beans, smashed cucumbers, and lemongrass-coconut pickled celery make for soul food meets Asian cuisine mash-up. Requires little cooking to free you up to focus on other things. The recipe is powered by a soulful hip hop track "Greeny Green" from Atlanta's finest Goodie Mob featuring Ceelo Green.
Turn your dinner table into a soulful feast with this whole roasted black bass—crispy skin, tender flesh, and a bright salsa that sings.This sea bass recipe is simple yet stunning: a perfectly seasoned fish roasted until the skin crisps up and the flesh stays tender and juicy. High-heat oven roasting locks in moisture and delivers …
This vegan posole verde is a soulful twist on the Mexican classic, built around tender hominy, silky cabbage, and poblano peppers simmered in a vibrant green broth. Sauteing the poblanos deepens their earthy sweetness while cabbage adds a satisfying, almost silky texture that soaks up every herbaceous spoonful. Bright, smoky, and deeply comforting, it's a …
A vibrant, and refreshing main dish option that can be added to your 30 minute meals arsenal. Quinoa is easy to cook and requires little effort to impart flavor. Given this, it's a staple in our house as a busy weeknight go-to. Plus it offers so many other beneficial qualities that I recommend you get …
Healthy Soul Food and The African Diet There have been many attempts to define soul food. Without getting deep down into the nuanced minutia of what it actually is, let's just agree that like porn, we know it when we see it. However, might we be too narrow in our consideration of what constitutes soul …
This comforting skillet cabbage recipe is a great weeknight meal. It's delicious and perfect for all types of customization. I know how much you guys love quick and easy meals, so today I am sharing my grandma's quick and easy beef cabbage stir. Add this to your collection of 30-minute meals. There are only a …
Smoky, spicy, and full of island flair—your new favorite vegan centerpiece This roasted whole cauliflower takes the humble head of cauliflower and turns it into a showstopper with bold jerk seasoning and slow, even roasting. The marinade penetrates every floret, delivering heat, citrus, and aromatic depth that makes it perfect for a vegan main or …
Fluffy Coconut Ginger Rice with a Creamy Kick and Fiery Fresh Zing Yo!, food lovers and flavor chasers, this one right here is a groove—coconut ginger rice that hits like a warm bassline wrapped in sunshine. We're talkin’ jasmine rice simmered slow and silky in coconut milk, with fresh ginger sliding through like a smooth …
Sticky-Sweet Braised Smoked Ham Hocks with Tender Pull-Apart Meat and Deep Molasses-Whiskey Glaze Yo, listen up! This one’s for the slow rollers and deep soul searchers. We're bringing’ you braised smoked ham hocks that preach comfort and flavor like William Becton’s “Be Encouraged” on a rainy Sunday. Sear the hocks first for extra depth and …
The beauty of tacos is you can make them with any ingredient including oxtails. These braised beef oxtail tacos are da bomb! Slow-cooked in a smoky, complex and mildly spicy sauce made from dried Mexican chilis. For other leftover beef based tacos try these fried beef tacos which make use of leftover neck bones. I …
Delicious 10 minute take on a soul food staple featuring no slime okra and tomatoes prepared with one of the most simple cooking methods to allow the okra's natural flavor to shine augmented with lime and fresh mint. We eat okra in so many different ways in my house. But I understand not everyone is …
Crispy smashed sweet potato recipe featuring crispy, rich exterior with a sweet soft, and moist tender center for a perfect way to enjoy one of my favorite vegetables. MOOD MUSIC Duck fat and sweet potatoes are a perfect pairing. I buy duck fat from my local farmers' market from time to time, and then promptly …
Fire up the grill and bring that island flavor to your table with these Puerto Rican grilled pork chops—juicy, smoky, and tender. These Puerto Rican pork chops are brined in sour orange juice, garlic, and spices before hitting the grill, giving you tender, juicy pork chops with a crisp char on the outside. The cooking …
Smoky, soulful, and straight from the bayou - this smoked duck gumbo with oven baked roux turns any weekend meal into a Louisiana feast, loaded with deep Cajun flavor and silky, stew-like comfort. My flavor peeps, grab a spoon and tune your taste buds to the duck alert frequency — this smoked duck gumbo is …
Caramelized & Velvety: Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes in Spiced Brown Sugar Syrup Listen up, my fellow flavor peeps—your guy the flavor-phile is about to drop the real deal with this Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes aka Camote Enmielados recipe—that will make you rethink everything you know about sweet potatoes. We're taking those sweet potatoes and slow-simmering …
Golden-Crisped Puerto Rican Mofongo with Juicy Shrimp & Smoky Pepper Sauce: Bold, Garlicky, and Comfortably Crunchy Now we cookin' with baby! This mofongo relleno is a Puerto Rican flavor bomb that starts with green plantains, fried golden in olive oil then smashed in a mortar and pestle (or with potato masher) with fresh garlic cloves …
Delicious and simple Napa Cabbage Salad with Asian-Caribbean fusion dressing that takes all of about 5 minutes to have a sophisticated and brag-worthy dish on the table. This is a recipe that I adapted from a recipe from Marcus Samuelson's book exploring cuisine from across Africa. The dressing combines Scotch bonnet chilis with peanuts, ginger, …
This is not your average bowl of eggplant stew. It's delicious, made with just a few ingredients, and seasoned with a South African Braai spice rub. The spice rub is made homemade and adds amazing flavor to a very simple dish that you will enjoy No Doubt! FOR THE MOOD Eggplant Ingredients For the eggplant …
Indulge in the rich flavors of creamy vegetarian red beans and rice, a delightful and satisfying twist on the classic dish. Velvety textures, aromatic spices, and a medley of vegetables create a comforting meat-free option. This is soul food, vegetarian style! Related Bean Recipe Posts: Creamy vegetarian red beans and rice offer a delectable twist …
Weeknight soul meets global flavor—this soba noodles bowl brings sweet potatoes, collard greens, and good vibes to your table for lunch, dinner, or that midweek reset meal. Your flavor DJ here, spinning a little flavor harmony straight outta the kitchen. This soba noodles bowl hits like a groove—earthy buckwheat noodles twirlin’ with sweet roasted potatoes …
Creamy mashed root vegetables made Caribbean style for an alternative side dish in place of plain, boring mashed potatoes! Boniato root, popular throughout the Caribbean, is paired with turmeric and spices for a colorful and tasty mash. This mashed boniato recipe is comfort food with a passport. Rooted in Caribbean kitchens and built on the naturally …
Nothing like some raw collard greens chiffonade to get me off that slide! Simply prepared, a tasty way to get collard greens in your life any day of the week. We eat collard greens in one form or another at least once a week in our household. This collard greens recipe made chiffonade style is …
Hot vinegar pepper sauce is a sharp, fiery Southern table condiment made by steeping fresh peppers in tangy vinegar until the flavors mellow, deepen, and light up every bite of greens, beans, fried fish, or barbecue. This version layers in tequila for subtle earthy sweetness and smoky complexity that rounds out the heat while giving …
Bring the groove to your table with this smoked beet salad, a show-stopping side dish perfect for dinner parties, holiday spreads, or a soulful weeknight salad upgrade. Listen up, flavor chasers—this smoked beets salad ain’t your everyday garden mix. We’re talking earthy beets kissed with smoke, layered with creamy tang and fresh crunch, hitting your …
Slow and soulful—this smothered okra turns humble ingredients into comfort food magic, perfect for Sunday suppers, weeknight soul food dinners, or family gatherings. You flavor DJ here, bringing a little low-and-slow love from the stovetop to your soul. This smothered okra ain’t just a side dish—it’s a full-on groove of flavor, where tender okra meets …
Give leftover beet greens a fresh spin with this vibrant salsa verde—zesty, earthy, and the perfect greens salsa for fish, meats, or veggies. This beet greens salsa verde is a quick, no-cook recipe that transforms tender greens into a bold, flavor-packed sauce. Blended with garlic, citrus, herbs, and olive oil, it comes together in just …