Beauty Out of Africa

How Do Vegans Make it Through the Holidays?

This is a wonderful article written by Meikmeika, she has a really awesome blog were amongst her other interests she blogs about food, specifically vegan cooking. Eventhough I am not Vegan, I love the creative dishes she comes up with. They are healthy and simply yummy to look at. So this posting is for Vegans and non-vegans to enjoy. There are quite a few things on Meikmeikas list that we can incorporate into our Christamas Feast!

To find out more about Meikkmeika and Vegan cooking you can contact her via email or visit her blog

I'm sure there are many vegans out there who breeze through the holiday season without any issues, of which I am not one.  I can still remember my first year as a vegan, Halloween came around and all the leftover sweets were in the office.  All I could do was stare in awe at the mound of Snickers, Almond Joys, Kit Kats, Three Musketeers, Twix and various other candy bars strategically placed near my desk tempting me.  One of my co-workers wives is an excellent baker and prepares something for the office every holiday.  I can laugh at the situations today, but back then it was a true test.  Since then I've discovered many of my childhood favorite candies are vegan, like Swedish Fish, Sour Jacks, Dots, Chico Sticks and Now and Laters.  Company pot-lucks are another story, fortunately my office rarely has them.

What about desserts?  I have mastered many types of cookies, such as chocolate chip, ginger, oatmeal, molasses, and peanut butter.  Apple pie, peach cobbler, coffee cake, pumpkin muffins, cupcakes and many other desserts are easily veganized, not to mention cholesterol free. You can't have Thanksgiving or Christmas without Turkey, Stuffing/Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Biscuits, Gravy, Macaroni and Cheese, Collard Greens, etc!  Everything listed can be easily veganized.

A quick search on the net can get you plenty of vegan recipes for a mock turkey loaf or a Tofurky Roast can be purchased from your Local Health Food Store.  In my opinion the hardest to substitute on the list is the Macaroni and Cheese.  I have yet to find a vegan cheese that comes close to the real deal, there are recipes that can get you the creamy texture but the cheese-like taste can take a bit of getting used to.

Eating vegan during the Holiday Season can be a breeze with a little preparation.  For instance, I now bring in my own stash of candy after Halloween.  I also bake cookies, muffins and cupcakes and bring them to work so I know, at the very least, I can eat what I've brought in.  Preparation is key.......

Thanks to the World Wide Web vegan recipes can be easily attained.  Below are a couple of sites that offer vegan recipes and/or forums that can aid in veganizing recipes:

vegweb.com
theppk.com
veganchef.com
vegcooking.com
veganforum.com
fatfree.com
fatfreevegan.com
chooseveg.com
recipezaar.com (do a search using the word "vegan" and hundreds of recipes will appear)

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meikmeika

The Suya Grill

Today we are featuring some of our more exotic West African dishes and will be hearing from an expert in 'World' or 'Fusuion' Cuisine.

Khamisa Dike is the proprietor of The Suya Grill, an Atlanta based catering comapany specializing in Event Planning and Chef Services. Their signature dish is Suya, a West African style spicy kebob. Ask any Nigerian, Senegalese or Ghanian about Suya and they start to salivate as they think of those spicy kebabs cooked over open coals in their native land.

Funlayo: I have tasted your Suya and it is incredible! What makes The Suya Grill exceptional

Khamisa: The Suya- Grill is more than a catering service, it is a unique culinary experience! We offer a vast array of mouth-watering snacks and appetizing meals created from the most delectable African, Asian and world fusion recipes. The foods are not only delicious but also versatile! These are meals to accommodate even the most discriminating taste bud. Unique in their origin, but cross-cultural in their appeal, the Suya-Grill menu is limited only by your imagination.

Funlayo: What are some of the items you offer at The Suya Grill

Khamisa: Suya-Grill offers an array of tantalizing hors d’oeuvres with universal appeal, hot delicious meals and menu choices to fit any party needs. Our meals are masterfully created with a combination of well-integrated exotic spices and seasonings. The products are made fresh and from scratch. We neither compromise nor substitute our spices and seasonings. This is why our meals have proven authenticity. Try them all or create your own menu from our extensive choices!

Funlayo: Tell us more about your services

Khamisa: Suya-Grill is multifaceted to accommodate the various needs of our clients. Our services include the creation of an excellent menu choice to meet specific and unique needs of every client. We also offer customized catering for small groups of two to thirty. Dinner for Two - Our popular “Dinner for Two” service offers a romantic option for couples who wish to have the same great service and good food offered in fine restaurants, without leaving the comfort of their home. The Soireé  - This plan caters to the needs of small group meetings, get-togethers, parties of between 10 and 30 guests. The Coporate Plan – The Suya-Grill corporate plan is proud to introduce “Nations Day” to multicultural companies.

Funlayo: Tell us about your upcoming projects

Khamisa:  A Cook Book – This cook book will show you how to cook African meals from  the comfort of your home. We will explore some of the delectable selections featured in the Suya Grill Menu. 

Our website will be up and running by early 2008, it will offer recipes and ideas which can be purchased and downloaded online!

For more information on services and menu, contact Khamisa at  (404) 513-1833● thesuyagrill@aol.com

Grilled Tilapia

We know that Turkey is a Thanksgiving staple, but it doesn't hurt to have other types of meats or fish on hand to add variety to the table. Tilapia is one of my favorite seafood treats. It is a very firm fish that lends itself to cooking methods that you would otherwise reserve for beef and chicken. In addition to being firm, Tilapia does not have an overwhelming fishy smell and does not have too many little bones that can choke you :)

I grill my Tilapia whole. You can usually buy whole tilapia from your African or Asian market. You can have the fish gut, scaled and cleaned right in the store.

Make three slits crosswise on both sides of the fish. Soak fish in cold salt water for about an hour or overnight, if you have the time. Pat dry and then use a brush to rub a marinade of oil, fresh garlic, lemon juice and crushed peppers on both side of fish. Keep some of the marinade to apply during latter part of the grilling process.

Using the Broil setting in your oven, place fish on a well oiled rack with a pan under it for drainage.
If you chose to use a grill, make sure rack is well oiled to prevent sticking. As fish cooks you may want to brush on more of the marinade mixture.

Cooking time for tilapia is approx about 10 minutes on each side.

Remove tilapia from grill and place on flat dish. As an added option you can pour a quick saute over fish and let sit for about 20 minutes before serving

Quickie saute
Chop up onions, tomatoes, red & green bell peppers and saute in olive oil until onions and peppers are soft and form a sauce. You can add, other herbs and spices as you see fit, be as creative as you want. Season to taste and pour this mix over fish when cooking is complete

More Exotic Holiday Side Dishes

Fried Plantains
Plantains are a staple in may parts of the tropical world. They can be cooked in so may different ways, almost as you would a potato. Plantains are great boiled and mashed, grilled, roasted and fried. Some people like their plantains unripe and green. Some prefer it yellow and firm while some will only cook plantains that are so ripe they are black. I fall into the middle category. I like my plantains yellow and firm so that when I fry them they are crisp without being too hard and they have a nice sweet flavor

What you need:
Deep Fryer or Skillet
Vegetable Oil (Peanut, Canola or Soy Oils will do)

Remove skin from plantain by cutting the tips off both ends. Run knife down length of plantain to open skin, then pry skin off with your fingers.
Warning: plantains cannot be peeled by hand like a banana.

Slice plantain crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices. Heat 1 1/2 inches oil to 375°F in your skillet. Place slices of plantain in skillet but do not overcrowd, so that frying time is not extended. Fry until side is light to medium brown and then flip to the other side. It takes approx 2-3 minutes on each side
warning: If this is your first time frying plantains, it is better to stay close by so that plantains don't burn.

Transfer golden brown plantains on plate covered with paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Serve immediately. Plantains always taste best fresh out of the grease :)

What to Serve for the Holidays

I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. I have all these great ideas and I can't wait to make them happen. As I mentioned before, Thanksgiving in  my house is all about fusion, Africa meets East & West.

Some of the dishes we are sure to have will be 2 different types of rice - I will have recipes from some experts made available in my next post; Fried Plantains - delicious and simple to make; I'm thinking I may grill some Tilapia Fish and smother it in spicy sauteed spinach, hmm.... I'm thinking we will have the famous West African Suya - and yes I will tell you how you can get some of that too.

This is just a fore taste of what is to come. Stay tuned because I will be providing awesome recipes that you try this Thanksgiving to jazz things up

Fall Food Line Up

Fall is here and it's time to start thinking about the holidays and cooking. Thanksgiving in the West African home is a fusion of American and African traditions and it makes for some really interesting dishes. Like in most American homes there is always the traditional turkey, but it's turkey with a twist. In my house we  season our turkey with Jamaican Jerk Spices and Smoke it. Oh baby, talk about taking turkey up a notch or two.

So let's talk about all the non traditional dishes that will be on our thanksgiving table this month. More to come ......

What I will miss about the Summer

One of the many things I love about the summer is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables at my local Farmers market.
Just looking at the vast array of fresh produce inspires me to put a new spin on some of my old recipes, not that I really use recipes. I have a good friend who has an awesome herb garden. Every week she brings me bouquets of fresh basil, thyme and sage. One sniff of this fragrant bouquet gets my creative juices flowing.

With fresh veggies and herbs, it's almost impossible to produce a bad dish. Because the ingredients are so fresh and sweet, they make even the simplest dish dazzle.

I really don't know what to call this dish but It's a combination of ground turkey, lamb also works well, seasoned with herbs and spices and sauteed with onions and garlic in a large pan.

In a separate pan, I added a combination of blended fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers and herbs into hot olive oil. Cooked for about 20 minutes, then added slices of egg plant. Finally I  added sauteed meats and covered pan and allowed to simmer so the eggplant could get soft. I love fresh okra, so I chopped up okra and threw it in to cook for the last 5 minutes. The okra was not gloppy or slimy.

I served the dish on a bed of Jasmine Rice. The whole family loved it!

A feast for the Eyes

I love desserts, but not just any desserts.

I am most partial to beautifully made French Pastries. I came across Laduree while reading an article on npr.

"Every day, on the most beautiful avenue in the world, Ladurée creates the products that have made its reputation: macaroons, sweets, pastries and other desserts. With passion and talent, 45 pastry chefs and 40 cooks prepare traditional and festive dishes that demonstrate their know-how and their creativity."

I have added Paris to the list of places I must visit in the next 2 years, and when I am there I will be sitting down to coffee and dessert at Laduree.                                                                                                                                                         .