Kwanzaa Recipes – Page 4 – My Life Runs on Food

Appetizing Thoughts: Warm Up to a Cup of Gullah Girl Tea

January 14, 2015March 20, 2015Sanura

Gullah Girl Tea Strawberry Ginger Tea | Photo Credit: Gregory Costanzo

When South Carolina native, now New Yorker, Charmaine Bee, of Gullah Girl Tea reached out to MyLifeRunsOnFood.com about her Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for equipment and supplies to accommodate her growing business, I instantly became one of her many cheerleaders. Bee’s healing tea blends have whimsical names in tribute to her childhood memories in South Carolina. In the interview below, Bee reminisces about her family and Gullah culture, discusses health concerns in our community and talks about her Kickstarter campaign. Make a pot of tea and read below to learn more about Gullah Girl Tea.
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Mazao Fruit Salad with Cultured Whipped Cream

December 27, 2014March 5, 2015Sanura

Happy Kwanzaa! Your table is set up with the a kinara. It’s surrounded by lush mazao, fruit symbolizing the reward of productive and collective labor from the harvest. The bananas, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, grapes, papaya and other fruit ripens each day during the week of Kwanzaa. As pretty as the fruit looks, a fresh fruit salad needs to be made. Read more →

Kwanzaa Culinarians 2014: Cacao Benne Cookies

December 2, 2014November 10, 2018Sanura

Cacao Benne Cookies

Make a pot of tea or coffee, light a candle, grab a comfortable seat, and plate a few cacao benne (pronounced “benny”) cookies. How was your year? Since the time I’ve learned 14 isn’t my favorite number, I’ve cautiously waited for the year of 2014. It’s a painfully honest number. And, when the clock turned 2014 in the midnight hour on January first, I said a silent prayer. God help us. And, as I’ve imaged, this year is a roller coaster of emotions. Russia. Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ebola in West Africa. Mike Brown and other victims of the police. Family members passing. By the time summer arrived, my stomach was jumping to the tune of “War” sung by The Temptations. Since the beginning of human relationships, I’m sure there’s a country or region involved in a war somewhere around the globe. Perhaps, due to my sensitivity to 14, this year’s wars and conflicts deeply troubled me. It’s 2014 communicating, “War… What is it good for?… absolutely nothing…”

The Banality of Broccoli

November 19, 2014March 20, 2015Sanura

Broccoli and Freekeh Salad

Broccoli is (le sigh) a common green vegetable. For people who are unfamiliar with food, it’s a safe vegetable to cook. As a premier healthy vegetable, it’s more likely to be dropped in everyone’s shopping cart. A carnivore restaurant includes it in their vegetarian menu. As a home cook, I walk pass it in the grocery store, because there are exotic vegetables to discover.

Appetizing Event: “Blues Crawl” Evening Inspires a Blueberry Hominy Salad with Dandelion Greens

November 1, 2014March 20, 2015Sanura

Blueberry and Hominy Salad with Dandelion Greens

A few weeks ago, I was invited to a “Blues Crawl, a blueberry-theme dinner. The evening started with a Blueberry-Jalapeño Margarita from The Arlington Club. Then we proceeded to tasting Blueberry Tamales from Fonda Chelsea Restaurant. The main course was Blueberry-Coffee Rubbed Skirt Steak served with Tomato Confit and Mascarpone Polenta from The Delicatessen. The evening ended with LAVO NYC’s Blueberry Semifreddo with Essential Blueberry Sauce. All the savory dishes brought out blueberries’ tart and juicy flavor without tasting similar to a dessert.