A sweet, savory, buttery, green and healthy food blog by Sanura Weathers
Learned about a last minute invitation to a potluck on the same day as the event. Luckily, it was in the morning, but the week’s menu was already planned. Our dinner became a gift to the host. When we arrived, it was discovered it was a vegetarian affair. Needless to say, this dish had all the sinful pleasures: cream, chicken and cheese. The roasted asparagus and the fresh herbs were the only honest ingredients. It was also the first empty bowl amid the other righteous dishes.
Strolling through a museum, a friend asked if I liked Andy Warhol. The answer is usually automated: “Yes, he’s one of the greatest artists of the 20th century!” On that day my perception of art was being challenged, for I wanted to think about my answer. “I don’t know,” was my response, “My opinion right now is based on what art classes tell me to like.” Andy Warhol spiced up his creativity by using ordinary objects in pop culture. He screen printed an image of the canned Cream of Mushroom soup because of its banality of flavor. That day, I had the lovely pleasure of viewing artwork from other artists made with dirt, sticks and clay shaped like unmentionables. It was artwork inspired from the can. Read more
Promptly exiting the office at 5 p.m., I had to make a choice between two important tasks causing scheduling conflicts: going grocery shopping or working out. The local gym, free to the neighborhood, is open for two hours on three weekdays. Although, I’ve recently discovered running in cold weather is a refreshing activity, the gym is still needed on snowy days when the streets are icy. That free gym saves the budget from a yearly membership expense, because it is not needed in the summer. The recent snowstorm had enough power to close the gym, in which a few days of running were missed. It also delayed grocery shopping, and the fridge is looking bare. The eggs and the flour are gone, the pale bottoms of the drawers in the fridge are visible, and eating out is beginning to take a toll on the budget. Read more
If breakfast is the starter meal of a day, then Sunday is the starter meal of the work week. Reviewing the schedule for the upcoming week, it revealed little time for cooking a meal. Sunday dinner needed a recipe for the crock pot. The meal needed to be hearty and large to last a few extra days. The additional stress endured this week will be counteracted with a spicy Curry Chicken stew. Meals with little nutritional value will only feed the stress.
Sunday starts with our audacity to accept a invitation to a wonderful performance. After returning home from seeing Emperor Jones at the SoHo Playhouse, it was a relief to know dinner would be quickly served. As we waited for the rice to cook — 45 minutes for brown rice — we worked on our projects. When the rice was ready and the garnishes were prepped, we ate a spicy stew and enjoyed the evening. During the week, I will remember this relaxing moment in the midst of chaos.
Read moreHappy twenty-ten! My New Year’s meal was spent with good friends celebrating Kwanzaa while eating black-eyed peas mixed with couscous, collard greens, baked chicken, lasagna, and other delicious pot luck dishes. We started the evening by giving thanks to our ancestors (Ashay!) and honoring our community elder. Our hostess asked her guests to bring two pieces of fruit. We brought her a pineapple and a banana.
The next day, I slept in a few more extra hours and started making our New Year’s dinner: baked chicken with roasted root vegetables, black-eyed peas over brown rice, Brazilian collard greens, and a sparkling wine that was (…ahem) too sweet!
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