Reflections: A Quick Meal & A Haiku...

"Man seeks to change the foods available in nature to suit his tastes, thereby putting an end to the very essence of life contained in them." Sai Baba

Reflections: A Quick Meal & A Haiku...

Reflections: A Quick Meal & A Haiku...

The last two months have been quite hectic for me. I enrolled in a challenging certification program that has interactive classroom time, a ton of reading, and an exam at the end of each course. Because of the time constraints, and the fact that I'm constantly rushing to class or elsewhere, I've had to cut back on the number of posts I add to both of my blogs, and make a concerted effort to keep up my visits and commenting on other blogs. Also, I've had to find creative ways to prepare quick, healthy dishes that are tasty and easy to make. Today, I'll share a tasty dish I prepared: Brown Rice with a medley of mixed vegetables sauteed in olive oil and Teriyaki sauce.  What made this dish a delight was the ease and speed it took to create it.

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." Harriet van Horne

Reflections: A Quick Meal & A Haiku...

Reflections: A Quick Meal & A Haiku...

End of snow...
Spring gathers its wares
Soon the blooms...

Soon the blooms...
Deer wander the yard
Food to share

Food to share...
Brown rice and veggies
Summer's near...


Today, the word is: Yuki no hate (end of snow)

What is Carpe Diem?  Blog Owner, Kristjaan Panneman,  describes it as:  "a weblog on haiku. It's a new daily haiku meme where you can write a classical or non-classical haiku on a given prompt. Haiku is an ancient Japanese poetry form. A haiku has three short lines and describes a short moment (as short as the sound of a pebble thrown into water). Mostly a haiku counts 5-7-5 syllables and is sometimes called 'counted verse'" .'"





Why the haiku?& I added the haiku to share a breezy note as we hopefully celebrate the end of snow and anticipate the coming spring. Are you ready for spring? Are you a fan of Brown rice? I am and I love to use Minute® Rice

Brown rice because it's ready in 10 minutes and retains that nutty flavoring. For some folk, it's an acquired taste but once you try it, you'd understand why it's easy, convenient to use and a healthy grain choice. For this easy prep dish, here's the Rice Recipe: Ingredients: 1 cup Brown rice, 1 cup water, Measure a cup of dry brown rice and set aside. In a pot, add a cup of water and bring to boil. Add the dry rice, lid, turn the stove temperature to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir the pot and its contents a few times and then let stand for 5minutes. While the rice is simmering, you can start the vegetable medley and the recipe is below.
More Below!

A Favorite Food: Coconut Jollof Rice

“Let the stoics say what they please, we do not eat for the good of living, but because the food is savory and the appetite is keen.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jollof Rice

Jollof Rice

Growing up in a large family meant we had many occasions to celebrate. Inviting extended family members and serving traditional foods was always a big part of our gatherings. Days before a special event, my mom and a few aunts would go shopping for all the fresh ingredients and gather in the kitchen to discuss who would make what dish - Jollof Rice was always on the menu. Jollof Rice is a very popular savory dish in Nigeria, and its origins can be traced back to the Wolof people of Senegal and The Gambia. The addition of desiccated coconut to my recipe is a twist my ever-inventive, gourmet cook mother added to this traditional dish, hence, her dish/recipe for -
Coconut Jollof Rice.
 
What comes to mind when you think of happy times with your family? Think about it. Many family stories are centered around cooking and eating favorite foods. When I think back to my childhood days, more so than my adult life, I have fond memories of dishes prepared by aunts and grannies from both sides of my family. There were dishes that, Dada, my paternal grandmother made and other dishes, Mama Clara, my maternal granny prepared. Each set of relatives brought their childhood food memories, from our varied and extended family history, and planted them firmly in their dishes. Visiting extended family for special events was always an opportunity to be regaled with stories of ancestors, and close friends, who gave away secret recipes only under duress on their dying bed… We all have these stories.

Dessicated Coconut

This week for Tell The Truth Thursday: What is your favorite food/best recipe?
Interestingly, in today's world of busy, over-scheduled, modern families, the dynamic has shifted as people eat in a hurry, order take out foods or go to restaurants a lot more than previous generations. Working outside the home has meant that many of us can no longer follow the footstep of our moms and have a sit down dinner promptly at …. .... Fill in the blank. Even though I enjoy cooking and prepare several meals at home, we eat out too. In terms of favorite foods, we love Asian, African, Mid-Eastern and Continental cuisine, and vary our restaurant outings on eating foods from those parts of the world. However, we do eat foods from around the globe and my kids have developed a sophisticated palate and enjoy eating out as well as eating foods I prepare in my kitchen.

Despite the shifting, modern, dining winds in many households, I choose to cherish memories of my mom's cooking, while embracing the modern ways we break bread. I make sure that special occasions and holidays are celebrated at home with food cooked in my kitchen. What about you? Do you work inside or outside the home? How does it impact planning family meals?  Enjoy the rest of my story and the Coconut Jollof Rice recipe below…

MORE BELOW!