VirgysKitchenandGarden

New Yorkers and other Northerners appreciate window sills, the next best thing to a garden.  I lived in Rochester, New York, and I was too busy to entertain any type of gardening. However, I loved to see what neighbors did with window sills since most of the land was covered with pavements and sidewalks: cement permanency. I am blessed to have window sills in my classroom. The first time I walked into the huge classroom and saw the windows, the Northern part of me was excited, but the Southern part of me yearned for the real earth. The compromise is to turn my window sills into joyful portable gardens with potted plants. The plant on the right (a philodendron variety) was sickly over the Christmas holiday from lack of TLC and water. Most of the leaves had turned brown and were dry enough to inflame a fireplace. I put my famous green thumb to use, nurtured the plant, and the leaves are now healthy and abundant.  The pothos (above left) replaced the Croton Mammy (left) that died of thirs

As an avid gardener, I love to feel the therapeutic power of Mother Earth, so I garden. In Georgia, I am blessed with real gardens where I plant a variety of flowers: roses (God's showiest masterpieces), hydrangea, gladiolus, lilies, and so on. At times, my yard is a display of my gardening skills. The top and bottom pictures are roses. In the middle are gladiolus (left) and lilies (right). --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.

Top: Start with a skinless and boneless pan-seared salmon filet on a thick spray of EVOL (extra virgin olive oil). The recommendation is never to wash meat and fish before cooking. The more surface meat and fish touch, the more salmonella poisoning they spread. Go from frozen to pan or baking dish.  Shake in some minced onions and fresh ground pepper on the salmon. Keep turning until done. Top with Mozzarella cheese and serve half per person. The big chocolate muffin is from Sam's Club . Serve half per person. One toast smeared with goat honey cheese. One ripe orange split in four ways (My father's favorite way of cutting them). --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden

For some reason, blueberries overpower vegetables and other fruits. This is a high-power smoothie, so healing.  The usual recommendation is three vegetables to one fruit. However, I did two fruits (blueberries and banana) to two vegetables (kale and broccoli).    --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.

Food exploration: I changed up my salad base to raw everything: cabbage, broccoli, carrots, and red bell pepper. As nutrition experts will tell you, eating raw is the healthiest way. Cooked tends to subtract some nutrients.  According to Sifetbabo ("the fastest-growing entertainment portal in the world"), "The first benefit of eating raw vegetables is the phytonutrients present in raw veggies can reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases like stroke, cancer, heart diseases, or old age eye-sight problems. However, cooking and food processing destroy many of these beneficial compounds. According to a study, approximately 55% of the vitamin C is lost during the cooking procedure of vegetables."   --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and prefer

--Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.

--Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.

What can we eat between meals to stay light while we count the hours until lunch or dinner? Samosa and broccoli!.   --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.

Presenting two plates filled with my loves.  ❤️ ❤️  Black beans with stew, fried plantain with stew, white rice with stew, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts Golden fries, broccoli, boiled egg, and Brussel sprouts --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.

Late-night cravings are picky. Layer a bed of cooked kale and spinach combo, heap one kitchen spoonful of cooked Mayocoba beans, and sprinkle with Sriracha. --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.

It was a work of art in colors and texture. Green leaf lettuce, black olives, red bell pepper, Mayocoba beans, Mozzarella cheese, and drops of Sriracha. --Frances Ohanenye maintains this visual "cookbook" that features processes and ingredients in pictures. The offerings have evolved into vegetarian and food-allergy recipes. Other cooks and chefs should calibrate according to their locale, availability, and preference. Click on "Open Source Cooking" (http://www.virgyskitchenandgarden.com/p/kitchen-sample.html) for additional information. Thanks for visiting.