VirgysKitchenandGarden

Waffles could be healthier. What is a better way to make waffles healthier? Just pile a heap of cottage cheese on them. Don't worry.  The waffle overpowers the cottage cheese anyway.  Together, they are tastier and healthier. --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.

For health and religious reasons, I had to remove meat from my diet, but not completely. For health reasons, and according to the WebMD, red and processed meat cause or increase the risks of Type-2diabetes, obesity, heart disease/stroke, certain cancers, eventual death/shorter lifespan, blood cholesterol, acne, Alzheimer's disease, and other diseases. Whereas I am not cutting out meat from my diet entirely, I reduced its intake to no meat for several months. Dr. Christine Rosenbloom , nutrition professor, advises against giving up meat entirely. For religious reasons: As a Catholic, I must avoid being in the crossfire of Good Friday obligation and the temptation of the flesh (not mine). I have resolved to abolish meat entirely on Fridays entirely. Not to face the danger of forgetting, I don't eat meat for weeks and months. When I do allow myself to eat meat, I make sure it is in the middle of the week between Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The minor sacrifice of no meat is nothing co

I was in Queens (New York) for an event. I caught the cooking bug and decided to make Caribbean rice and beans from a recipe I borrowed from Pat(rick) and Carol Shouldeen . I went   grocery shopping   with my Godson, and we raked in some serious savings even as expensive as New York is. For example, I bought a 20-pound bag of parboiled rice for under $9.00. It can be done! Caribbean Rice: Sautee diced red onion in hot olive oil in a big pot. After the onion is softened and emits an aroma, add chicken breast chunks. Turn the chicken until it is done. Add two tablespoonfuls of browning. Mix until chicken and onion turn brown. Add 2 cups of raw (uncooked--wash if desired) parboiled rice. Mix thoroughly. Pour in one can of drained dry pigeon peas. Mix well. Pour in one can of coconut milk and four cups of water. Mix well. Sprinkle/pour these herbs, spices, and other condiments: Thyme, pink Himalayan salt, fresh and chopped garlic (or powder), 2 chicken bouillon small cubes, parsley, grou

I was in New York for the memorial event of my beloved Khaliq Sanda (R.I.P., my son). It was an impossible event. I thank the generous people of Westport, Connecticut, for embracing Khaliq and for honoring him with a bridge . I thank Khaliq's friends from Duke University (Class of 2018) for making Khaliq feel loved beyond words. Before I headed home after Khaliq's memorial event, Olive cooked up a parade of African dishes for me. I felt special. I was appreciative of the hours she spent in the kitchen on my behalf. From left to right: The entire plethora of African dishes, baked chicken, stew for rice, soup for foo-foo/gari, baked sweet potatoes, foo-foo, rice topped with mixed vegetables, and buffalo chicken garnished with mixed vegetables. If I were not flying straight from Olive's house, I would have packed enough food to last a few days.  Olive put her feet in every food! The dishes were so delicious that I ate without my usual aversion to weight gain. I polished the

I love going to the Renaissance Festival in Georgia and in Texas. Eating turkey drumsticks elsewhere lacks the authenticity of royalty and festivity evident at the festival. After I visit the jousting area, Shakespeare's theater, the name station, and other exhibitions of interest, I grab a golden-brown drumstick.  I love to speak with Renaissance actors and actresses who dress in the fashion of yore and speak the English language of yore. Fast forward: These turkey drumsticks are home-baked. As delicious as they are, they lack the ambiance of the Renaissance Festival. --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 fo

In search of a different high-protein diet, I decided to like and try, really like, cottage cheese.  First, I buried it under Greek yogurt. Next, I mixed it with peanuts and strawberry chunks. The result is a yummy and nutritious breakfast I will eat for years. Left: Low-fat smooth Greek yogurt; right: low-fat cottage cheese   --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.