D'NALI

I come from a long line of cooks and bakers.  My grammy, my aunties, my mother, my cousins … a longggggggggggggggggggg line of kitchen aficionados and being able to join their ranks and throw together a meal or snack with whatever is handy has proved to be a treasure.

I live in a city of closet sized kitchens (in both houses and apts) and lots of food options.  Anything you want, it’s available — at any time of the day or night.  No exaggeration!!!!  Not exactly the greatest combination if you’re trying not to spend your entire paycheck eating out.  😀  So as small as my kitchen is, I try to use it … often.  This week past, I’ve been a cooking fool and here’s the proof:

Coconut butter which is easier than you imagine.  Just google (can’t believe that googling is now a verb, but that’s a different story 🙄 ) coconut butter and you’ll see how easy it is.  This “food” is part of my Whole Food Kitchen online wellness class and gives the BEST pina colada flavoured breakfast smoothies ever!!!!  Can you believe that you can even use this as a skin moisturizer or a pre-shampoo hair treatment?  😯  How did I live without this?  And the smell …. diiiiiii – vine!!!!!

In the small Caribbean island that I’m from, bread pudding (I add  my specialty rum sauce) is a dessert staple.  Traditionally, Saturday is our baking day, so it’s normal to smell scents of bread, coconut tarts, sweetbreads and bread pudding filling the village from the early afternoon to early evening.  Yum! 

This dessert is one that was brought to the Caribbean through British colonization, but it’s been adapted and can look more “cake-like” like mine ( I crush my buttered bread in my custard mixture) or chunky as it is baked traditionally.

And although I’m not Italian, making lasagna is one of my favourite quick meals to whip up.  This lasagna dish is vegetarian (no meat product).  I used mushroom as my protein, “meaty” substance AND home-made spagetti sauce.  Yes my friends, I made the sauce from scratch.  😀  My co-worker has already requested a piece with garden salad for lunch tomorrow.  😛

Now all I need is a buff, dish-washing guy to do the clean-up.  😀