Highlights From The First Friendsgiving

Roasted vegetables.

I hope that everyone had a pleasant holiday-- whether with family, friends, lovers, and pets.
We hosted a lovely Friendsgiving potluck gathering at our house yesterday. Around the table, guests indulged in a meal cooked all afternoon: Trader Joe's turkeyless roast, walnut macaroni and cheese, baked rice, Brussels sprouts, spicy tofu, and purple yams. Miyoko's Kitchen Partywheel Chive Cheese paired with grapes and crackers fooled many, creamy soft cashew based cheese delightfully bursting with sprinkled chives. Chuao Chocolatier added a sweet, decadent luxury to the tray alongside positive messages on every little delicious square.
For dessert, we shared pumpkin pie and ice cream over homemade mint lemonade, Califia Farms Holiday Nog, and alcoholic beverages.

Turkeyless roast turned out good. Unfortunately, the potatoes and carrots were hard (a tragic disaster).

I enjoyed Trader Joe's tender, succulent roast.

Pouring the walnut cheese on the Mac. 

The meal plate.

The cheese, grapes, crackers, and chocolate platter: a huge hit. Some guests admitted to not liking chocolate, but Chuao Chocolatier has won them over. 

Crackers spread with love.

Homemade pumpkin pie topped with Coconut Milk Reddi Whip (much better than the almond in my opinion). Originally, I sought So Delicious Coco Whip-- everyone was out. Reddi Whip was a nice consolation.

Real gold playing cards that my housemate bought in Abu Dhabi. 

A guest brought special tea. You pour hot boiling water over them, steep, and drink. It tastes warm and refreshing. 

Every Indigenous Day/Friendsgiving celebration ends in a passionate game of spades. 

Juneteenth in Philadelphia

Last Friday evening, commemorative wreaths honors Austin, Paris, Hercules, Christopher Sheeler, Richmond, Giles. Oney Judge, Moll, and Jon.

Before sharing the closing highlights of Juneteenth, I would love to link everyone to Chéri Yielle's Save My Soul. - a pleasant, soulful tune as humbly sweet as a mixture of maple syrup and dark chocolate. In addition to making a beautiful spirited song that calls out to the ancestral astral plane, Yielle is a vegan and shares her multifaceted artist lifestyle on Instagram. Check her out!

On a rainy Friday evening, a host of individuals from local, national, and international took the stage, red, green, and black balloons setting the mood with its symbolic color scheme. This was the third year for such an event, a commemoration of not just the freeing of African Americans from enslavement. The crowd stood right on the slave burial ground, near the slave auction block, a place that now beastly honors those nine illegal indentured prisoners of Washington's white house. In between moments of beautiful songs including the Pan African anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing." dance and theatrical performances, motivating speakers gave candid, moving accounts of how horrific the environment. We learned the importance of ATAC (Avenging the Ancestors Coalition), a local organization that fought for eight years to rectify a great wrong. On a December day, eight years ago, the mayor of Philadelphia cut the opening ribbon of the first slave memorial of its kind on federal property here in America just moments away from The Liberty Bell-- named such thanks to 19th century abolitionists.

The Philadelphia Heritage Chorale.

Among the artworks is a piece that tells the story of Oney Judge-- the successful woman who ran away before being presented as a present for Martha Washington's granddaughter. 

The Nanikha sisters gifted the audience with two beautiful serenades.

Special guest speaker, Opal Lee is the 92 year-old activist who, two years ago, walked from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington D.C., campaigning for Juneteenth to be a national holiday. In this short NPR interview, she says, "Slaves didn't free themselves. There were abolitionists and people of all persuasions that worked untiringly to have slavery abolished."

After walking down the red carpet to the joyous harmonies of the Philadelphia Chorale, Kenny Gamble and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney lead on a moment of silence for slavery's countless victims and our strength to continue onward.

Baked Apple Hand Pies

Move over Hostess and Little Debbie-- first and certainly not the last foray into pie-- hand pie.

Time to share the perfect Juneteenth dessert.
I have always wanted to make pastry, especially something along the lines of pie, but butter is such an essential ingredient. Most vegan substitutes rely on palm oil. I wonder why it seems to be in everything, which screams red flag. Thankfully, Miyoko's Kitchen has a scrumptious new alternative on the market (look for the official AfroVeganChick review next week). It has been a life saver. At last, certain things are possible.

Organic Royal Gala apples from Mom's Organic Market.

I certainly should have prepped the dough yesterday. It is an involved process that was a bit too taxing after walking to work, eight hours of work, a great artist lecture after work, and the hour + walk back home. So yes, to return to the kitchen and retain dead set determination to create this dessert is a thing in itself. Still, I was excited and joyous about making my first hand pies. The efforts were well worth the end result-- eating a delicious warm sweet straight out of the oven inspired by That's So Vegan's Classic Apple Hand Pies recipe, amended from another amazing blog, Oh Lady Cakes.


Baked Apple Hand Pies Ingredients and Preparation

2 1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (one package of Mikoyo's Kitchen butter), cold and cut into chunks
8 tablespoon water

2 apples, peeled and chopped into small bits
3 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie or apple pie spice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder (or 1 1/2 teaspoon flour)

Mix flour, sugar, and salt together. Add butter chunks and fork stir until crumbly. Cover and place in a freezer for 15 minutes. Take this out and distribute water one tablespoon at a time. Once dough sticks together, knead for a minute or so. Roll into a large ball. Cover again and place in the refrigerator for an hour.

Kneaded dough before being refrigerated. A little tear spilled from my eye. It was such a good moment.

In a saucepan set on low heat, combine apples, water, coconut oil, cinnamon, pumpkin or apple pie spice, sugar, and lemon juice. Once apples are tender and soft add in arrowroot powder or flour to thicken. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take out chilled dough. Roll out onto floured surface and form circles. Place a small amount of apple filling in the center and fold corner over. Fork press the corners together. Poke ventilation holes (or hearts) into top of the pies. Brush with a small bit of oil.

Bake for 15-25 minutes or until edges are browned.

Bursting with apple goodness.

Pie resting in a bed of homemade vanilla ice cream.

The heart wants what it wants.

Vegetable Cheese Sauce

Cheese sauce made from veggies. Vegan creativity never fails to influence my everyday meal.

Happy Juneteenth!

Today, we celebrate our ancestors across America, the last of African diaspora slaves in Galveston, Texas earned their emancipated freedom. On 153rd anniversary of this great victory, well giant steps to victory, we must never forget the painful hardships and dangerous oppression that had been orchestrated since coming enslaved to a young country. There is still long ways to go until true, honest, authentic resolution for all the peoples residing in America. And I believe that it can be achieved.

From onward, Juneteenth will be a yearly blog tradition.

I started a 20" x 30" acrylic painting that combines the highlight of the Grenada cocoa fashion show from last month and a generous piece of a still life containing a fair trade chocolate bar (Chauo Chocolate) on headwrap fabric.

Just like a the standard mixtape on the hot summer barbecue days and nights, here's some soulful tune suggestions while making art and cooking for feel good vibes:

"California Soul"-- Marlena Shaw
"Like This"-- Monica
"You Don't Have To Worry"-- Doris & Kelley
"Summertime"-- DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
"Word Iz Bond"-- 702
"Tonite's Tha Nite"-- Kris Kross
"I Can Love You"-- Mary J. Blige & Lil Kim
"Can We"-- SWV
"Rhythm Nation"-- Janet Jackson
"Hot Like Fire (Remix)"-- Aaliyah
"Queen"-- Janelle Monae Feat. Erykah Badu
"Love Like This"-- Faith Evans
"Music"-- Eric Sermon & Marvin Gaye
"Your Woman"-- White Town
"Here Comes the Hotstepper"-- Ini Kamoze
"PYT"-- Michael Jackson
"Black Sweat"-- Prince
"Creep"-- TLC
"Hit Dem Wit Da Hee"-- Missy Elliot & Lil Kim
"American Boy"-- Estelle
"Black Steel"-- Tricky Feat Martina Topley-Bird
"Don't Disturb This Groove"-- The System
"He's The Greatest Dancer"-- Sister Sledge
"I'm So Excited"-- The Pointer Sisters

And so many, many more (please give me your songs).....

At last, Juneteenth couldn't be complete without a scrumptious dinner. I finally made cheese sauce with carrots and potatoes-- inspired by a video long ago posted on my Facebook page. Isn't it amazing that the simplest of vegetables, cheap vegetables, concoct perfect solutions when one doesn't have cashews on hand? Usually people add Yukon or white or golden potatoes, but I had sweet potatoes. The sauce comes out a pretty shade of orange, reminding me a bit of the butternut cheese sauce. It's tangy, light on sweetness, irresistibly creamy.

Vegetable Cheese Sauce Ingredients and Preparation

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 small to medium sized carrots
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Chopped veggies. I saved the sweet potato scraps for future plans.

Bring sweet potatoes, carrots, red onions, and olive oil to a boil-- approximately 30- 40 minutes. Make sure carrots and sweet potatoes are fork tender before placing in the blender. Blend with nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.

Add to any pasta of your choice. Macaroni is always a good choice. 

The Pan African Flag is on full display: green for Brussels sprouts, the red bowl of dinner, and a black "Black is Beautiful" Studio Museum Harlem mug of iced cold cocoa tea (recipe will be posted this week-- a special treat from the Caribbean).

Blackened Moroccan Spiced Carrots

This is the first time sharing vegan Juneteenth recipes on the blog. It's better late than never to celebrate the important significance of tomorrow, a day that commemorates the last freed peoples of African diaspora in Texas. Although meat is usually on the menus of most Juneteenth functions, especially in the deep South, a little plant based goodness can bring about necessary change to the minds of many while at the same time fulfill the joys of ancestors flowing in our veins and satisfy hungry bellies.

Recipe number one is a trip to Morocco, a country in Northern Africa I long to visit. It's connected to Western Sahara and Algeria and is known for splendid palaces, creative architecture, gorgeous nature views, and delicious spicy food. Thus, all over the web are various versions of Moroccan carrots from chilled salads to carrot soups. I twice prepared my carrots-- boiling to lightly soften and pan frying for the desired blackening effect. They came out perfectly spiced and fork tender accompanied by marinated tempeh and topped with red onions.

Blackened Moroccan Spiced Carrots Ingredients and Preparation

5-6 large carrots, rinsed
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
cilantro (fresh or dried, also sub parsley)
pinch of lemon juice

Bring carrots to a boil. Drain.
Coat carrots with salt, garlic, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cilantro, and lemon juice. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Heat up a skillet and add olive oil. Toss in marinated carrots, turning them over as nice charred sears start happening.

Happy Single Awareness Day: Mushroom Stroganoff With Charred Brussels Sprouts

I made a pleasant Galentine's Day dinner last night sans the originally planned dreamy chocolate cake. Yes. Yes, I had planned to make a fabulous moist chocolate cake with sliced cinnamon bananas and mountains of heaping So Delicious Coco Whipped Cream to go alongside my Buffy and Cold Case marathons. In fact, my mouth still waters at the sumptuous concoction still swirling around in my Willy Wonka-n imagination, especially on this day where chocolate should rule the day. Alas the energy dwindled from a long day of library books and drawing on my litho stone for my CE printmaking class.

Rough layout sketch of Augusta Savage's life with No. 4 litho crayon on the heavy 14" x 17" stone.

Not quite finished. I'm filling in the whole measured rectangle and adding darks and razor bladed highlights. Augusta Savage will be part of a printmaking series on Black Herstory Month women.

After I returned home from hours spent in the print shop, I stood in the kitchen, reflecting on cooking memories.
Traditional stroganoff at my childhood home was a rarity. It was one of those Hamburger Helper box type situations where Mom just added the meat and extra sour cream. We didn't eat it often. I must say, however, it was a favorite pasta dish of mine next to the Fettuccine Alfredo and mac and cheese. There was something deliciously appealing about the combination of al deinte ribbon noodles coated in a light creamy sauce.

I liked the addition of Brussels Sprouts to give the fork a bit of flair to sink into. The preparation of mushroom sauce and reusing that same gas burner gets things started nice and hot, quickening pace for the sizzling flicker on the little green cabbages of joy.

Also, I didn't have vegan sour cream for my rotini styled in a stroganoff fashion. I don't think it is absolutely necessary, but for one who wants to mimic tradition as much as possible perhaps it would be beneficial to have that on hand. In the meantime, the dish turned out splendidly well with a lovely savory sauce and charred crispy edged Brussels Sprouts.
As for dessert, there is always tomorrow for chocolate cake.

Mushroom Stroganoff With Charred Brussels Sprouts Ingredients and Preparation

2 cup rotini (or noodles)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cup portobello mushrooms
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup almond milk (or any other nondairy alternative)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

olive oil
2 cup frozen petite Brussels Sprouts
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Prepare rotini according to package directions.
In a skillet combine olive oil, garlic, and mushrooms. Let cook for 5-7 minutes.
Add nutritional yeast. turmeric, onion powder, almond milk, salt, and pepper to seared mushrooms. Stir and simmer for an additional 7-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend with rotini pasta.

For Brussels Sprouts, bring them to a boil and drain.
Let skillet heat up with olive oil for a few seconds before adding the sprouts.
Add cumin, sea salt, and black pepper, turning them around every few minutes, watching for various sides to blacken.

Holiday Activities With Black Beans and Rice

Black beans and rice makes everything nice.

I hope everyone had joyous beginnings to this holiday week and spent the most wonderful time with families and dearest friends whilst delighting in precious splendor of merry music, classic films, red, green, and gold decorations, and good food (please have people try something vegan, cruelty free-- this can be hard yet achievable). I stayed in comfort clothes with scorching heater and teddy bear companion, watching every holiday related film/television episode. I didn't make a huge dinner-- mourned mac n cheese, stuffing, veggies, and gardein turk'y cutlets-- but didn't have the spirit to stay in the kitchen and "wait forever." I suppose lonely days off in December are like that. However, I must say that over the weekend, I tried out the Vedge curated Whole Foods Market menu and the "cheesy" rutabaga and potato mash was excellent as was the mushroom and black lentil stuffing. I have added rutabaga as the one thing to play around with in the new year.

My BFF sent me Frida Kahlo socks and a great mug! I'm over the moon for both!!!  

In addition to "Home Alone," "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," I also settled in with "Amends," Buffy Season Three, episode ten, a Buffy fan classic.

I worked on my "Better Late Than Never" holiday card whilst devouring JJ's Cocomel's Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels in Sea Salt. It also comes in Espresso, but not a big coffee lover so...

Caramel goodness and a reminder that someone should trim their nails in a more attractive fashion. I haven't cared about my nails in centuries, Perhaps that should change.

Finished-- bespectacled cat sweater and all.

Cutting out cards alongside another gift from a dear friend-- a hand crocheted red mug of hot cocoa with three marshmallows.

At last, my black beans and rice. It's a simple recipe that continues to get better for me as time wears on. I especially believe that black beans and cumin have this beautiful relationship that goes well with a pot of brown rice. Out of all the vegan cheeses, for me personally, Field Roast Chao's Tomato Cayenne has the perfect amount of spice that goes along with the ingredients. Next time, I would love to add diced sun dried tomatoes just to remix things.


Black Beans And Rice Ingredients and Preparation

2 cup brown rice
1 15 oz black beans, rinsed
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Field Roast Chao Tomato Cayenne, 3-4 slices, chopped

Cook brown rice according to directions. Lower heat and drain some of the rice water.
Mix in black beans, nutritional yeast, cumin, garlic, and salt, stirring continuously for seven to ten minutes.
Add Field Roast Tomato Cayenne Slices, letting them melt in.
Remove from heat.

Serve black beans and rice with a side of holiday movies like "Frosty the Snowman."

Vegan Mofo Day #12: Thanksgiving Alone WIth Classic Mac & Cheese

The lone holiday dinner pack.

Greyhound sold out. Megabus had no trips. Plane costs crept up to a thousand.
I should have expected that. Still, surprise came anyway-- unleashing stark sadness over a still questionable holiday. Fresh from a week overseas, not the least bit tired or jetlagged, I didn't mind another adventure-- a thirteen hour ride to good ole Dayton to make the customary vegan dishes for Mom and siblings plus spend quality time with dearest friends. New tradition of walnut and mushroom couscous stuffing stays on my mind, but it's various versions of family approved mouthwatering macaroni & cheese making heart pound.

From Newsweek.

Then again, when it comes to celebrating fourth Thursday of every November, Americans need to face honest reality, go beyond thankfulness and focus on North Dakota. At this very moment, descendants of horrifically glossed over genocide are fighting to keep their land and water from a pipeline threatening their livelihood. Now it's not just the pipeline itself. Militant police forces are using extremely violent measures to stop peaceful protests. So yes, history is being repeated in modern contemporary age. We need this to end. Immediately.
This afternoon, over an isolated dinner, alone and unsupervised, I prayed for family, friends, North Dakota, the world. Times are toughening up. We need to be strong and protect each other during this challenging strife. I am thankful for what I have and need no Black Friday to say otherwise.

Classic Macaroni & Cheese Ingredients and Preparation

1 cup macaroni (or fusilli, grocery store sold out on macaroni)
3 slices Daiya Provolone
1/3 cup almond milk (or any dairy free milk)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon love, peace, and thankfulness (more if necessary)

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Melt Daiya into warmed almond milk. Stir in onion and garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Pour sauce over pasta and mix until evenly combined.

Holy angels gave blessing and light.

Simple no fuss recipe that can be made an hour or two before holiday supper.

Creamy close up.

Whole Foods Holiday Vegan Box consisted of roasted Brussels Sprouts, butternut squash with cranberries, cornbread stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Of course it was missing the best carb-- macaroni and cheese.

Eat, be merry, and think of those in need. There will always be people who need more than what they have been offered in this life. It's our duty to see that they receive our loving helping hands.