Plant-based and full of Caribbean soul. These vegan recipes highlight local veggies, legumes, and spices in ways that make meat an afterthought not a requirement.
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I’ve talked about it before! In the Caribbean we do #vegan naturally and what I mean by that is.. we don’t take 15 grains and try to make a burger. We would take those 15 grains (for example) and make several dishes out of them. This Chataigne (aka breadnut) is a delicious example of how…
Confused yet? I know the title says Vegan, but Saltfish! The simple explanation is… the classic dish is called Ackee and Saltfish in Jamaica, so I felt it was the easiest way to pay tribute to this national dish, while still keeping it vegan (and gluten free) friendly. Make sense yet? You’ll Need… 1 can…
This island boy luv me some dhal.. that rich thick soup packed with tropical flavors, but made with very simple and cheap ingredients. Great on it’s own (cup of dhal) or as a side to rice and curry dishes. Dhal is very comforting and so simple to make. Here’s my take on this iconic dish with added spinach and kale, instead of the traditional use of “poi bhagi’ aka Malabar Spinach. Basically I’m using ingredients which are readily available to me here in Canada.
Yea, Honey Nut Squash is new to me too! I had never seen nor heard of it until I was at a local market and the name caught my attention. And even when I posted a clip of me cooking this on Instagram, I had a ton pf people correcting me “it’s butternut squash” so I knew it was kinda unique to many. Like any spinach (greens) type leafy vegetable, I’m also a HUGE fan of all squash and pumpkin, so they came home with me.
Last Spring I had the opportunity to be “home” in the Caribbean during Pigeon peas season and luckily I had my camera with me so I was able to document my mom and dad making curry pigeon peas, to share with you. This is traditional as it gets, so even though I’ve shared a similar recipe in the past I felt it was important to show you this version as well. This is what I grew up enjoying as a young fella on the islands.
As a small fella on the islands, one of my favorite dishes mom would make was curry potato as we say “Curry Aloo” in Trinidad and Tobago. It was usually a Saturday morning meal, with hot Sada Roti and a side Mango kuchela. With my love for this dish, there are times I add a can of chickpeas…
Usually I do this re-fried cassava recipe with bits of salted cod, but with the amount of requests I get for more vegetarian/vegan dishes, I thought we’d rock it this way instead. Cassava, yucca, manioc, mandioca or whatever name you may know this ‘ground provision’ by, is one of those of those ingredients I just adore using/eating. It takes me back to a carefree time and place on the islands, I cherish more the older I get. Let’s get started.
I’m a HUGE fan of rice, so when I was asked to share a Carrot Rice recipe on the YouTube channel by a fan of what I do… I jumped at the opportunity. A few simple steps and in under thirty minutes, you and your family will be feasting on one of the most delicious vegan (and gluten free) meals you’ve ever had. BOLD? Nah.. just me being honest. You can certainly add other vegetables you like or have on hand, but for today we’ll keep all about the carrot and other flavor ingredients.
It being “Strawberry” season in Canada and with all the requests I get for more dessert recipes, I thought I’d share a quick Coconut Strawberry Ice Cream with you all. Since we’re using coconut as the base ingredient, I decided to satisfy a another request from fans – no eggs and no dairy! While in my humble opinion some heavy cream would positively change the texture and creaminess of the finished ice cream, going with just coconut milk had superb results too.
I’m still to taste a Caribbean-style stewed lentils to rival my mom’s… I still look forward to the bowls prepped for the freezer she usually sends for me when she cooks up a batch. This recipe came about one night when I was craving her lentils, but the freezer was bare. I did find a can of lentils in the pantry, so I did what we “Caribbean” people do best.. improvise! With the addition of diced pumpkin and stewed tomatoes, this version is QUICK and very tasty.
With Spring in the air, I thought I’d start off March with a light, tasty and healthy salad. While not typically “Caribbean”, most of the ingredients were grown in my little Canadian – Caribbean garden last summer (yea, been holding on to this recipe for a minute). If you wanted to add cucumber, watercress, red onion and/or sweet peppers, you can certainly do so. I’m a huge fan of tomatoes, especially heirloom ones, so I kept the salad basic.
Last Spring (can’t believe its been close to a year since I documented this recipe) I came across some stunning looking dandelions at my local supermarket and with my luv for ‘greens’ and my desire to experiment with ‘different’ ingredients, a bunch made it’s way home with me. Yes, if you’re familiar with dandelions you’ll know that for the most part it’s considered a weed you hate seeing on your lawn or garden. But I recall my first Spring in Canada and seeing people harvest them at the side of a country road so I knew they could be eaten.
