Spicy Plantain Fritters

Plantains, called gonja in Uganda, can be easily mistaken for bananas but one taste and you’ll know that this is not a banana. Besides, they cannot be eaten raw. Plantains can be eaten as an appetizer, snack or side dish. Ladies roasting plantain on charcoal stoves is not an uncommon site in the busy suburbs…

Garlic Spaghetti

Today’s recipe reminds me of a particularly tough period in my life. Among many other crazy things happening, I was barely able to put a meal on my dinner table. During that time, dinner consisted of fried cassava day in, day out…….. “Banange, nga nalya muwogo!!!”…see me wide eyed with hands on my head….😆. I…

Vegetable and Egg Fried Rice

Fried rice was first developed in China during the Sui Dynasty to repurpose left over rice. It’s a popular component of East, South East and certain South Asian countries. Fried rice is as common a street food in Asia as ‘rolex’ (click here for recipe) is in Uganda. What I love about this dish is…

Banana Chia Seed Pancakes

I’ve been wondering whether families have thought about the blessedness of the next two weeks that Uganda is locked down. Think about it, you don’t have to leave your homes at 0600hrs in order to beat the morning traffic on your way to work and school. You get to sleep in a little longer because…

Glazed Meatballs

Everybody loves meatballs. They can be cooked in a rich sauce and paired with spaghetti, rice, potato mash, ugali, even “matooke” (mashed banana) and “balugu”(some type of yam). Tiny versions can be dropped in soups for a marvelous meaty surprise. They can also be glazed different sauces for a delicious appetizer or snack. The options…

Cassava Salad

Cassava, also known as manioc, mandioca, kappa, and yucca root is a woody plant which was first cultivated in Brazil and is now largely grown and enjoyed in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The edible root has white flesh covered with a thick dark brown skin that looks like the bark of a…

A time to Give and A Hot Pineapple Peel Drink

I live in the part of the world where many earn their living on a day to day basis. There is massive unemployment and numerous people are either too old or too young to work. For the small scale agriculturalists, the shutting down of the public transportation means they can’t get their produce to the…

An Edible ‘Rolex’ and an Anti-Anxiety ‘Drug’

In the history of the world, different places have been impacted at different times by droughts, storms, floods, famines, hurricanes, tsunamis. But, never have we had an international crisis where the whole world is impacted at one time by one affliction, until now. The collective human conscious is presently fearful, anxious and uncertain about tomorrow.…

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Last night, my president announced, among other things, a ban on public transportation due to the COVID-19 virus. While those without personal cars are getting worked up about this new turn of events in Uganda, I am living on the thankful side, why? Because I am a walker…….I looooove walking and am literally taking this…

Fish with Coconut and Basil

This is a no-fail light and healthy, quick and easy meal to whip up. The whole deal takes about 20 minutes to prepare and cook making it a perfect dinner for those busy week nights. Bite size pieces of tilapia are smothered in a sauce created from coconut milk, basil and homemade tomato sauce studded…

Beetroot and Pineapple Juice

Pineapples and beets are in season right now and I am loving every moment of it. I get to buy them really cheap (a 3kg pineapple is 4,000/= ($1.2)and 500g of beetroot 3,000/=($0.8)) and enjoy the one thing that nobody regrets – fresh juice! I’ve always considered a plain pineapple or plain beet juice quite…

Rich Chicken Stew

Would you believe there was a time when women in some African cultures were not allowed to eat chicken or eggs? Hm!! I am super thankful to God that I was not born in that era…….seeing as I need a whole drum stick… or two to taste and see whether I need to adjust the…

Spicy Guacamole/ “Enva za Ovakedo”

Nyg and Nzi, my 11 and 9 year old nephew and niece are some of my “favouritest” people in the world. They came to visit with me two days ago and I wanted to prepare something easy and delicious. A dish that would encourage fellowship before Nyg went off to play online chess and Nzi…

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Meatloaf is really just a big meatball shaped like a loaf😄. When it’s wrapped in bacon, the result is this moist flavorful dish. I first made this ultimate in comfort food for my older brother and his family years ago. I remember the smell wafting from my kitchen kept drawing everyone into this cooking space……..you…

Carrot and Cumin Soup

Every day I thank and bless my Lord Jesus for the gift of sight. I simply cannot imagine being unable to read, to watch people or to enjoy the beauty of creation. I really just love seeing and do not take it for granted and neither should you, no? Taking care of your eye sight…

Pan-Seared Fillet Steak

Cooking the perfect pan-seared steak is actually quite easy and it comes out so deliciously good that you’ll be doing this often. Because filet mignon is quite pricey, this is a meal you might want to save for those special occasions. Pair it up with potato mash, green beans and sautéed mushrooms for a truly…

Mini Veggie Quiches

Over the last weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to prepare some finger food for a married women’s meeting. The most amazing thing about these beautiful women is that they are all VERY HAPPILY married to the same husband. None of them is jealous of the other. It is so obvious that this husband…

Hazelnuty – Chocolatey Anzac Cookies

Rolled oats, wheat flour, desiccated coconut and margarine, among others, are must-haves in my pantry because I love to bake. On a whim. A very good friend of mine had his birthday recently and I thought homemade cookies would be a fabulous birthday gift for him. I had everything I needed to make the deliciously…

Mixed Greens ~ a marvelous side dish

Before moving closer to the city of Kampala, I lived in a beautiful place but far, far, far out. What I miss about this place is the more natural sounds like chirping and twitting birds, mooing cows, clucking chickens, crowing roosters, oinking sheep, drumming rabbits bleating goats and even chattering monkeys and roaring lions. Hahaha….…

Posho/Ugali Reloaded

Posho is a type of starchy filler from maize flour that is cooked in boiling water until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. It has its origins in Africa and is an easy to prepare, filling side dish perfect for greens, stews and curries. It’s also known as ugali in Kenya, Nshima in…

Pasta Salad with Olives and Avocado

Pasta salads are one of my favorite things to prepare at home because they are as easy as boiling water and tossing in a few key ingredients and voila! Goodness in a bowl 😄. Pasta salads keep well (up to five days in the fridge) and actually get better over time. This makes them perfect…

Fresh Bean Stew

Beans are probably the most underrated super food. They are packed with fiber, protein and antioxidants while being super inexpensive and shelf stable. I ate beans almost every day of my childhood and don’t remember ever falling sick, other that the odd bout of malaria and a cold here and there. Of course I accrue…

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkins are a common crop grown all over Uganda. Traditionally, almost every home had one or two pumpkin plants in the back yard, mainly for domestic consumption. I’ve never actually seen the round, bright orange crop with green vines erupting from the top; the one that exists in the western world. But we do have…

Veggie Patties

I’d like to believe that most people have heard the truth of how Jesus fed the 5000 with just the two fish and five loaves (JOHN 6:1-13). Apparently there were 20,000 people seated on the grassy slopes in Galilee that day – men, women and children. The 5000 simply represented men alone. What really stood…

Carrot Orange Lemon & Ginger Juice

Fresh homemade juices beat those store bought ones every single time. This one is one of the most refreshing juices ever, especially enjoyed ice cold. Fresh oranges (green, really), carrots, root ginger and lemon are blended and strained to make this vibrant immune boosting drink. Oranges have always complemented carrots while the ginger and lemon…