Life Worth Living

Bacalao Ingredients: 1 pound Dry Salted Cod Fish 1 Yellow Pepper diced 1 Orange Pepper diced 1 White Onion sliced thinly 4 Ripe Tomatos diced Dash of Red Pepper Flakes 1/2 tsp. White Pepper 1 tsp. dry Thyme 5 cloves of garlic pressed or chopped finely 2-3 tbs. Olive Oil Preparation: Soak the Salted Cod Fish in Cold water for 48 Hours before cooking. The water should completely cover the fish. Change the water every approx. every 12-24 hours. I use a large plastic container with a lid on it and keep it in the fridge. I tend to change the water before work and and after work for 2 days.  This removes the majority of the salt from the fish. Otherwise it will be TOO salty.  I cook the dish on the second day of soaking.   Directions: In a large pot, saute the the yellow pepper, orange pepper and white onion over medium heat for 5 minutes with olive oil. Add the pressed garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, white pepper and thyme. Saute for 2 more minutes and ...

I bought a bag of dried split fava beans from my local Mediterranean store last week. Today I was in the mood for some soup. I saw the bag of beans and started to create a bean soup.  It was very basic, but delicious. After I made the soup, I decided to google some other recipes with fava beans. Little did I know, I had just made a version of Bessara! Bessara is a traditional Moroccan soup. Ingredients: dried split fava beans 16oz 1/2 diced large white onion 1 carrot diced 1 stalk of celery diced 4cups chicken stock (unsalted) 4cups water 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp Turkish Seasoning (Penzey Spices- follow the link below for information about the spice)  https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/turkish-seasoning/c-24/p-492/pd-s Directions: In a large pot boil all the ingredients together until the beans are soft (approx. 1 hour). With a slotted spoon scoop the beans, carrots, celery and onion out and put in a blender or food processor.  Once eve...

I made this simple pasta pasta dish tonight. It is light and very flavorful, and it doesn't take much time at all to prepare. Ingredients: 1 fresh bunch of spinach washed and cut 1 pound of pasta (any style works) 1 (10 oz) box of fresh orange tomatoes diced garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste sweet balsamic vinegar and olive oil 1 pound bag of frozen (already cooked ) shrimp Directions: Thaw the shrimp ahead of time. Cook the pasta  according to directions on the bag.  In a large bowl, place the fresh cut spinach.  When the pasta is done cooking, put it over the spinach. cover the bowl with a plate to keep it warm, and the spinach with cook quickly (10 minutes approx.). Add the shrimp to the bowl, and stir all together. Add a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, dab of balsamic, olive oil, and 1/4 cup of water that was left over from cooking the pasta. Stir again.  This pasta dish can be served cold or warm.  Enjoy! Let's trav...

Dinner parties with my group of friends have become quite epic. Some of us love to cook, and all of us love to eat well and drink fine wine.  Conversation over great food and drink never gets old. A few weeks ago, my friend Judy made this salad for one of our dinner parties. I made the same salad tonight but added my own slight twist to it. It's light, fresh, perfect for a warm day, and it's easy to make. Ingredients: 1 bag of frozen corn (Non GMO Verified is what I used) 2 ripe avocados diced 1 ball of fresh mozzarella diced 1 bag of wild frozen (already cooked) shrimp 1 container  (10 oz) of fresh orange tomatoes cut in half 3-4 lemons olive oil salt and pepper to taste Directions: Thaw the frozen shrimp this can take some time. To speed up the process, soak the unopened bag of frozen corn in cold water for about 30 minutes. Cook the frozen corn according to the directions on the bag. While the corn is cooking, dice the avocados, mozzarella and cut the litt...

  My friend Anika and I met last year in Barbados. She is from the Bahamas and I am from New York. While out to dinner with mutual friends, we started talking about yoga, food and cooking. We exchanged contact information to keep in touch. Six months later we both were planning our trip to Trinidad for Carnival.  Anika and her husband Ryan knew this was my first trip to Trinidad for Carnival, and included my friend and I in All their plans (along with 17 of their other friends).  I was so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful group of people.  We had an absolute blast at Carnival. After we got back, Anika was visiting her mom. She left her mom's house, and started to head home. Then realized she wanted to send me some traditional, authentic recipes from the Bahamas. She reversed the car, and went back to get the cookbook (Gourmet Bahamian Cooking by Marie Mendelson and Marguerite Sawyer). She shared over 16 recipes with me.  I was overjoyed! ...

Ingredients: 2 Cucumbers 1/2 White Onion 1/2 Cup Rice Vinegar 1.5 Tbsp Sugar 1 Tbsp Salt Directions: Cut off the ends of each cucumber, then slice very thinly (I used a food processor for this). Slice the onion into very thin pieces. In a large bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar and salt well. Add the Cucumbers and onions.  Stir well, and let chill for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

My friend Natalie and I became friends in college.  We studied at the University of Minnesota, and we both were on the Track & Field Team. She was from Barbados and I was from New York. After college she moved back to Barbados and I moved back to New York. We reconnected via Facebook after many years. Long and behold, 18 years after college;  I took my first trip to Barbados to visit her, and see the beautiful island she was from. I  traveled to Barbados the past 3 years, because I can't get enough of the island. I have had the Time of My Life! Honestly, I believe this is my favorite island thus far. What makes this island so amazing? ---The People! Soca Royale 2015  You can find amazing beaches, great night life, and tourist attractions most places you go..  But in Barbados, the people are absolutely wonderful. Very friendly, very safe place to be, very relaxed, and just wonderful! I often envision myself living there. Brandon's Beach Barbados...

Ingredients: 1 lb sea bass fish butter 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tbsp Shadow Beni green seasoning Directions: Grease a baking dish with a little butter. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the fish. Then drizzle the Shadow Beni seasoning over the top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees, or until the fish starts to flake apart. Enjoy! Let's travel to new places and experience new dishes. https://dgiusti.dreamtrips.com/

This is my great-grandmother's recipe. This recipe is for chicken, but I have used it for fish and chicken. Very simple, easy and delicious. Baked Flounder Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1 1/2 tbsp salt 1 1/2 tbsp paprika 1/4 tsp black pepper 3 tbsp butter 2 tbsp milk  1 lb flounder fish Directions: Mix flour, salt, paprika and pepper together in a pie pan.  Roll the fish in the mixture until it is fully coated. Grease the baking pan with a little butter. Put the fish in the baking pan. Melt 2 tbsp butter and add the milk. Mix and drizzle over the top of the fish so the entire top is coated. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until the fish starts to flake apart. Enjoy! Let's travel to new places and experience new dishes. https://dgiusti.dreamtrips.com/

 Here are 2 delicious and simple smoothie recipes.  Blend all the ingredients together and enjoy! 1 cup skim milk 1 banana 1 cup frozen mango 1 tbsp nutmeg (serves 1) 1 cup skim milk 1 banana 1 cup frozen pineapple 1 tbsp cinnamon

Tasty sandwiches don't have to be difficult or take long to prepare. Simple Chorizo and Cheese Sandwich Ingredients: 2 slices of honey white bread (substitute with your favorite bread) mayonnaise sliced chorizo from the deli or pre-packaged Cotsworld Somerdale cheese  http://somerdale.co.uk/products/long-clawson-cotswold.aspx Directions: Toast the bread. Place 2 thin slices of cheese on one slice of hot bread. Add the chorizo. Lastly, spread a little mayonnaise on the second slice of bread. Put together and enjoy!

My friend Lorena gave me a fabulous cookbook the last night I was in Trinidad. I read it at the airport, on the plane, and when I came home. I couldn't wait to try some of the recipes. This recipe is inspired from this cookbook. Curried Beef Stew Ingredients: 1 pound chuck stew meat 1 medium rutabaga peeled and chopped (substitute with potatoes, or any root vegetable) 1 tsp black pepper 4 tsp curry powder 2 tbsp olive oil 5 garlic cloves minced 1 small sweet onion sliced thinly 4 tbsp minced green seasoning (Shadow Beni)  I never knew what Shadow Beni was until I went to Maracas Beach. I went to get a shark bake sandwich, and there were so many choices of toppings. I tried the "green sauce".  When my friends saw how much I put on my sandwich, they asked me if I had it before. I said I didn't even know what it was. That is when they told me it was Shadow Beni. I liked it very much, but I put way too much on my sandwich. It was a b...

I traveled to Trinidad for the first time this February for Carnival.  This was a trip of a lifetime- Bucket List . I arrived at 1pm at Piarco International Airport, and my friend Reinier and his brother picked me up. First thing on the list was to get something to eat. We went to the food area outside the airport. There were plenty of places to eat and many choices of food. We decided on the Doubles Stand. This was my first time trying the famous "Doubles", and I loved it! I had this delicious sandwich again at the Soca Scorch Fete. Again, loved it!  This is basically curried chickpeas with some simple toppings served on fried flat bread. This dish can become sloppy, so make sure you have plenty of napkins on hand. The link below describes how the famous street food "Doubles" came about.   http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,135890.html When I came home from Trinidad, I had a case of Tabanca. I just learned this new word on my vacation.  My understanding of...

You don't have to go to a deli to have a delicious sandwich. You can make it right at home, and it's cheaper too! Ingredients: tuna in olive oil honey white bread (I made my own) red leaf lettuce cheddar cheese 1 ripe avocado chipotle mayonnaise Directions: Slice the avocado into 4 parts. Toast 2 slices of bread. Use a fork to spread one part of avocado on the bottom slice of bread. Add tuna from the can or jar (approximately 1/3 of the jar). Then place the cheese and lettuce on top. Spread the chipotle mayonnaise on the top slice of bread. Voila! Enjoy the rest of the avocado as a side dish to the sandwich. 

Serves 6 Ingredients: olive oil 2 green zucchini 1/2 small red onion sliced thin 1lb cherry tomatoes sliced in half 1 large head of broccoli 10.5 oz package of goat cheese 1 small jar of pitted kalamata olives (or substitute with your favorite olives) 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1 tsp salt 2 garlic cloves pressed 1lb bow tie pasta Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice zucchini into 1/2 inch slices. In a medium baking dish, spread a little olive oil on the bottom of the dish and lay the zucchini slices down. Bake for 15 minutes on one side, flip them over using tongs, and bake for another 15 minutes on the other side. While the zucchini is cooking, steam the broccoli until tender and start boiling the water for the pasta. When the water reaches a hard boil, add 1 tsp of salt to the water. Then add the dry pasta and cook according to the directions on the package (generally 12 minutes). In a large bowl, place the goat cheese at the bottom along with the...

Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower 1 bunch of fresh spinach chopped 3 ripe tomatoes sliced 1/2 small red onion sliced very thin 2 garlic cloves pressed sherry vinegar (9 tbsp)- you can use any vinegar that you prefer as well :) olive oil (6 tbsp) 1 tsp sugar handful fresh parsley chopped black pepper to taste frozen cooked shrimp thawed (as much as you like) Directions: First rinse spinach with cold water, cut off the ends, and let dry (this can be done well in advance because it takes time for the spinach to dry).  Steam the cauliflower until tender. Chop the spinach and put in a large bowl. Place the hot cauliflower over the spinach and let sit for a few minutes. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, sugar, olive oil and vinegar. Use tongs to gently mix the ingredients. The cauliflower will break apart and the spinach will slightly cook from the heat of the cauliflower. Add the tomatoes and the shrimp. Toss the salad again using tongs. Enjoy! *The sugar is used to ...

Recipe inspired by Aarti Sequeira "Mum's Everyday Red Lentils". Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time : 1 hour Serves:: 4 Ingredients: 1 pound dry red lentils 5 cups water 1 small sweet onion 6 garlic cloves 1 inch fresh ginger 3 plum tomatoes 1 tsp. cumin seeds (cumin powder) 1 tsp. dry yellow mustard powder 2 tsp. turmeric powder 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. salt olive oil Directions: Blend onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes in a food processor.  Heat olive oil on medium low in a large pot on the stove.  Pour blended ingredients in the pot and saute (5 minutes) while stirring frequently so it doesn't splatter.  Rinse the dry lentils under cold water in a colander. Add the lentils, spices and water to the pot. Partially cover the pot with a lid. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature (medium low) and simmer for 1 hour. Stir the soup every 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

I got this recipe from Marsha Benedict. I made a few small changes to the original recipe, and it is absolutely delicious. The Pasty is true comfort meal and has a long history in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. To read more about the history of the Pasty, click on the link below. http://www.hu.mtu.edu/vup/pasty/history.htm Serves: 4-5 people Preparation time and cooking time: 1 hour total When serving a large group, increase all ingredients and use a large 9/13 glass dish. Ingredients: 1 medium rutabaga peeled and cubed 4 carrots peeled and cubed 1 small sweet onion 1 pound ground beef salt and pepper 2 cans beef gravy or mushroom gravy (homemade gravy is even better!) 2 pie crusts (homemade or store bought depending on how much time you have) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Brown and drain ground meat with small onion diced, salt and pepper. 3. Boil, drain and cool to room temperature 4 carrots and rutabaga cubed (vegetabl...

This is a great meal and it can serve 4 easily. I only buy wild fish because they are much healthier than farm raised. Wild Sea Bass can be a bit pricy, but you can use the same recipe on any fish that you prefer. Wild Sea Bass Ingredients: Red Palm Oil (2 tbsp) Salt and Pepper to taste fresh grated Ginger (1/2 tsp) 1pound Wild Sea Bass Directions: Heat Red Palm Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the fish with salt, pepper and fresh ginger.  Add the fish to the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the fish becomes slightly flaky on the top. Stir Fry The best thing about making stir fry is that you can use almost any vegetable that you have in your fridge. Saute them all together and put over noodles. You can't go wrong with this easy meal. Ingredients: 1 pound green beans cut in half 1 small green pepper diced 1 pound sliced mushrooms 1 small red onion diced 1/2 pound frozen corn 1 small summer squ...

I made this summer salad today and it was fantastic. This recipe makes a lot of salad and it's very healthy! Kale is a power green. It is high in vitamin K, C, A, and plenty more. Cabbage is high in vitamin K, C, B6 and many more. Carrots are high in vitamin A. Putting all these vegetables together, and you have one healthy salad! This salad could serve 6 people easily. The dressing takes the tart out of the cabbage and kale, and the carrots add a sweet touch. Ingredients: 1 large bunch of fresh kale 1 small head of red cabbage 5 large carrots peeled 1 small red onion 1 cup of cashews Dressing:   6 tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 tbsp olive oil 4 tbsp sugar If this is not enough dressing,  add 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tbsp sugar.  Directions: Shred the kale, cabbage and carrots in a food processor. Slice the onion thinly. In a very large bowl mix the cabbage, kale, carrots, onions and cashews with the dressing. F...