Pantry Organization Part 1

I'm literally OCD when it comes to organization. I love things to be neat and organized, just makes my life that much easier, and so light. The kitchen is where we spend most of our time since we have three meals a day, on a good day, it is where we store a lot of the food stuff. Therefore the storage area should be clean and clutter free not only to look organized but also to prevent contamination of food items or rotting of others. Most of us have the opportunity to have a kitchen pantry that you can store food items when you buy in bulk. And that is where pantry organization comes in. I know I said I love organizing but look at this pantry, giving me the chills just walking into it. Call it laziness, procastination or whatever, I need to work on it ASAP! But why do you need to have an organized pantry? Well read on to find out why

Peanut Butter Matoke

Woohoo! So excited about today's recipe. It's matoke! I have always wanted to cook matoke, I don't know if it is laziness or I just had not gotten the matoke. This recipe is made by special bananas, which are longer than normal ones. But you can cook this recipe with normal ones, though they will not be called matoke. I wanted to add more taste so I decided to add peanut butter for some creaminess and get a thick gravy. Traditionally matoke is cooked by Ugandans where it is served with homemade peanut sauce. The matoke is cooked with whole bananas. Very delicious. I have had it at a function. You can even add coconut milk for more taste and aroma. The peanut butter matoke had no left overs, that is how delicious it was, looking foward to making more matoke guys.

Kenyan Orange Zest Mandazi

Last week of February guys, how has time flown so fast? I had fun this month and I must say it's so far the best February ever! It has been a while since I cooked Mandazi so today I'm bringing you Orange flavored Mandazi. Oranges have such a citrusy flavor that brings vibrant and sort of tropical aroma. I used yeast for these Mandazi because it makes them light yet soft, plus I just love the smell of yeast fermenting in the dough! I made lemon zest mandazi that were to die for! So it was only fair that another citrus fruit made it into my mandazi! Another thing I used was mandazi flour instead of the regular all purpose flour. I've never used Mandazi Flour before and I must say it is perfect for Mandazi. You will definitely enjoy these delicious orange zest mandazi that will become your favorite😋😋

Silver Springs Hotel - Restaurant Review

Happy Thursday peeps! It's been a while since I shared some restaurant food. We actually went to this restaurant last year in November. It was for my mum's graduation party, she was getting her PHD! Talk about pressure now, me and my degree have started sweatin' haha! Anyway, since it was a party of close to twenty guys, we opted for the buffet. The buffet was set up in a conference room with around 8 tables each with 6 chairschairs. I loved the gold and white decor with the lace table cloths and flower center pieces. Silver ware was arranged in a dinner setting that looked totally elegant. The best part of eating out is the food so let's get to it.

Chicken Breast and Chicken Thighs Stir Fry Mix

After giving you sugar rushrush for 7 days I thought I should give you something delicious and you know me, I love me some chicken! I have cooked chicken breasts and chicken thighs separately so I decided to do a mash up of the two. I love marinating my chicken before cooking, this gives the dish a fabulous aroma and taste. This simple few ingredients marinade is perfect for any meat dish. Spices and sauces are great for marinating, you can also add garlic or ginger to it too. A delicious chicken dish that takes no effort but pumped up with warm spices. Have it for lunch or even dinner to share with family, friends or your Beau.

Red Velvet Amarula Parfait - 7 Days Of Red Velvet

Happy Valentines Day! We made it to the last day of 7 days of red velvet! It's been fun creating awesome red velvet recipes for this month of love. And so I thought I would booze you up a little just to end the perfect day. I love Amarula, not only is it aromatic it is delicious and has a chocolaty after taste on your palate. Parfaits can be mini desserts that you whip up fast and your choose your layering option. I had a pretty awesome 14th day of February, and that is all I will say, hope yours was great too however you chose to celebrate it.

Red Velvet Mug Cake - 7 Days Of Red Velvet

Guys, can you believe that tomorrow is Valentines Day? Day where there will be more chocolate, flowers and wine bought than any other time of the year! It's crazy that one day brings with it so much emotion that when the day is gone, you wonder what the fuss is all about. At least we get to celebrate love in all its glory and sweet pain. Day 6 brings us to this red velvet mug cake that takes less than 2 minutes to create. It had been a while since I made a mug cake and since yesterday we had a decadent dessert I thought why not cleanse your palates with this. I'm getting all giggly thinking about tomorrow because I haven't had a valentine day celebration in a while, you can't really ignore tomorrow since red is everywhere! Anyway before I go on a full random blubering, hope you enjoy this simple recipe I have for you.

Red Velvet Truffles - 7 Days Of Red Velvet

Only 2 days to Valentines Day and were into decadent romantic desserts. I love desserts that are easy to make, with little ingredients and best of all, no bake! This recipe has literally only two ingredients yet its so delicious you'd think it has a thousand ingredients. Truffles come in various flavors, colors, or even toppings. Since I made some strawberry brigadeiros truffles I knew I had to sneak another one in for my 7 Days Of Red Velvet series. Treats that you can make in more minutes are the best since you don't have to think or worry about how to make them. The best part is that these truffles do not have to be only for special occassions, you even have them for breakfast, how about that?

Red Velvet Crepes - 7 Days Of Red Velvet

Crepes have always been the very best way to wake up to breakfastbreakfast, now add red velvet version and your valentine will be happy for such a delicious treat. I have really been thinking about love. What makes the heart beat so fast whenever you see that person that your mind, soul, heart and body has decided that they are the one. I have been in love before and it was the best experiece I had. I miss that. Looking forward to what this Valentines Day has to bring. Back to crêpes. Red velvet crêpes are easy and so fun to make, especially if you are making them with kids. You can make them even more romantic by cutting them into heart shapes.

Red Velvet Doughnuts - 7 Days Of Red Velvet

Doughnuts are the next best thing in terms of being a breakfast option. Make it red velvet and you have dessert! Day 3 of my 7 Days of Red Velvet had to tuck in one of my favorite snacks, whether its plain, chocolate or cinnamon, doughnuts pretty much make my world go round. Tis' the season to love so sharing a doughnut is the best way to enjoy this Valentine'sValentine's. I love how simple this recipe is. You can top your red velvet doughnuts with anything you like, from sprinkles, sauce, syrup or even oreos, yeah, oreos.

Red Velvet French Toast - 7 Days Of Red Velvet

It's Saturday people! I'm excited for the weekend though I do not have any plans. Just think, a day like today next week Valentines Day will have come and gone. Engagements will have happened, heartbreaks will have happened, blind dates will have happened, marriages will have happened, so much will have happened. All in the name of celebrating love! Let's focus on today's 7 Days of Red Velvet recipe. Forget all the French toasts you have had and heard, this one takes the cake on flavor and decadence town. Who said you cannot have dessert for breakfast huh? Enjoy the peeeerfect Valentines day dessert you will never forget! Toast lovers, well everyone really, this one is for you!!

Red Velvet Pancakes - 7 Days Of Red Velvet

I'm listening to James Ingram as I write up this post. I love classic music escape especially the 80's and 90's R&B. The music was timeless, evoking emotions that you never knew you had. His songs remind me of being in love, puppy love. When you thought a certain boy was your world and the very essence of your being was him existing. I chuckle at the memories but I miss such kind of love, filled with innocence, pure bliss and devotion to being each other's only admiration. Love has changed, I think, it has become to some extent selfish, indulgence and "me me me" kind of expectations. Even R&B of nowadays is filled with too much vulgar language, swear words that you wonder are you being serenaded or being insulted? I did not mean to rant, I promise, maybe its all these memories bubbling to the top. Now back to reality, food reality. Today is the first of my 7 Days of Red Velvet series and what better way to start it off than with the most delicious, perfect and romantic breakfast of all time, pancakes! Red velvet pancakes! Wake him/her to the smell of this delicious treat and you will be on your way to having a perfect morning and the perfect rest of the day. Shall we?

Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats

Well hello there! Two oats recipes in less than two weeks? I must really want to eat healthy this year! Why am I even surprised? I should be eating oats daily, lol! I'm kind of falling or have already fallen in love with overnight oats. I used to imagine myself eating oats and I would totally dismiss it. The truth is, you never know what is good for you unless you try it! Oats can be boring if you just have them plain. Add texture, color, spice and aromaaroma, you have the best breakfast meal you can think of. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, hence the need to fill up on food that has immense nutritional value and keeps you full the whole day. You can never go wrong with oats, just add your favourite toppings and you have a complete meal for the day

7 Days Of Red Velvet For Valentines Day

We all know next week is Valentines Day right? If not, which rock have you been living under? Haha! Anyway the marketing frenzy has already began with offers, sales, gifts, promotions, competitions and what not. I have none of that! Sigh! But, what I have for you is some delicious food ideas for you to celebrate with your loved one/s. If you're single, like yours truly, you can always kick off your shoes after a long day, pour a glass of wine, then decide which dessert you will start with first. Self love is all the rage nowadays. Share love this Valentines and give yourself love, you deserve it! Any who, enough ramblings for a minute. I needed some inspiration on what to cook this month of love and coming up with 7 recipes has given me the excitement to enter the kitchen. It is truly sad that I only have four red velvet recipies on this blog, fret not that is about to change with these seven new recipes coming soon from 7th February to 14th February, and more later on. Let's have fun this Valentines Day and eat chocolate + wine + red velvet...

Lemon Poppy Seeds Cake On Stove Top

I was craving cake but I don't have an oven, dilemma dilemma. Then I remembered I don't really need an oven if I want to bake. After the mug cake revolution, it was time to stop being conventional and start thinking outside the box. After all, our ancestors used to bake bread before these modern day ovens came to be. So I decided to make a stove top cake. What we call in Kenya "Mawe tatu cake" literally 3 stones cake. I have every step in the photos so you will be able to follow how I did it. Cake basics remain the same, only the baking part changes. I'm so happy how the cake turned out, not only was it moist and crumbly, it was delicious as heck! Now there really is no excuse when it comes to baking! Hope you enjoy this recipe and try out this "Mawe tatu" technique.

Coconut Sesame French Toast

French Toast Tuesday. That's what I'll be doing every week. I don't know but, French toasts are becoming my new favourite breakfast option. You can literally top the french toast with jam, honey, fruit, maple syrup or sugar for a sweet dessert or making savoury with your favourite sauce like ketchup, mustard or chilli sauce. If you want dairy free french toast, you can use orange juice, wine or rose water to soak the bread before frying. I love wholewheat bread because it is not only healthy but dense and will soak up the liquid without breaking apart. I like the French because they eat the toast as a dessert not as breakfast like most of us do, well, they did invent it so they decide how to eat the french toast. 

Buttered Paprika Carrots

Delicious is an understatement when it comes to describing this dish. I am one of those many kids who did not like cooked carrots. Raw carrots I would eat for days without any trouble, I especially loved dipping the raw carrot in salt then munching like a sweet. Cooked carrots on the other hand, was torture eating them. I would try my hardest to eat, but would time when mom was looking away and drop them on the floor, to pick up later when no one was watching. Horrible, I know! But I h.a.t.e.d cooked carrots. I guess it was the way they were cooked so they turned soggy and tasteless and so I could not stand them. Fast forward to gown up me and I realized there are so many ways to cook carrots that made them delicious and not soggy at all! In my cooking adventure I learnt that vegetables need to be cooked for very little time, not only to maintain their crunch but not to loose the awesome nutrients that were in these veggies. Adding spices to carrots also made them that much more delicious as a side dish and even the main dish. Today's recipe was inspired by my need to have something quick, delicious and can be eaten both as a snack and a main meal. Buttered carrots is a lovely way of bringing out the flavour of this vegetable without too much hustle in the kitchen. What are some of the foods that you hated as a child but now enjoy as an adult? Let me know in the comments below, let's share our experiences!

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

Making your own spice mixes is the best decision you can ever make for yourself and your family. Homemade is the best because you know what exactly you have in the mix and to what quantities you like. Pumpkin spice mix is a mixture of some of the warm spices that are readily available anywhere in the market. Spices bring life and flavor to food, whether you are using a single spice or mixing it up to ump the flavor and intensity, spices should be an integral part of your pantry. Spices not only add these wonderful memory invoking taste, they are healthy as well, and combining the spices gives you the added benefit of getting the most out of the nutrients the spices provide. It really takes  few second to make this awesome spice blend and will keep for several weeks if you do not use it regularly. Use pumpkin spice mix for several recipes like pumpkin pie, pumpkin latee or even to flavour teas. I love how fragrant and warm this mix is, gives you the feeling of seeping a warm cuppa tea, legs crossed over your sofa on a dreary rainy day, so comforting. 

Mango Chia Overnight Oats

I'm starting or rather continuing healthy eating with oats. Overnight oats to be precise, fast, quick and filling. The best part of making overnight oats is that you can top up with fruits, nuts, granola, seeds or even chocolate. It's mango season again and I thought why not make it a fruit oats meal that is vibrant and tropical plus of course delicious! I had fun making the strawberry one so this was even more exciting coming up with the flavor combinations. Oats contain carbohydrates, fiber, protein and good fat which gives the body the daily recommended nutrients and keeps you full for the rest of the day. This is turn lowers the risk of hear disease and reduces the level of blood cholesterol. Mangoes on the other side give you Vitamin C and folate while chia seeds are rich in protein, calcium, iron, carbohydrates and good dietary minerals. Combine these three ingredients and you are on your way to a filling healthy breakfast or snack option that will leave you satisfied and peace of mind. Mangoes are still in season so you have to take advantage of them to add delicious fruits to your diet. Overnight oats are great because you use minimal effort but the next day you have breakfast ready to go that has all the elements of healthy eating and/or snacking.

Crispy Skin Twice Fried Breakfast Potatoes

Happy New Month! We survived the 90days of January! Haha! It's February people, the month of love and red and food. I know you'd expect me to start with sweet dessert in red colors and what not, maybe that will come in layer, but for now let's begin this new month with something savory. To start us off, its this delicious breakfast potato recipe. Lately I have been craving fried foods, not sure why but I seem to want more of potatoes. I love that potatoes are always in season and you can literally have access to them in any shop. And since they are easy to cook and fast too, seems like the best option to pick at any given moment. Last year I made a delicious cumin turmeric potato dish and this time I wanted something simple but still tasty as well. For this potato recipe I opted to do a skin on potato dish. The potato skin is not only adding flavor but adding a touch of crunch that I love. So let's have some yummy breakfast potatoes, shall we?