MANAGU IN COCONUT MILK

I love traditional Kenyan vegetables. Not only are they healthy but delicious too! "Utasahau nyama" (you will even forget meat) that is how good these traditional vegetables are. I cooked mrenda thats locally a preserve of people living in the western parts of Kenya. Its a vegetable that has texture like Okra or Lady fingers that get that sticky slimy feel when cooked. Most people do not like mrenda because of that stickiness but I love it especially when you add milk and eat after several days. Managu has become one of my favourite traditional vegetables because once you cook, you can eat for several days without getting bored. Have you cooked managu before? What is your favourite way to eat managu?  Loved this recipe yet? watch how I made the managu. 

COCONUT CHICKPEA CURRY

I fell in love with chickpeas the first time I made them and served with rice. So today I decided to cook chickpea curry that is full of coconut taste and aroma. So DELICIOUS! Apart from its delicious nature, chickpeas are filled with nutrients like protein which is vital for our body's growth. This chickpea curry is both gluten free and dairy free so its perfect for Vegans or vegetarians. Both coconut milk and oil add a tropical yummy taste and aroma to this curry dish. Served hot with naan, rice or chapati, its perfect to share with family and friends over a cold winter night.

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.

COCONUT CHICKPEA CURRY WITH BASMATI RICE

This is my first time ever cooking with Chickpeas! It's been, still is, a weird January in Nairobi. We always expect a really hot month in this new month of the year. Over the years it has always been hot! but come 2019, the weather is up and down with most days being called while other days it rains. So I wanted something warming, spicy and comforting. I was just walking by the supermarket shopping for the month when I saw the chickpeas from the corner of my eye. I had only seen most chickpea recipes in vegan or Indian Meals and I got excited to give these grains a try. Chickpea curry was what came to mind as lately I am loving everything spicy and Indian. I knew I would be not only getting a delicious curry dish but one rich in good nutrients, after all,  Chickpeas are a nutrient-dense food, providing rich content of protein, dietary fibre, folate, and certain dietary minerals such as iron and phosphorus per 100 grams. Adding coconut gives this dish a rich aromatic and thick gravy that is perfect for dipping butter naan, eating with chapati or rice. Have you cooked with chickpeas before? What are some of your favorite chickpea recipes?

COLORED BELL PEPPER FRIED RICE

I live for fried rice! Tasty, spicy, aromatic and oh so delicious! There are so many versions of fried rice, eggless or with eggs, chicken fried rice, veggie fried rice, beef fried rice, mushroom fried rice, pork fried rice among others.

NDUMA VIAZI KARAI

It seems people are getting back to basics when it comes to food. Organic lifestyle has become common nowadays with people searching for traditional foods like vegetables. Nduma (arrow roots) is one such vegetable that more people are enjoying. I always want to find new ways of preparing food so I had this idea to make some viazi karai using the nduma like I did with these delicious SWEET POTATOES! They turned out yummy and I loves them, so they will definitely be part of my regular menu either for breakfast or as snacks.

MARINATED CHICKEN ONE PAN PASTA

How y'all doing as 2018 nears the end of its moments? I'm happy though. It shows progress and growth. So this was one of the three courses for the Nairobi Kitchen Anniversary Giveaway competition. I love pasta, add chicken and you have a fast simple one pot meal that is delicious. The best part about one pot meals is that you will have less hassle when cleaning up and you put everything together and they cook as you wait to just serve. Fun fact: It is estimated that Italians eat over 60 pounds (27 kg) of pasta per person, per year, easily beating Americans, who eat about 20 pounds (9.1 kg) per person. Pasta is so beloved in Italy that individual consumption exceeds the average production of wheat of the country; thus Italy frequently imports wheat for pasta making. Pasta is not only delicious but nutritious as well since it has a lower glycemic index than many other staple foods in Western culture, like bread, potatoes, and rice. More reason to eat pasta everyday, if you can, that is. Enjoy today's chicken pasta dish and I hope you will enjoy it!

NAVRATAN KORMA (VEGETABLE KORMA)

Ever had potatoes so good you wanna eat all day? Ladies and gents, this vegetable korma will have your senses all up in flames of flavor town! Oh yeah HAPPY NEW MONTH my loves! Its December, the last month of the year, what? How has time flown by so fast? Where did it go? I know am not the only one who feels like there is so much that you still want to do yet so little time to do it. Did you make any new year resolutions? How many did you manage to keep? These are the questions I find myself asking. Takes breath, okay moving on to better things like food! It is no lie that I love Indian food and so I just had to add one more before this year ends. This Veggie Korma is packed with lots of delicious flavor and spiciness. Navratan korma is a vegetarian korma made with vegetables and either paneer (an Indian cheese) or nuts – or sometimes both."Navratan" means nine gems, and it is common for the recipe to include nine different vegetables. If you like it hotter, add the spices, if you like it mild reduce the spices, however you choose to go this is a great meal to share with family as you decide on the holiday plans for Christmas. Don't forget my one year anniversary giveaway is still ongoing, let Christmas come early for you! Cheers to this holiday season!

CAJUN SPICE CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Hey there lovelies! So happy to be back on this lil' kitchen of mine. And if you know me well, then you know I love me some chicken! Wings, Thighs, Breast, Liver, Drumsticks... pretty much the whole chicken. Today I bring you a delicious chicken recipe that you will lick your fingers and lick the bowl! This Cajun spiced chicken drumstick recipe is perfect for dinner with the family or friends. I made my own Cajun Seasoning which I will share with you pretty soon. Crispy on the outside and oh so fluffy soft on the inside!

MUTTON KORMA

When I made chicken korma I knew I had to try out another korma recipe, thus came mutton. Korma is a dish originating in the Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt (dahi) or cream, water or stock, and spices to produce a thick sauce or glaze. The korma style is similar to all other braising techniques in that the meat or vegetable is first cooked briskly or seared using a high heat, traditionally using ghee, and then subjected to long, slow cooking using moist heat and a minimum of added liquid. Mutton curry is delicious served with plain rice, a salad, and Raita. If you thicken the gravy, it tastes just as good with hot, freshly made Chapati

SPICY ALOO PULAO

A pulao is a dish consisting of rice and a mixture of either lentils or vegetables, mainly including peas, potatoes, french beans, carrots or meat, mainly chicken, fish, lamb, pork or prawn. It is usually served on special occasions like holidays, birthdays, Christmas and weddings among others. You can even eat it for a regular lunch or dinner meal with the family. It is considered very high in food energy and fat. A pulao is often complemented with either spiced yogurt or this delicious pineapple raita, onion raita or even cucumber mint raita. Some different types of pulao include Kashmiri pulao from Jammu and Kashmir, India, Bengali pulao from West Bengal, India, and Vegetarian pulao from Karnataka, India.

OMENA IN COCONUT SAUCE

There is just something about coconut that makes food that much more delicious. Add to omena and you have a perfect match made in foodie heaven. I do not understand why most people do not like omena. I have heard some say that whenever they cook them, they taste bitter, others say they do not like the smell especially when cooking, and there are those who remove the head before cooking! This was from a friend of mine who was sleeping in the hostels at university. Since most students preferred to cook for themselves in the dorm, literally every hallway had the smell of omena cooking! She hates this food to this day! All I can say is that it all depends on how you cook. This recipe will certainly change your mind, hopefully hers too. What has been your experience with this dish? Good or bad, let me know in the comments.

FRESH BEET ROOT PASTA DOUGH

I had promised you guys that I would be making more homemade pasta recipes and so far this is my third pasta dough recipe. This recipe is what started all this pasta making revolution that I do not see stopping any time soon. So fun, vibrant and surprisingly very easy to make this recipe will soon be your favorite way of eating fresh pasta at home. No machine required so you do not really have an excuse why you should not be making it. Tip, this dough is often sticky due to the moisture of the beetroot, so add extra flour if necessary until the dough stops sticking to your hands. Want more colorful pasta dough to try out check this fresh carrot pasta dough that I made a few months back. I am seriously loooking forward to making more homemade pasta if not this year, next year definitely since we're in November can you believe that? I will be sharing the recipes I cooked with my homemade pasts so watch out for them. In the meantime enjoy this fresh beet root pasta dough and let me know what other flavored pasta dough you would like me to come up with.

BEEF BIRYANI

Happy New Month my Lovelies! I am so looking foward to November since it is the second last month to the end of the year. Though I am a bit scared that the year is already ending with so much that I wanted to do but, its all good. Nothing inspires good food like people coming together to celebrate or even catch up like meal of biryani. This dish comes in a variety of different ingredients used to create. From chicken, beef, mutton to even eggs. Biryani is that dish that is perfect when you are craving an Indian meal that is both spicy yet delicious as well

TERIYAKI MARINATED BAKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

I love chicken and I cannot lie! As we end October today, I just thought what better way to do so than with my very favorite meal. C.H.I.C.K.E.N! I used this easy and delicious teriyaki marinade to give these chicken drumsticks that spicy sweet flavour. Baked chicken has always been my very top way to eat chicken and you can never go wrong with it. Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. The brown sugar in the marinade gives the drumsticks that shiny yummy looking glaze on top. Served over a crispy fresh green salad have these teriyaki drumsticks any way you like. Trust me you will be eating more than one drumstick and want to bake them every day, they are that delicious! 

LEMON SOY SAUCE BROCCOLI NOODLES

The BEST Noodles dish you will ever EAT! Who am am I kidding, it is the best dish you will ever have! I know I say a lot about dishes I have cooked being the best but this one beats them all! Lately I've been obsessed with bowls and I want to eat all my meals in bowls, which somewhat inspired this dish. Noodles are supposed to be eaten in cute little bowls that get you that amazing feeling of indulging in Asian cuisine. Which reminds me I haven't done too many Asian dishes but soon I will have more. I love how vibrant and colorful Asian cuisine is, always a mix of sweet and sour and tangy and fresh. I've never cooked with rice noodles before but now really excited to cook more with it as I look towards getting to use the different types of noodles available in the market. One thing is clear though, noodles are now my best go to dish when I want to whip up something fast and simple or even complicated yet delicious. The dressing plays a really important part in this dish because it adds an array of different textures and flavours, do not skip it whatsoever. Perfect noodles for a perfect lunch or dinner with someone or just  alone, legs crossed, wine glass in hand binging on your favourite Suits episodes! 

PENNE PASTA WITH AVOCADO PESTO

I can't believe it is the last day of #AvocadoAugust! I have had so much fun coming up with these recipes that I seriously want to do it again! There are still hundreds of avocado recipes that I haven't even touched but excited that I was able to come up with 13 exciting delicious Avocado recipes. Wow! Hope you had as much fun as I did and I also want feedback on what other recipes you love that I can come up with or even suggest another theme month. The last recipe for this #AvocadoAugust is Penne Pasta With Avocado Pesto which is rich and full of flavours that just dance in your mouth. This combination with pesto is so far my best pasta recipe, which I will probably make more than twice. Avocado is BAE and LIFE. Looking forward to what September has to bring!

RICH CREAMY SHELLS PASTA

It's been a while since I cooked a pasta dish so I thought why not go with pasta shells. I love this type of pasta because it has the added advantage of holding the ingredients inside their shells so you always get that extra sauce stuck in between the hollow spaces. I also love cooking with pasta shells because they kind of remind me of the ocean. Which I havent been to in a really long time. The last time I ever visited an ocean was when we were in primary school for a class 8 school trip when we were younger. It was a trip to Mombasa for a week. My best days were those spent collecting shells which I would then tightly sqeeze against my ear to hear the ocean breeze. Forget the fact that I was standing on the beach itself right where the waves hit the edges! But hearing the breeze from those tiny and sometimes humongous shells was bliss for me. I need to plan a trip to visit the beach again. Okaaaay, back to shells that are delicious and can be eaten.  This time I made the pasta dish with Pesto sauce. Pesto is one of those dips that in you should try making once in your lifetime. Because it is THAT good! And paired with pasta, you forget every other pasta dish you have ever made, trust me on this! The recipe for this Pesto dip I will share next month during something really amazing happening throughout August! Can't wait, almost there...

SAUSAGE ZUCCHINI KALE NOODLES STIR FRY

I have grown to love noodles. Maybe its because I have learnt how to make them delicious. Noodles are the easiest Neal that you can put together in like 3 minutes. Add your favourite sides and you have a full meal. The fact that they are so versatile makes them the best food ingredient to add to any meal. Whether you are vegetarian, vegan or going for gluten free noodles, you have every kind of dish that you can create with noodles. Today I decide to put together a very delicious noodles dish that features sausages and vegetables. The combination turned out so great that I not only made this dish once but twice and guys actually loved it. So far noodles are becoming my to go to meal when I don't have the time or even energy to prepare a full meal. The very best part is that you do not have to include any other meal or sides to noodles. You can simply cook them and eat the noodles as a complete meal. Still delicious even on its own!

CARAMELIZED ONIONS FRENCH BEANS NOODLES

Noodles haven't always been my favourite meal, until I discovered that there are so many ways that you can make them delicious. There are also may kinds of noodles like egg noodles and even rice noodles. Today's recipe I decided to make a stir fry noodle dish with french beans and onions. To give it that extra flavour I caramelized the onions to make them extra delicious! This is an awesome way to incorporate vegetables into your meal by making them extra crunchy and aromatic. This is a simple and quick method of making tasty and healthy noodles for the family. I love how fast you can make this meal with very few ingredients! I chose to use onion and cheese flavored noodles today for its aromatic and great combination of flavors. What is your favorite way of preparing noodles? Let me know below in the comments