Anytime you’re in New York City, you can always find delicious specialty cafes, eateries and bakeries lining the busy streets. From the delicious artisanal ice cream truck that’s parked along the curb, like that of Van Leeuwen, to the popular vegan bakery Babycakes, I either stumble upon these tasty finds luckily or I hear about them from magazines or by word of mouth.

During a recent trip to New York, I made sure that I didn’t leave without stopping by Babycakes NYC. I found out about this bakery when their cookbook of the same name, by founder Erin McKenna, with its cover photo of enticing chocolate cupcakes caught my eye in the bookstore. I’m fascinated by vegan baking, because that’s one of the biggest things that would keep me from going vegan – delicious, flaky, moist, buttery baked goods!

I mean, a flaky pie crust without butter? A cake without the flavorful soft moisture from milk and eggs? I could go on and on. Let’s face it, butter, milk, cream and eggs all play key pivotal roles in baking! But, those who’ve done away with animal-based products in their diet swear that vegan baking is oh, so delicious and healthier for you.  

So, I experiment every now and then with vegan baking to see if it’s really possible to get great baked goods without dairy and eggs, but I’m still not completely sold. Some things lend themselves well to vegan conversions (quick breads, some cookies and cupcakes) and some things you should just leave ‘well enough alone’ (biscuits, piecrusts).  However, I’ll admit that I can see why Babycakes has a large batch of fans, including loyal customers who reportedly eat everything under the sun, including dairy and eggs, but go to Babycakes simply for the flavor.

Settling into my seat in the corner of the small bakery with pink walls hung with pictures of Babycakes’ celebrity fans, I sunk my teeth into a vanilla cupcake with naturally colored pink frosting. It was truly delicious — the texture soft; the frosting creamy. The gluten-free chocolate on chocolate cupcake that I tried was also tasty, although, I wasn’t crazy about the dense texture. 

Lastly, I indulged in one of their double chocolate chip cookies, which I had tried to make at home following the recipe from the cookbook. Mine didn’t turn out so well, but the ones from the bakery were good and just as the recipe described — crisp on the edges and soft in the center. I then realized that my problem when I made the cookies was just as Erin McKenna warned in the book, measure all ingredients exactly and melt the coconut oil (a butter substitute) completely before measuring. You can’t mess around with baking; it’s a science, especially with vegan baking.

Despite my reservations about vegan baking, I can attest that Babycakes NYC and the cookbook Babycakes are both worthy of your time, cash and taste buds.

A nutritionist and 20-year vegan with a master’s of public health nutrition from New York University, Tracye is co-founder of BlackVegetarians.org and the Black Vegetarian Society of New York. She shares the message in her new book that a plant-based diet without meat, dairy or eggs, is the best for Black women’s health.

If you’re already thinking, “Forget it! I’ve got to have my meat, ice cream, butter, or cheese!” read on. Tracye has a message that everyone can benefit from. She busts the nutritional myths about protein and dairy, and will definitely have you thinking twice about your food choices. The fact is, our health is at stake and we may need to consider revolutionary changes to reclaim wellness … by any greens necessary.

Why do you think the vegan diet is the best choice for people, especially black women?

A vegan diet can help you live longer. It can help you prevent and even reverse chronic diseases. The world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals agrees that a plant-based diet is the healthiest. The information is not disputed; it’s just not widely promoted. A vegan diet is not just about living longer and disease free – it can also improve your quality of life, and it can help protect the planet.

Black women, we’re fabulous, but we have the worst health [among other demographics of women]. We’re in a crisis situation, so we can’t tip toe around this issue. Eighty percent of us are overweight and 50 percent of us are obese. We’re the heaviest group in the nation and we have the diabetes and other chronic diseases that come with that.

Also, I want to say something about children. The issue with our kids is that our diet or what we eat is not just about black women, but it’s obviously going to be about our families as well because we’re feeding them. So when black women improve our health, we’re improving the health of our families, our partners, our children, and our communities. Our health can be improved by something as simple and profound as eating a plant-based diet.

In the introduction of the book, you talk about “liberating the way one thinks about food.” Explain what you mean by that. Why do some of us need to change the way we think about food?

What I mean is that if you change your mind, your mouth will follow. What you eat starts not on your plate, but in the way you think. So people believe that they have enough information to make informed choices about what they’re eating, but the reality is we make choices based on food advertising.

The food industry spends more than $35 billion a year to dictate what we choose to eat. So, most of us are not making informed choices right now. We’re making choices based on increasing the profit of the food industry rather than to improve our health.

So what I want to do is provide information about what we know at this point is the healthiest way to eat — plant-based foods — so people can make more informed decisions. For me, it is not so much that I want people to be vegan, but I want folks to have the best information to decide what to do. It is absolutely crucial that we have the information to make those better choices. That’s liberating.

What would you say to someone who doesn’t want to be or isn’t ready to be vegan or vegetarian, but who still wants to eat healthfully?

I would say, start where you are and add more plant-based foods to your current diet. So for example, try to eat three pieces of whole fruit a day, and try to have vegetables on your plate at least twice a day. The majority of Americans don’t do that. You’ll see huge improvements just starting there. If you’re eating white rice or pasta, try brown rice or whole wheat pasta; eat whole grains instead of refined grains.

So often, those of us who are not vegetarian find it kind of odd to think about not eating animals because of animal rights or reasons of compassion. What can you say that will help people to consider a vegetarian or vegan diet for these reasons?

That’s a great question. Dick Gregory, who influenced me and thousands of others to become vegetarian, actually started being a vegetarian because of his involvement in the civil rights movement and his belief in non-violence. He extended that belief to animals. As I quote in my book from Dick Gregory’s memoir, Callus on My Soul, he wrote:

“Under the leadership of Dr. King, I became totally committed to non-violence, and I was convinced that non-violence meant opposition to killing in any form.”

For many people, vegetarian or veganism is a natural extension of being against violence, including the violence historically committed against black people.

Lastly, what are some of your favorite recipes from the book?

My favorite recipes in the book are the Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake, Spicy Black Beans, and All Hail the Kale Salad. The All Hail the Kale Salad, in particular, has been the most popular dish at potlucks I bring it to.

Check out these vegan and vegetarian recipes featured on FlavorDiva.com

(v) Vegan, (veg) Vegetarian and can be easily converted to vegan

Apple Pecan Salad with Cider Vinaigrette (veg)
Braised Cabbage (veg)
Butternut Squash Soup (v)
Chole Curry & Pulao (v)
Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup (v)
Fresh String Beans & Cherry Tomatoes (v)
Golden Couscous (v)
Papa al Pomodoro (Italian Bread & Tomato Soup) (v)
Quinoa Millet Hot Cereal (v)
Roasted Curry Spiced Pecans (v)
Sautéed Asparagus (v)
Spring Fresh, Summer Ready Pasta Salad (v)
Summer Fresh Marinara Sauce (v)
South African Mashed Pumpkin (veg)
Toasty Homemade Granola (veg)
Tortilla Soup (veg)
Tuscan White Bean Soup (veg)
Warm Fingerling Potato Salad (veg)

Shakara, Jeniece and Joan of Getemgirls.com are offering all Flavor Divas and Get ‘Em Girls another great guide to help you impress and share your culinary talents. The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Perfect Get-Together: Delicious Recipes to Delight Family and Friends is this trio’s latest contribution in their series of cookbooks.

Back in December I presented a review of their first cookbook, The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine: Perfect Recipes for Spicing Up Your Love Life. Based on that book’s sassy menu ideas, helpful tips, and playful writing; I’m excited about the new book. 

As said in their own words, “Birthday, family reunion, picnic, baby shower, dinner party, holiday feast, or just poker night–whatever the occasion–The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Perfect Get-Together has you covered from tips on organizing to setting the mood for a party and more than 140 easy and delicious recipes.”

Teaching My First Cooking Class! – Seasonal Cooking with
Common Good City Farm

On Saturday, June 13th at 11pm, I will teach a class about seasonal cooking at the Common Good City Farm. Common Good City Farm is an urban farm and education center in the LeDroit Park community of Washington, D.C. that works to promote a local food system and food security for all.

CGCF offers educational programs for adults and youth such as “Green Tomorrows” that provides locally-grown food to low-income residents in exchange for instructional hands-on work and participation in nutritional education. The “Growing Gardens Workshops” series is another program providing gardening and cooking classes to the public. The organization also sells its produce at market to support the farm.

It’s a great honor for me to teach a class for Common Good City Farm, and I’m looking forward to meeting the challenge of showing participants how to use local, seasonal produce to make a meal for under $5. If you’re interested in attending or sponsoring someone who cannot pay for the class, register online. You can also donate online to support the Common Good City Farm’s important work.

FlavorDiva on Facebook – Daily Morsels

I’m a complete facebook junkie, it’s true, so you know that I definitely have a fan page for FlavorDiva.com. I love my fan page because I get to connect with my readers as well as get the word out further about FlavorDiva.com.

If you’re one of my fans and on facebook, and I certainly hope that you are, please join the FlavorDiva Fan page and receive daily morsels of thoughts and food related info from me via your news feed. Also, becoming a fan and showing your support helps tell your friends about FlavorDiva.com. Thanks!!!!

If you’re a no-meat-no-animal-products-eatin’-gave-up-pork-a-long-time-ago soul you’ll feel right at home in Bryant Terry’s Vegan Soul Kitchen. Bryant Terry, an Eco-chef and food justice activist originally from Memphis, TN, has offered us all in Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy and Creative African-American Cuisine, a different take on soul food that is familiar, yet new and especially tasty.

At this point in the post, I know I already have the vegans and vegetarians hooked, but if you’re still skeptical or scared off by the word “vegan” (as I’ve discovered that many people are), trust me – read on. You eat vegan food all the time without even realizing it (a handful of grapes, spinach sautéed in olive oil, tea, and even french fries).

Vegan simply means food that is free of animal products, including meat, seafood, dairy, eggs and honey. While I’m not vegan or even vegetarian, I eat that way often. And just how many of my recipes can be adapted for the vegan or vegetarian, Bryant encourages folks to make his recipes work for you and add meat or dairy if that’s what you need. In his words, “freestyle and be creative.” 

African-American cuisine has always been creative, often times out of necessity (eg. chitterlings, pig feet, etc.). According to Bryant and contrary to popular belief, our cuisine has also traditionally been full of healthy, fresh foods such as home-grown fruits and vegetables. “This book is about the creative use of nutrient-dense vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes that make some bangin’ dishes,” Bryant writes.

As with all of my cookbook reviews, I tried out several of the recipes myself before coming online to sing the praises of Vegan Soul Kitchen (VSK). Cooking from these recipes was fun and educational. The Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux were really delicious and proof that you don’t have to simmer your collards for two to three hours with a ham hock or smoked turkey leg in order for them to taste good. I will definitely be making these on a regular basis.

The Open-Faced BBQ Tempeh Sandwich with Carrot-Cayenne Coleslaw was also pretty tasty. It was my first time cooking tempeh, a fermented soybean patty that can be sliced, diced, marinated, grilled, baked, etc. The tempeh strips marinated in a homemade BBQ sauce and served over focaccia bread was filling and I can see myself using the marinade for chicken as well. I also enjoyed the Green Beans with Roasted Shallots and Walnuts, and the Black-Eyed Pea Fritters with Hot Pepper Sauce (aka homemade hot sauce).

Bryant also includes many beverage recipes in VSK, which I really like. I made the Orange-Orange Pekoe Tea sweetened with agave nectar and the Lavender Lemonade. I loved the Lavender Lemonade! Are you familiar with Pink Lemonade? I remember drinking it in the past and never thinking that it was probably colored with some kind of synthetic food dye. Well here’s your answer for an all-natural pink lemonade that’s easy to make. The lavender water made from steeping lavender buds gives the lemonade its color. Of course culinary lavender isn’t easily found just anywhere but since I pick up interesting ingredients when I come across them, I actually had some culinary lavender in my cabinet. You can purchase lavender online or in specialty spice shops.

Pricy and unfamiliar ingredients for the vegan novice are the only real caveats I have about VSK, but with a little time and Bryant’s helpful tips included in the book, you’ll learn your way around a health food or international grocery store in no time. And, if you’re already familiar with one, you’ll learn it even better as I did (Who knew the best place to find raw, shelled peanuts is in an international supermarket?).

There are so many more VSK recipes I’m looking forward to trying including the entire chapter of watermelon recipes, including the Fresh Watermelon-Vodka Martini and Balsamic Syrup-Sweetened Watermelon Sorbet. I also already have the ingredients waiting on me to make the Candied Sweet Potato Discs and Apple Slices, Maple Almond Granola, Quinoa-Quinoa Cornbread, Almond milk, and Creamy Grits. And that’s only naming a few of the 150 recipes that fill this bold cookbook.

Leave a comment below about this post and your favorite soul food dish to be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of Vegan Soul Kitchen. All comments must be left by Friday, March 27th, 11:59pm (U.S. residents only). While you wait to see if you won, try out Bryant’s recipes below and read other coverage of Vegan Soul Kitchen.

VSK Recipes and Reviews
Read more on Vegan Soul Kitchen and check out these sample recipes. ESSENCE.com has a great interview with Bryant. Hear him talk more about soul food and the new book in his own words.

Black-Eyed Pea Fritters with Hot Pepper Sauce
Carrot-Cranberry-Walnut Salad with Cream Walnut Vinaigrette
101Cookbooks.com: Bryant Terry’s Jamaican Veggie Patties
ESSENCE: Chef’s Choice: Bryant Terry
TheRoot: Vegan Soul Food, A Tasty Read

Cookbook Review: During the last several weeks I hope you’ve had a joyful holiday season as well as time to try out some of the recipes I suggested from my last cookbook review on The Get ‘Em Girls Guide to the Power of Cuisine. Since then, I’ve picked up another cookbook by one of my favorite Food Network personalities – Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa.

I love watching Barefoot Contessa because Ina Garten’s food always seems simple, yet elegant and stylish. Also, I love her story of how she worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget, but then left to purchase a specialty food shop called Barefoot Contessa in the Hamptons. Over twenty years later she has built and sold a successful food store, written multiple cookbooks, and has her own cooking show and a line of food products.

Ina’s latest of six cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, is a gorgeous 272-page hardback full of recipes for cocktail hour, soups, lunch, dinner, vegetables, dessert, and breakfast. As Ina describes it, the cookbook is about “taking ordinary ingredients and cooking them – or pairing them – in a way that “unlocks” their true flavors.” The photography in the books is beautiful and inspiring, and most of the recipes have an accompanying photo.

One of the best aspects about this cookbook that I like is Ina’s informative and motivating introduction on cooking seasonally and cooking for flavor, along with her lists of tips on cooking and entertaining at the beginning of each chapter. For example, she share’s 10 No-Cook Things to Serve with Drinks, How to Arrange Flowers Like a Pro, and 10 Things Not to Serve at a Dinner Party.

Now while the book is called Back to Basics, some of the recipes are easy or simple to make and others require a little more time and patience, however, the rewards of an extremely flavorful dish await you. I tried several of the recipes and I’m looking forwarded to trying many more, including the Tuscan lemon chicken, baked shrimp scampi, mustard-roasted fish, wild mushroom risotto, French chocolate bark, and honey vanilla pound cake just to name a few. For those of you who eat red meat (in moderation of course), Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics also has recipes for an elegant pot roast and Niman Ranch burgers.

One of the recipes that I tried from the cookbook was chicken bouillabaisse, a stew of chicken, potatoes and French flavors including white wine and Pernod – a star anise flavored liquor. I also made Ina’s parmesan thyme crackers, which were delicious and would be great to serve as an appetizer or cocktail party hors d’ oeuvre. Other recipes I tested from the cookbook included roasted shrimp, maple-roasted butternut squash, county French omelets, roasted parsnips and carrots, and buttermilk cheddar biscuits.

The buttermilk cheddar biscuits were wonderful and are pretty easy to make as long as you have a stand mixer or food processor (which you should if you cook regularly, as I hope you do). Her recipe calls for making the biscuits using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Since, I’m still waiting to retire my hand-me-down mixer and purchase a new one with a paddle attachment, I tried out the recipe using my food processor and it worked like a charm (follow similar steps in a food processor recipe for scones or biscuits).

Ina includes this recipe in her chapter on breakfast, but I think the biscuits also go well with dishes for dinner or lunch such as soups and salads. Be sure to use quality ingredients such as organic dairy and unbleached all-purpose flour.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits
By Ina Garten from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Click here for the recipe.

The old saying, “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” may be a bit dated and not entirely true, but sayings don’t become clichés for nothing. They usually have some measure of truth to them. Based on feedback that Shakara Bridgers, Jeniece Isley and Joan A. Davis received when they surveyed men in barbershops, churches, chat rooms and bars, they found that most men are still interested in and attracted to women who can burn! So these three Get ‘Em Girls set out to share their wisdom and recipes for how to be a winner in the kitchen with their cookbook, The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine: Perfect Recipes for Spicing Up Your Love Life.

I stumbled across their book when its colorful and sassy cover design caught my eye in the bookstore. That same colorful appeal and playfulness continues throughout the pages of their fun and easy to follow cookbook.

The recipes featured in The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine cover a wide range of dishes from classic soul food entrées to “the morning after” breakfast dishes to Caribbean and Italian fare. The book does not fall short on variety. It also includes some low-refined carbohydrate and vegetarian dishes for good measure. Many of the recipes are already arranged in full menus for you so you don’t even have to do the work of trying to decide what to serve with what. The Get ‘Em Girls’ sexy desserts, dishes and drinks with names like “Put-it-on-him Cake,” “Kiss o’ Honey Potatoes,” and “Meet-the-Parents Carrot Cake,” will definitely inspire you to want to put together a tasty meal for your man, ASAP!

Aside from the recipes, which call for simple ingredients and techniques perfect for the experienced cook or the novice, Shakara, Jeniece and Joan also share important advice and tidbits pertaining to cooking and relationships. From how to know if a man is worth cooking for to aphrodisiac ingredient alerts to wine-pairing basics and more, these ladies make sure that you’re well informed before you begin to work your magic in the kitchen.

Out of the recipes I tried, their salmon with brown-sugar glaze, sautéed asparagus and kiss o’ honey potatoes, a part of their “so seductive” menu, came out very well and I found the directions easy to follow. I also enjoyed the cinnamon French toast recipe. I’m looking forward to testing many of the other recipes such as the Spanish-Style Paella, Balsamic-Glazed Roast Chicken, Coconut Shrimp with Honey-Orange Dipping Sauce, Bring-him Back Chicken Soup, and Tiramisu for Two. Getting hungry?

My only caveat to some of the recipes in the cookbook is that they sometimes call for ingredients that I think would be better substituted with healthier choices. For example, extra-virgin olive oil instead of vegetable oil or all-natural whipped cream instead of cool whip. I plan to write a series of blog posts in January about choosing natural, high quality ingredients and which industrial, processed ingredients to stay away from and why. As for The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine, with some easy substitutions, most of the recipes are just fine.

This cute cookbook is definitely a winner, especially for a new cook, so consider ordering a copy for yourself or another Get ‘Em Girl! (Orders placed by Wednesday, December 17th via my Amazon store should be received in time for Christmas.)  Try out my adaptation below of their kiss o’ honey potatoes while you wait on your book to arrive. Also, check out GetEmGirls.com. Shakara, Jeniece and Joan have expanded beyond a cookbook and provide a lifestyle website for “sassy, smart and modern chic” women of color.

Rosemary-Honey Potatoes
Adapted from the Kiss ‘o Honey Potatoes recipe in
The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine

1 pound baby red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a 9″ x 9″ baking dish and sprinkle the shallot, rosemary, salt and pepper over the potatoes. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, honey, dry mustard and garlic powder and mix well. Drizzle the olive oil-honey mixture over the potatoes. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes.