Kwanzaa Culinarians

Recipes and Food Stories from the African Diaspora

Couve a Mineira by Nadine Nelson

By Nadine Nelson of Global Local Gourmet Southern greens are traditionally made with smoked ham hocks or turkey bones and cooked for long hours. This easy and quick recipe from Brazil … Continue reading

December 18, 2014

Apricot Jam Pound Cake

The holidays center around baking, so why not try this non-traditional pound cake? There’s a little whole wheat flour, which adds a few extra nutrients and a nutty flavor. The … Continue reading

December 17, 2014

New Beginnings by FlavorfulWorld.com

By Anthony Beal This recipe first appeared on my food and drinking blog FlavorfulWorld.com. When invited to contribute for a second time to the KwanzaaCulinarians.com, this recipe sprang to mind … Continue reading

December 13, 2014

Caramelized Onion and Scallion Cornbread

Cornbread is the side dish that almost always has to appear on the table during the holidays. This one is all about the buttermilk and sour cream that contribute to … Continue reading

December 11, 2014

Nigerian Chin-Chin by Yetunde Rodriguez

By Yetunde of YetundeRodriguez.com Chin-Chin is one of the most popular and easily recognizable Nigerian (or West African, for that matter) snacks. It is a snack that is made for … Continue reading

December 9, 2014 · 1 Comment

North African Sweet Mint Tea

By John Burton Jr of The Food Cravelogist North Africans consume plenty of sweet tea or mint tea with their meals. As a Southerner, I can proudly exclaim, “So do we!”

December 6, 2014

Lamb Tagine with Makfoul

North African food appeals to me in ways that are difficult to explain. I love the flavors–rich, deep, fragrant and earthy. Everything about the food feels, and tastes, just right. … Continue reading

December 4, 2014

Plantaintouille by Funke Koleosho

By Funke Koleosho’s Food Blog. Original recipe here. Provence Ratatouille + West African Plantain yields….. “Plantaintouille” …..!!!!! I first encountered this dish from watching a children’s animation film of the same … Continue reading

December 3, 2014 · 1 Comment

Cacao Benne Cookies by MyLifeRunsOnFood.com

By Sanura Weathers of MyLifeRunsOnFood.com Make a pot of tea or coffee, light a candle, grab a comfortable seat, and plate a few cacao benne (pronounced benny) cookies. How was … Continue reading

December 2, 2014

Rosa Parks Day + Pancakes

If Thanksgiving with your family was anything like mine, there was lots of food, family, friends, laughter and lively conversation. But talk turned to the Ferguson grand jury decision as … Continue reading

December 1, 2014 · 1 Comment

Habari Gani 2013

These past couple of years, a few food blogger friends and I, contributed recipes to KwanzaaCulinarians.com. This would’ve been our third year, but I needed to rest. I regret that … Continue reading

December 28, 2013 · 1 Comment

Faith in Transition and a Dominican Mangú Recipe

January 1. We made it to see this day. It’s that pivotal date when all things new are embraced and our efforts at finding that balance which optimizes our lives … Continue reading

January 1, 2013

Cooking Up a Heritage Connection: Me, Grandma and a Pot of Beans

By Shannon Mustipher Kuumba is one of my favorite Kwanzaa principles, because all of us have creative potential at our disposal to positively affect our situation and that of those … Continue reading

December 31, 2012 · 1 Comment

Sweet and Spicy Pot Liquor Soup: A Cure for What Ails You

By Halona Black In 2012, I realized a long-held dream of facilitating series of cooking classes for Gyouth and adults. I must say that I love it! As a Culinary … Continue reading

December 29, 2012 · 1 Comment

Pearl’s Fried Corn

I grew up eating good old Southern food. Fried foods, decadent desserts, fattening casseroles–you know the foods that just make you lose control. When I revamped my diet many years … Continue reading

December 27, 2012 · 3 Comments

Black-eye Pea and Wild Brown Rice Risotto

Twas the eve of Kwanzaa, and all through our house, we will rest in peace after unwrapping Christmas gifts with glee. This year, my household of two starts a new … Continue reading

December 25, 2012 · 2 Comments

Meatless Monday’s… Say What?

Coming from someone who co-owns a catering business, Meat-me-at-the-Grill with her husband, the term “Meatless Monday” in the food blog world sounds sacrilegious.  I love meat.  All kinds of Meat, … Continue reading

December 24, 2012

Uhma’s Sweet Potato Pie

Modern grandmas are kinda funny to me. Many of them spend endless hours trying to come up with a clever name for the new grandchild to call them. They ask their … Continue reading

December 23, 2012 · 3 Comments

Kuumba-Inspired Roasted Sweet Potato Cake

As I begin to explore the principles of Kwanzaa as an inspiration for a recipe, I was most inspired by the principle of Kuumba. There are a few different translations, … Continue reading

December 22, 2012 · 6 Comments

The Special Occasion Macaroni and Cheese

Not a holiday goes by in my family without macaroni and cheese gracing the table. I literally do not remember life with no macaroni and cheese in it! I bet … Continue reading

December 21, 2012

Ms. Ginny is My Grandmother

My maternal grandmother, Mrs. Earcie Bodiford Ginwright, a life-long Alabamian, taught me more about African values than my African study and Swahili language classes taught me. I moved from Alabama … Continue reading

December 19, 2012

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Learn more about Kwanzaa

The word "Kwanzaa" comes from the phrase, "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first-fruits." Kwanzaa's extra "a" evolved as a result of a particular history of the Organization Us. It was clone as an expression of African values in order to inspire the creativity of our children. In the early days of Us, there were seven children who each wanted to represent a letter of Kwanzaa. Since kwanza (first) has only six letters, we added an extra "a" to make it seven, thus creating "Kwanzaa." To learn more about Kwanzaa, visit the Official Kwanzaa Website.