Quick Links
Home
Health Fasting
Diet Fasting
Religious Fasting
Juicing Recipes
Discussion Board
Read our Blog

Menu
Granny's Icebox Rolls
Tofu
Gumbo
White Corn Grits Souffle
Black-Eyed Pea Croquettes
Sugared Sweet Potatoes, Plantains and Apples
Mixed Greens
Macaroni and Cheese
Five-Flavor Pound Cake with Caramel Drizzle

Kwanzaa--you'll find it on any December calendar, inked between Christmas and New Year's,
a holiday so novel that 40 years ago it didn't exist. Yet 15 million people worldwide now circle
the dates for Kwanzaa, the creation of a California college professor and African-American
activist named Maulana Karenga.Kwanzaa, Swahili for "first fruits of the harvest," is a 7-day
celebration of life, family, community and culture. From December 26 through January 1,
African Americans give thanks for past accomplishments--the "fruits" of their labor--pay
homage to their ancestors and reaffirm the values of their African heritage. A cultural rather
than a religious observance, Kwanzaa is a time of fasting, feasting and self-examination.
Based on traditional harvest festivals, Kwanzaa was established in 1966 at the height of the
Black Freedom Movement. Desiring Pan-African solidarity, Karenga, a Black Studies professor
at California State University, Long Beach, created Kwanzaa with three purposes: to restore
rootedness in African culture; to reaffirm a common identity and direction as a world
community; and to introduce and reinforce the Seven Principles of unity, self-determination,
collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
During Kwanzaa, family members gather each night to light red, green and black candles
corresponding to the Seven Principles. As each candle is lit, the family discusses the principle
of the day and makes a commitment to practice that principle throughout the year.The rituals
of Kwanzaa also include eating--and lots of it. The sixth day of Kwanzaa, December 31, is
marked by a lavish feast. "The Kwanzaa Karuma, in keeping with the theme of black unity,
draws on the cuisines of Africa, the Caribbean and southern America, wherever Africans were
taken," says classically trained chef Carla Hall, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, and a proponent
of showcasing African-American cooking minus the meat. "The way I contribute, as the cook in
the family, is to take a few of my grandmother's old traditions and my food memories, add a
new twist to some of them and create new traditions."The following recipes are some of Hall's
favorites. Whether or not you celebrate Kwanzaa, you're sure to find any of these dishes
welcome at your holiday table.Washington, DC, resident Carla Hall graduated from the cooking
school L'Academie de Cuisine in Maryland. She runs Alchemy Caterers and teaches cooking
classes.

Granny's Icebox Rolls
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN ROLLS
When I was growing up, Sunday dinnerwas always at my grandmother's house 30
miles away. I always wanted my mom topull over and call ahead to let Granny
know we were just 10 minutes away. Shewould never start the cornbread or bake
the rolls until we were in the house.
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 pkg. dried yeast
1 tsp. plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick plus 4 Tbs. melted butter
1 large egg, beaten
3 cups all-purpose flour
1. Combine lukewarm water, yeast and 1teaspoon sugar. Let yeast bubble and double
in size, about 15 minutes.
2. Mix milk, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, salt, butter and beaten egg together. 
Slowly stir in flour. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture,stirring well--dough 
should be very sticky. Cover flour mixture with wax paper and towel, and place 
in warm area. Let rise until it doubles in bulk, about 1 hour.
3. Divide dough into two sections. Knead each section about 4 minutes, and on
floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thick.
4. Use 2-inch round cookie cutter to cutdough into circles. Brush dough cutouts
with remaining melted butter. Fold dough cutouts in half, spray baking sheet with
nonstick cooking spray and place dough on sheet about 1 1/2-inches apart. Let rise
about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
5. Preheat oven to 400F.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven, and
serve hot.
PER SERVING: 80 CAL; 2G PROT; 4.5G TOTALFAT (2.5G SAT. FAT); 10G CARB; 15MG 
CHOL;75MG SOD; 0G FIBER; 2G SUGARS

Tofu Gumbo
SERVES 8
Gumbo may be made with a number of main ingredients, so why not tofu? Marinated
tofu is a modern addition to this old Cajun favorite--along with the distinctive
texture of okra. It's served over a White Corn Grits Souffle, which is fluffed 
with eggs and served golden brown and piping hot right out of the oven. Leftover
grits may be sliced and fried like polenta for breakfast the next morning or eaten
as a snack later in the day.
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
2 bay leaves
2 cups vegetable stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 lb. okra, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1. Combine garlic, onion, mustard, cayenne
pepper, peanut oil, vinegar and brown
sugar in large bowl. Place tofu cubes in
mixture, and marinate 2 to 24 hours.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in large
pot over medium heat. Saute onions,
celery, peppers and garlic until onions are
translucent and vegetables are soft, about
10 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme,
oregano, basil, bay leaves, stock, salt and
pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, and
cook 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet,
and saute okra until light brown. Remove
from skillet, and add to tomato mixture.
4. Drain tofu, keeping diced onion. Reheat
skillet, and saute tofu until lightly browned.
Remove from skillet, and add to tomato
mixture.
5. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in skillet, and
whisk in flour. Continue whisking mixture,
or roux, until it is light brown and smells
slightly nutty, for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Reheat tomato mixture over medium
heat, and stir in roux 1 tablespoon at a
time. Continue to stir until gumbo is consistency
of gravy. Remove from heat, and
serve over White Corn Grits Souffle.
PER SERVING: 360 CAL; 8G PROT; 30G TOTALFAT (3G SAT. FAT); 16G CARB; 0MG 
CHOL;240MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

A Kendall Jackson or Sterling Chardonnay, both bold enough to stand up to the rich, nutty
gumbo, is one way to go with the dish. And if you prefer Chardonnays on the lighter side,
pair this dish with a Jacobs Creek South Eastern Australian.