The Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago, The Caribbean & Beyond!
Vegetarian cooking requires creativity and innovation because a healthy vegetarian diet is based on variety and moderation. According to the USDA, dietary guidelines for American vegetarians “who eat milk products and eggs enjoy excellent health, and that ‘you can get enough protein from a vegetarian diet as long as the variety and amount of foods consumed are adequate’. An adequate amount of protein is a concern of any vegetarian diet. “Protein is made up is made up of amino acids and the only vegetable source with all three types of amino acids is soybeans”. A balanced vegetarian diet is one with a wide variety of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits. In order to create complete protein, legumes and grains should be consumed together. For example, rice and beans or pita bread and hummus create a source of complete protein without high cholesterol sources such as eggs or cheese. Moderation is key when consuming high-fat or high cholesterol foods. Dairy products can be part of a healthy lacto vegetarian diet, especially when low-fat counterparts are used. ” As a result [of a balanced vegetarian diet], many long-term vegetarians have developed eating patterns that are among the healthiest in the world”.
The recipes in this section do not include meat or fish. They may however contain animal byproducts such as butter, milk, eggs and honey.
Happy New Year everyone! It’s so good to be back from the Holiday ‘Break’. I hope you’re all well 🙂 I’m brimming with ideas for the blog and this brand over the next 12 months and I’ve already started rolling them out. Firstly my Patreon …
Punch de Creme, is another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. One thing that I really like about it (as opposed to traditional eggnog) is the use of citrus flavors like lime and Angostura bitters (which has orange extract). This gives the ‘nog’ a fruity lightness …
As promised, here is a recipe for Paime (pron. PAY-me)! Paime is basically a sweet version of the savoury pastelle. I only recently discovered that Paime is also a traditional Xmas dish. Well that explains why it seemed I never could find it lol! No …
Well you know how Trinis like how to do everything las’ minute? 🙂 If you don’t have enough time to try my mother’s ginger beer recipe, here is a quick recipe from Epicurious.com that needs only 24 hours fermentation. Best of luck! 😀 Click here …
My mom’s Jamaican Ginger Beer brewing in the sun 😀 The above scene and bottle feel as though they have always been with me, they occur with such comforting regularity. Ginger beer is something that is enjoyed by both Trinis and Jamaicans however in my …
When I first made this in 2006 it was my first time using a pack of dried sorrel for a recipe. I was pleasantly surprised. If you allow it to steep overnight the results are pretty damn good. The below recipe is my …
Christmas in Trinidad is a diverse multicultural affair. Not just for the Christian population, but also through the secular participation of the nation at large through the enjoyment of our local christmas songs (called parang) and especially the creation and consumption of our traditional …
Like sorrel, Black Cake in Trinidad is a Christmas institution. Made predominantly of alcohol drenched prunes, currants and raisins, variations abound (and I love taste testing when we make the visiting rounds). Still, the best black cake is always the recipe that one grew up …
What is Parang? Well Parang is the soundtrack to Christmas here in Trinidad. More than that however Parang is also a culture, a way of life that sweeps through my island after the lights of Eid and Divali have been put away. The What is …
![Coconut Sweetbread [Recipe] + Only 6 Days Left in my Special Patreon Famalay Offer!](https://www.trinigourmet.com/nts/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_7902-760x400.jpg)
A while back on my Instagram/Facebook Stories I asked which recipes I should post next. Coconut sweetbread was a popular choice! What a great excuse to get flour back on my hands, which is exactly what I did to prepare this loaf for my most …
“And the winner is…” My breath froze as I waited to hear the next words from Joel Villafana, host of the popular morning program “Cup of Joe”. When he said “Sarina Bland of TriniGourmet.com” I was just about ready to pass out! That day had …
As promised, here is the recipe for the Iced Ginger Lemon Tea which was the beverage component of my submission to the 40th installment of Happy Sorceress’ Blog Party series. This drink is wonderfully refreshing and has a soft muted tone, thanks to the use …
Since 2009 I have actively incorporated more raw and vegan dishes into my regular diet and have found the benefits to be multifold. For one my body hasn’t succumbed to flus the way it regularly did in the past and I have found that many …
No local condiment series would be complete without a recipe for Trini Garlic Sauce. It’s just one of those local favourites that can be found everywhere from beachside stands , to popular ‘grill’ joints as well as streetside food vendors. Indeed many street vendors have …
This dish of pigeon peas and rice was the perfect accompaniment to the Crispy Lemon Chicken that I made earlier this year. The rice and peas are cooked together in a rich combination of fresh thyme and coconut milk with wedges of tomatoes and (if …
Have you tried splashing Angostura bitters on your ice cream? Because Angostura has a light uplifting flavour with some citrusy undertones I find it works better with pale colored icecreams like vanilla and citrus-flavored icecreams like orange and lemon. This post was originally published November …
This recipe is a staple side dish of mine that I’ve adapted and modified at length through the years. Both colorful and flavourful I think it creates a texturally interesting background for spicy curries and other East Indian flavoured entrees. Coconut Rice with Lentils and …
Tapenades are one of my entertaining ‘secret weapons’. Blend a few ingredients, add a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper and people think you have been slaving for hours 😆 This one for Green Olive tapenade is one of my favourites. Because there …
Kurma is one of my favourite Trinidadian snacks. Fried mouthfuls of spiced dough in a sugary glaze, they can be found and purchased throughout the island at school ‘tuck shops’, pharmacies, supermarkets and corner shops. East Indian in origin they are also a staple treat …
How cute are these ‘latkes’? 🙂 I have to put the quotation marks because they are neither fried, nor flat (oh the sacrilege!). But… they are so light, crisp and flavourful that I can’t get too worked up so do ignore my faux outrage 🙂 …
This latke recipe is adapted from one that I saw several years ago in EatingWell Magazine. It has become a perennial favourite and is one that will probably please latke purists/minimalists in the crowd. I particularly enjoy it with sour cream. Technique wise this latke …
Just a few words as I am writing this at 3:10 a.m.and am rapidly fading after a day of automechanical mishaps (ugh!) Ochroes are one of those ingredients that rapidly divide people into one of two camps, the love ’ems and leave ’ems. Well, I …
As long-time readers of Trinigourmet would know, I am something of a porridge junkie. My own particular affinity is for cornmeal porridge, however that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a wide array of others that are familiar to the Caribbean home. In recent months I …
How have you been enjoying my Hanukkah 2010 series so far? At the moment I seem to be having a little trouble with my RSS feed so if you have not received the posts so far you can check out the recipe roundup to date …
