I guess part of me is still in Tobago. I’ve been cooking Caribbean food, mostly homemade roti, mild curries and rice. I have a few books about Rastafarianism and I was thinking about their diet and the similarities between it and
macrobiotics…

The Rastafarians believe that they are what they eat. They
shun additives, preservatives and processed foods, red meat and dairy. They strive to be at one with nature, even cooking without salt, a practice known as”ital”. All the care taken in preparing the food is to preserve the natural purity of ingredients and this extends through the preparation to the serving and eating. They try to use only utensils made from natural materials such as stone, wood and earthenware. Only foods that are organic and in season are used, and only minimal amounts of spices are added to enhance the natural flavors and keep the food as vital as can be.

Here is my interpretation of a complete Rastafarian meal:

Celery ginger rice

4 stalks celery, diced

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 cups long grain organic brown rice

1 large bay leaf

4 cups of water

Pinch of  sea salt

Heat oil in a frying pan. Gently stir fry celery and ginger until celery is soft. In a heavy pot wash and rinse the rice, add the bay leaf ,the celery mixture and water. Bring to a boil and add a pinch of sea salt. Put a cover on the pot and turn down heat, simmer for 50 min or until water is absorbed.  When rice is done give it a gentle stir and serve.

Kidney beans

2 cups cooked kidney beans

1 sun dried tomato, sliced

1 tbsp of olive oil

1 pinch allspice

1 tsp cumin

1 small dried red chili (optional)

Heat oil in a heavy skillet, add spices and tomato and gently brown for 1 min . Add beans and cook on low for 25 min, adding a bit of water if beans dry out. Stir gently and be careful not to crush chili. Add salt as desired.

Curried butternut squash

4-5 cups butternut squash, cut into chunks

1/2 lg onion sliced into thin half moons

2 tsp curry powder

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup water

sea salt to taste

Add all ingredients into a medium size pot and bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer for about 20 min or until squash is very soft. Mash all ingredients in the pot with a potato masher until  smooth and creamy.

Cabbage salad

1/2 a medium green cabbage, shredded

1/2 cucumber sliced into thin rounds

1 cup bean sprouts (aduki or mung bean) loosely packed

11/2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp  seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 cup orange juice

1tsp ginger juice

2 tbsp raisins

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and set aside to marinate for 1/2hour before serving .

Carrot fritters

3 carrots grated

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp rice syrup

3 tbsp soy milk

oil for frying

whisk all the dry ingredients together, add carrot, rice syrup and soy milk. Heat a tbsp of oil in a frying pan and add small spoonfuls of mixture to pan , flatten them out slightly and brown each side. Place on a paper towel when done to absorb oil.

Banana Punch

4 ripe bananas

11/2 cups water

1/2 cup soy milk

1/4 tsp nutmeg

honey or rice syrup to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth and frothy. Chill before serving

Ginger drink

1 lb ginger root, grated

8 cups water

juice of 2 limes

maple syrup to taste

Put water and ginger in a large pot and bring to a boil . Turn down heat and simmer for 5 min. Cover the pan and turn off heat and let sit until cool. Store in the fridge overnight. Strain liquid through a sieve. Add lime juice and maple syrup and serve.

Kukicha with lime

11/2-2 tbsp roasted twig tea

6 cups water

2 limes, juiced

Bring water and tea to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 min. Strain trough a seive  and add lime juice. Chill in the fridge or serve room temperature

Peace , Love and Yummy food!