​“The leaves of the chadon beni is rich in iron, carotene, riboflavin, and calcium, and are an excellent source of vitamin A,B, C. This herb also has medicinal properties. The leaves of the plant is a good remedy for high blood pressure, and epilepsy. In some Caribbean countries it is called fitweed because of its anti-convulsant properties. It is a stimulant and has anti-inflamatory and analgestic properties. As a matter of fact, the whole plant could be used to cure headache, diarrhea, flu, fever, vomiting, colds, malaria, constipation, and pneumonia.”

Ingredients
table salt
1/2 pound elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked pasta)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chilli powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
12 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups) (or cheese of your choice)
Directions 
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and add dry macaroni; cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

3. Using the same large pot, wipe dry and heat over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. Add ground beef and break it up in pieces to brown. Once browned, remove from pot and discard drippings. Set beef aside.

3. Add remaining oil to the same large pot and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, red pepper, chilli powder, and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened and begin to brown. 

4. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, reserved 3/4 cup pasta water and beef to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavours have blended.

5. Stir in the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and smooth over with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

6. Remove from oven and sprinkle the top of the dish with the remaining shredded cheese. Return the dish once again in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese begins to melt and brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Source: The Loop, August 2019

at Smith
Senior Editor, LIVEKINDLY | New York City | Contactable via: kat@livekindly.com
Eleven-year-old entrepreneur Omari McQueen is the youngest award-winning vegan chef in the UK. In addition to being the founder of his own company, Dipalicious, he’s now CEO of a restaurant of the same name.
The pop-up will take place at Boxpark Croydon this summer. While menu details have not yet been released, McQueen loves sharing vegan Caribbean food on his Instagram, such as BBQ jackfruit with breadfruit fries and curry. His company Dipalicious makes vegan dips inspired by Caribbean cuisine, such as Luv’in Jerk, Caribbean Kick, and Coco Curry. Vegan snacks will launch soon, according to the website.
“I can’t believe my dreams are coming true,” McQueen wrote on Instagram earlier this month.
McQueen learned about veganism from a PETA UK video at just eight-years-old and became determined to make food that could be enjoyed by all. He also wanted to teach other children about vegan food. One year prior, his parents ignited a passion for cooking in young McQueen, who was taught to cook after his mother fell ill.
While making vegan pizza on his YouTube channel, he found that the end result was too dry and, not knowing if Heinz was vegan, he made his first dip. It was a hit with friends and family, which inspired him to found Dipalicious. He began saving for his own bus-converted vegan restaurant as well as ready meals for kids. Today, he also hosts kids’ cooking workshops from home.
The young entrepreneur’s accomplishments have already been recognized a number of times. In 2018, he won the TruLittle Hero Award for being the Entrepreneur Hero under 12 by Cause4Children Ltd. He won the Compassionate Kid Award from PETA for his work helping animals last November.
“His compassion and his determination to create a better world for animals are a wonderful example for other kids – and adults – to follow,” said PETA director Elisa Allen in a statement.
He also won the Proud & Gifted Award for his work as a vegan chef and youth empowerment speaker.
Dipalicious’s vegan pop-up restaurant will take place at Boxpark Croydon from August 17-24.
​

James Whetlor didn’t know what to expect when he came to Trinidad and Tobago.
But when he left, he took with him a love for doubles, the joy of eating a mango plucked from a tree, an appreciation of T&T’s cuisine and a heart filled with pride because an event he created has taken root in places he never imagined.
Whetlor is the man who popularised Goatober in the United Kingdom and Europe, an event that was started in the United States with Erin Fairbanks and renowned cheesemaker Anne Saxelby who wanted to end the practice of euthanising young male goats for which the dairy industry had no use.
Goatober was created as a month-long celebration on the menu of New York restaurants as a way to promote goat meat as delicious, ethical and sustainable.
In 2016, UK Whetlor, a chef and owner of Cabrito, introduced Goatober to the UK and to mainland Europe the following year.
Whetlor made his first visit to Trinidad last week for the official launch of GoatoberTT, an initiative by media personality and food writer Franka Philip.
Over the weekend, he did workshops with farmers of the Sheep and Goat Farmers Society, with chefs at the Academy of Baking and gave interested diners a taste of roasted goat at an event called Cuisine Cruisin.
In Europe, Whetlor’s mission is to popularise goat meat and save 1.5 million goats from being euthanised. In T&T, where there is already an appreciation for goat, albeit in curry form, the mission is different, he said.
“Bringing Goatober to Trinidad and Tobago gives us, rather than in the UK or Australia, a certain amount of authority. If the idea of Goatober can be accepted by people who are the experts, then it gives us a little bit of kick and I am grateful for that,” he said at the launch.
He said while in T&T there is a cultural barrier to selling goat’s milk in the UK there is a cultural barrier to selling the meat.
Goatober, he said, is about sharing knowledge and skills.
Speaking to Loop at the end of the weekend, Whetlor said he was able to impart to chefs new ways of cooking goat meat.
“We had 10 chefs, none of them ever cooked goat any other way than currying it and they were interested, asking questions, engaged, bringing their own ideas and that is what you what. You want guys to go away inspired and say right, this is what I am going to do and where do I get my Trinidad goat and not use one of my recipes from the book or do anything I have done but take their own experiences and inspiration and do something new with it,” he said.

Whetlor said he is really proud of the fact that Goatober has become international and taken and molded to suit a purpose that is for the betterment of the people that do it.
“Goatober has molded itself to fit what it has to fit and that is an amazing thing,” he said, hopeful that it creates a new revenue stream for local farmers.
Whetlor will return to T&T in October, the month Goatober is celebrated. He said he does not expect to see big changes by then but expressed hope that over the years, people’s approach to cooking goat would change.
He advocated for more local goat to be purchased, noting that Trinis have a lot of civic pride.
“From what we are trying to achieve with GoatoberTT, part of the message will be to support your local farmers, buy local goat.” Source: The Loop, August 2019

It may not be T&T's national dish, but it's still a local favourite. 
For this week's Sunday Luch, we feature a Breadfruit Oil Down Recipe from Massy Stores Trinidad.
1/2 lb salted pigtail, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 green hot pepper (whole)
1 onion, chopped small
1 bunch chives, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 leaf chadon beni, cut up finely
2 1/2 cups dasheen bush leaves, chopped (discard stalks)
1/2 cup pumpkin, cubed
4 okra, chopped
salt, if necessary
thick coconut milk (preferably freshly made, but unsweetened canned or frozen can be used too)
Directions
1. Boil salted pigtail in water until soft, then discard that water.
2. Peel and seed breadfruit and cut into wedges of about 1 1/2 inch thick, lengthwise. Add breadfruit to boiled pigtail and cover with 1 cup of water.
3. Add 2 cups of coconut cream, then chive, onion, chadon beni, garlic, and whole green hot pepper. Add salt if necessary.
4. Boil until liquid has b(oiled) down, reduced, and the breadfruit is soft, but not falling apart.
5. Serve hot. 
Source: The Loop, August 2019

Pumpkin is a highly nutritious fruit that grows on a plant, also called pumpkin, that is native to North America.
It is rich in vitamins and minerals but low in calories. Pumpkin seeds, leaves, and juices are all healthy to consume.
Pumpkins are filled with potassium which make them very good for persons suffering from high blood pressure. Increased potassium intake is also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, and preservation of bone mineral density.
Also among the fantastic health benefits of pumpkins, is the fact that the fruit is one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant.
Consuming foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, offer protection against asthma and heart disease, and delay aging and body degeneration.
Specifically, recent research has suggested a positive relationship between a diet rich in beta-carotene and a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Beta-carotene has also been shown to hold back the development of colon cancer.
Pumpkins are also a powerful source of fibre, which slows the rate of sugar absorption into the blood, as well as promote regular bowel movements and smooth digestion. A healthful fibre intake can also help reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Source: The Loop, August, 2019

​Members of the 2019 National Culinary Team, who took part in the Taste of the Caribbean competition in Miami that ended last evening took away gold, silver and bronze medals in individual categories, and a silver in the team category.
TT’s junior chef Jodi Eversley, topped her category for the gold while pastry chef Keenan Lezama copped a bronze medal.
Mixologist Isaiah Trumpet, who competed in four categories won silver for his non-alcoholic beverage, due to his age (19), he was restricted from tasting any of his cocktails during the entire competition based on US law. Notwithstanding, Isaiah won the gold medal in the Best Non-Alcoholic cocktail and a silver medal for his overall bartender performance.
On top of that, Team TT won the silver medal in the Team of the Year competition.
The team was led by team captain Jeremy Lovell, who is also the chef at Courtyard by Marriott, and also included senior chefs Shonelle Greenidge and Gerard Cox, who together with the winners are all students from the TTHospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI).
It was the first time TT fielded a team of students to compete against seasoned and professional chefs and mixologists from the rest of the Caribbean.
The team itself prepared for the judges, an appetiser - soused shrimp nestled on sour pickled peppers, pepper pumpkin line with chive emulsion, lemon zest pan seared shrimp on top charred corn & eggplant, sweet pimento sauce garnished with cayenne dusted corals.
Then came the entree - pulled brisket infused with bayleaf Trinbago BBQ sauce, roasted garlic/geera chicken roulade on spicy tomato coulis, local provision & polenta pudding topped with carrot chutney, Angostura aromatic bitters coconut infused carrot curve ending with cheesy vegetable fondue.
And for dessert - sweet potato sponge layered with curry mousse, tamarind marsala jelly, topped with saffron and cinnamon creme fraiche, nutmeg macaroon sticks, sweet mango pull, bandania air and amchar fruit, fresh thyme crumble and candied beetroot gastrique. Source: Newsday, June 26, 2019

Rep­re­sen­ta­tives of Tourism Trinidad Lim­it­ed gath­ered at the Res­i­dence, One Wood­brook Place last Mon­day to ex­tend their good wish­es to the 2019 Na­tion­al Culi­nary Team. The team left Trinidad on Thurs­day to par­tic­i­pate in the Taste of the Caribbean com­pe­ti­tion card­ed for to­mor­row in Mi­a­mi.
Led by Cap­tain Je­re­my Lovell, the team com­pris­es se­nior chefs Shon­elle Greenidge and Ger­ard Cox, ju­nior chef Jo­di Ever­s­ley, pas­try chef Keenan Leza­ma and bar­tender/mixol­o­gist, Isa­iah Trum­pet—all cur­rent­ly en­rolled stu­dents at Trinidad and To­ba­go Hos­pi­tal­i­ty and Tourism In­sti­tute (TTHTI).
"This is the first all-stu­dent na­tion­al culi­nary team that Trinidad has ever sent abroad to the com­pe­ti­tion," said Bri­an Fron­tin, CEO, Trinidad Ho­tels, Restau­rants & Tourism As­so­ci­a­tion (THRTA).
Fron­tin said the de­ci­sion to send an all-stu­dent team came about when they recog­nised that over 95 per cent of all for­mer team mem­bers had grad­u­at­ed from the TTHTI over the past 20 years.
Fron­tin said he sees this as a pi­lot project that will pro­vide the stim­u­lus and jus­ti­fi­ca­tion for Trinidad to host an in­ter-school re­gion­al and in­ter­na­tion­al culi­nary com­pe­ti­tion—a ju­nior ver­sion of the com­pe­ti­tion next year, and in­di­cat­ed that or­gan­is­ers of Taste of the Caribbean in Mi­a­mi have al­ready agreed to hold dis­cus­sions on this pro­pos­al.
Fron­tin added, "Host­ing this com­pe­ti­tion in Trinidad has the abil­i­ty to pos­i­tive­ly im­pact our tourist ar­rivals, in­crease des­ti­na­tion aware­ness and presents an amaz­ing op­por­tu­ni­ty and plat­form to pro­mote culi­nary tourism and dis­play our world-class tal­ent."
Camille Camp­bell, CEO, Tourism Trinidad, pledged her com­pa­ny's sup­port to the team and said, "This is a unique op­por­tu­ni­ty for these stu­dents to show­case their tal­ent on a world stage and demon­strate their dis­ci­pline, com­mit­ment, and culi­nary skills. Tourism Trinidad is proud to sup­port this ini­tia­tive and look for­ward to the coun­try's host­ing of the 2020 com­pe­ti­tion."
A re­lease from Tourism Trinidad stat­ed that over the past eight weeks, the team has been dili­gent­ly prac­tic­ing their craft and host­ing 'sold out' Mon­day night din­ners at the Res­i­dence, One Wood­brook Place, where they have been fine-tun­ing their skills in prepa­ra­tion for the com­pe­ti­tion.
"We have the fullest con­fi­dence in the team's abil­i­ty to make us proud and bring home the gold," added Camp­bell. Source: Guardian, June 2019 

They're small, they're fuzzy, and they're the 'bee's knees' for honey and food production.
But did you know the typical yellow-and-black honey bee isn't originally from Trinidad and Tobago?
Here are eight things to know about bees in Trinidad and Tobago in commemoration of World Bee Day, celebrated on May 20, courtesy pollination ecologist Lena Dempewolf.


1. Some honey bees are 'douglarised' bees
Honey bees used in most commercial hives aren't local but are called 'Africanised' bees. That's because they are a hybrid of European and African honey bees, both of which were imported.
Some beekeepers have jokingly referred to this hybrid as a 'douglarised' bee, in reference to Trinidad and Tobago's diverse ethnic culture. 


2. Some native bees don't have hives, or a queen
Many native bees don't have hives but are solitary bees working alone to pollinate local plants. Solitary bees don't have hives and don't produce honey.
They often make nests in the ground in order to reproduce and are critical for pollination as they are better adapted for pollination of local plants.


3. Not all bees can sting you
There are nine species of ‘stingless’ bees that do have hives and a queen and produce honey.
Stingless bees are used to produce honey for commercial and medicinal purposes and are more effective than imported bees at pollinating local plants. 


4. Trinidad and Tobago's secret to award-winning honey? Diversification
Trinidad and Tobago once won global awards for its honey. However In 2001, the EU enforced the submission of a residue monitoring plan from all third countries (non-EU countries) wishing to export honey into the European Union.
Because of the lack of local testing facilities and costs associated with attaining certification abroad, beekeepers in Trinidad and Tobago have been unable to participate in the NHS and export their honey since 2001.
The wide range of flowering plants is what contributes to the unique taste of Trinidad and Tobago's honey. Destroying local forests would have an effect on the taste of local honey if bees are unable to access the diverse range of plants they did previously. 


5. Pesticides have been found in honey
Studies in Europe have shown that low levels of pesticides have been found in honey, however in Trinidad and Tobago, no studies have been done to confirm this in local honey.
However, pesticides are a continuous problem for imported and native bees, which are vulnerable to these toxins and can even be killed by them. 
Dempewolf says if bees happen to forage on flowers covered in pesticides, it might make its way into honey, however, it's at low enough levels that it's been proven (so far) to be safe for human consumption.
Many beekeepers are careful to keep their hives away from agricultural fields, however, Africanised honey bees may range quite far in order to find nectar and may go into farmlands where pesticides are used. 


6. No bees = no crops
Although honey is important, the most important bees aren’t honey bees but native bees.
Native bees are also more specialised for pollinating local plants.
“It’s like a lock and key, the shape of the bee matches the shape of the flower, so they can properly get in there to deposit the pollen,” Dempewolf said.
By contrast, although prized for honey production, Africanised bees are not as effective in pollinating local crops. Therefore the food we enjoy in local markets depends on the survival of our native bees. 


7. Climate change is affecting local bees
Climate change is affecting food production worldwide, however in Trinidad and Tobago, extreme weather changes can also affect bees' survival.
During extreme dry seasons such as that experienced in 2019, there's the likelihood of more forest fires. 
Africanised bees are more adaptable in that they often move their queen and relocate to a safer spot. Hence the reason one may often see a migrating beehive perched on a branch or other random location.
However native bees are unable to move their hives due to the large size of their queen, and often perish in forest fires. 
Dempewolf says solitary bees are slightly more mobile but they lay their eggs in bits of logs and other plants in the forest, which can also be destroyed by forest fires.
Likewise, during the rainy season, heavier showers can also affect bees and by extension food production.
"Bees generally don’t go out during wet weather…it can also wash the nectar out of flowers, so heavy flooding means less pollination," she said. 
There's also the problem of loss of habitat due to things such as logging, forest fires, housing developments and unsustainable agriculture, where farmers cut down all vegetation, leaving only one crop. 


8. Bee competition
Dempewolf said there is the element of imported bees crowding out native bees amidst competition for space and nectar - imported bees tend to ‘bully’ local bees out of spaces for hives, however, this comes down to proper management.
Imported bees, however, have been a part of the local ecosystem for quite some time and have learned to coexist with native species, however there remains competition for plants and flowers.
Source: The Loop, May 2019