Recipes

Air-Fryer Vegan Tofu, Mushroom & Artichoke Empanadas

September 28, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

These savory vegan empanadas combine crumbled tofu, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, peppers and warm spices with a little heat from fresh habanero. Instead of deep-frying, they’re cooked in the air fryer for a crisp, golden exterior with a hearty plant-based filling.

A note from Lulu’s Kitchen: This is one of the recipes currently on my to-make list. I didn’t get a chance to prepare and photograph it before this week’s post, but the combination sounded too good not to share. Once I make my first batch, I’ll come back with photos and any little adjustments I discover along the way.

Ingredients

For the filling

1 block (14–16 oz) extra-firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
½–1 cup artichoke hearts, well drained and chopped
½ bell pepper, finely diced
½ medium onion, finely diced
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
1–2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
Habanero pepper, very finely minced, to taste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
Salt, to taste
1–2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1–2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil for sautéing, or a splash of vegetable broth for an oil-free filling

For assembling

Empanada wrappers
A small amount of plant milk or oil for brushing

Instructions

1. Prepare the tofu.
Press the tofu to remove as much excess moisture as possible, then crumble it into small pieces. Removing the extra liquid will help keep the empanada filling from becoming soggy.

2. Cook the mushrooms.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and most of the moisture has evaporated.

3. Build the filling.
Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, ginger and finely minced habanero and cook for another minute, until fragrant.

Add the crumbled tofu, smoked paprika, cumin, thyme, black pepper, salt and soy sauce or tamari. Add nutritional yeast, if using.

Cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is well combined and the mixture is flavorful but fairly dry.

4. Add the artichokes.
Fold in the chopped artichoke hearts during the last couple of minutes of cooking. Keeping them until the end helps preserve some of their texture.

Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the filling to cool completely before assembling the empanadas.

5. Fill and seal.
Place an empanada wrapper on a flat surface and spoon a small amount of filling into the center. Be careful not to overfill.

Fold the wrapper over to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges together firmly and crimp with a fork to seal.

6. Air-fry.
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.

Lightly brush the empanadas with plant milk or a small amount of oil. Arrange them in a single layer in the air-fryer basket, leaving a little space between each one.

Air-fry for approximately 8–12 minutes, flipping halfway through if your air fryer browns unevenly.

They’re ready when the outside is crisp and beautifully golden.

Serving Ideas

Serve these warm with avocado or guacamole, fresh salsa, cilantro-lime sauce or a creamy vegan dipping sauce.

For anyone who doesn’t enjoy much heat, reduce or omit the habanero. If you’re like me and enjoy a little kick, adjust it to your taste.

Lulu’s Kitchen Tip

Moisture is the enemy of a crispy empanada. Drain the artichokes thoroughly, press the tofu well and give the mushrooms enough time to release their water. Also, don’t skip cooling the filling before stuffing the wrappers.

Once I make my first batch, I’ll update this recipe with photos and let you know whether anything changes after the official Lulu’s Kitchen taste test.

Enjoy!

#VeganEmpanadas #LulusKitchen #PlantBasedRecipes #AirFryerRecipes #VeganDinner #TofuRecipes #MeatlessMeals #PlantForward #VeganComfortFood #HomeCooking

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From My Garden to My Table: A Plant-Based Breakfast for Dinner

September 7, 2026September 7, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

There are some meals you make because everyone needs to eat, some because you’re trying to use what you have in the refrigerator, and some because you’ve planned them carefully.

And then there are the meals you make simply because you want them.

This was one of those meals.

On a day that felt like the perfect summer day, I decided that dinner was going to be just for me. No worrying about what anyone else wanted to eat. No trying to accommodate different tastes. I wanted breakfast for dinner—because, quite frankly, I love breakfast. I could probably eat breakfast foods every day if I allowed myself to.

So that is exactly what I made: strawberry almond milk pancakes, a colorful tofu and vegetable scramble, fresh cantaloupe from my garden, and a cold lavender-lemonade tea.

It was completely plant-based, wonderfully colorful, surprisingly light, and exactly what I wanted.

A Little Bit of Haven Harvest on My Plate

One of my favorite parts of this meal wasn’t something complicated at all.

It was the cantaloupe.

I had two fresh cantaloupes sitting on my kitchen counter that I had grown myself. There is still something incredibly satisfying about growing food, bringing it into my kitchen, and eventually seeing it on my plate.

Gardening requires patience. You plant something, tend to it, watch it grow, worry about it when the weather doesn’t cooperate, and hope that eventually all of that care produces something you can eat.

This time, it did.

I simply sliced the cantaloupes and served some alongside my dinner. They didn’t need anything else.

Garden to kitchen to plate.

That’s one of the things I love most about growing my own food.

Colorful Tofu Scramble

For the savory part of my breakfast-for-dinner plate, I made a tofu scramble loaded with vegetables.

Ingredients

½ block extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 large carrot, thinly shredded
½ red onion, thinly sliced
6 medium colorful sweet peppers, thinly sliced
About 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Seasoning salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Turmeric, to taste

Directions

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over low to medium heat.

Add the shredded carrot, sliced red onion, and sweet peppers. Season the vegetables with nutritional yeast, seasoning salt, black pepper, paprika, turmeric, and freshly grated ginger.

Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes, allowing them to soften while still retaining some texture and color.

Crumble the extra-firm tofu directly into the skillet and stir everything together until the tofu is evenly coated with the seasonings.

Continue cooking over low to medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The turmeric gives the tofu that familiar golden scramble color, while the nutritional yeast adds a savory flavor. The vegetables bring a little sweetness and plenty of color to the plate.

Strawberry Almond Milk Pancakes

The pancakes started with something I really didn’t want to waste: about half a cup of strawberries in my refrigerator that had become overripe.

Instead of throwing them away, I decided they would become the base for my pancakes.

Ingredients

About ½ cup overripe strawberries
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1½ cups all-purpose flour
⅛ cup cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Add the strawberries and almond milk to a blender and purée until smooth. I used my Bullet blender, which worked perfectly for this small amount.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cane sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.

Pour in the strawberry-almond milk mixture, then add the olive oil and vanilla.

Mix until everything is incorporated, being careful not to overmix the batter.

I let the batter sit for a few minutes while my skillet warmed. This gave the batter a little time to settle before cooking.

Cook the pancakes on a heated skillet, flipping once the first side is set and bubbles begin forming, and continue until both sides are lightly browned and the pancakes are cooked through.

The puréed strawberries gave the pancakes a subtle fruitiness while also giving those overripe berries a purpose instead of letting them go to waste.

And Something Special to Drink

To finish the meal, I made a lavender and lemonade tea mixture using tea I had purchased several months earlier.

It turned out to be the perfect pairing.

The floral lavender and brightness of the lemonade complemented the sweetness of the pancakes and cantaloupe while keeping the entire meal feeling light and summery.

Sometimes the drink you didn’t particularly plan around the meal ends up being exactly what the meal needed.

Cooking for One Doesn’t Have to Mean “Just” Cooking for One

I think this was my favorite part of the evening.

This was a solo dinner.

I wasn’t making something for my children. I wasn’t trying to figure out what everyone else would eat. I wasn’t preparing food because it was expected of me.

I made something I wanted to eat, just for myself.

There can be a temptation when we’re cooking for one person to make the quickest possible thing—or not bother cooking at all. I’ve certainly had those days.

But cooking for yourself can also be an act of care.

It doesn’t have to be elaborate. This certainly wasn’t. I used strawberries that needed to be eaten, vegetables I already had, half a block of tofu, fruit from my garden, and tea that had been sitting in my pantry.

But I put them together into a plate that was colorful, nourishing, plant-based, and made specifically for me.

There was something lovely about sitting down on what felt like a perfect summer day with my breakfast-for-dinner plate and realizing:

I didn’t need a special occasion—or another person at the table—to make myself a beautiful meal.

And yes, given the opportunity, I will probably always choose breakfast for dinner.

Maybe not every day.

But definitely more often than most people.

Recipes

Bonus Recipe: Ginger Tofu and Vegetable Noodles

September 3, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

This quick, colorful noodle dish is packed with plant-based protein and fresh vegetables. It is perfect for meal prep or for using whatever vegetables you already have on hand.

Ingredients

½ package whole-wheat noodles
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
5 mini sweet peppers, sliced
3 scallions, chopped
1 red onion, sliced
1 large carrot, grated or thinly sliced
Fresh ginger, grated
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Seasoned salt, to taste
Soy sauce, to taste
Sweet seasoned cooking vinegar, to taste
A small amount of oil for cooking

Instructions

Cook the whole-wheat noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat a small amount of oil in a large skillet. Add the tofu and cook until the pieces are browned and slightly crisp on the outside. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set it aside.
Add the red onion, sweet peppers, carrot, scallions, and freshly grated ginger to the same skillet. Sauté until the vegetables are tender but still have a little bite.
Season the vegetables with red pepper flakes, seasoned salt, soy sauce, and sweet seasoned cooking vinegar.
Return the tofu to the skillet, add the cooked noodles, and toss everything together until evenly coated and heated through.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed before serving.

This made a satisfying, flavorful meal with chewy whole-wheat noodles, crisp vegetables, and golden pieces of tofu—and it reheated beautifully for meal prep.

Recipes

Meal Prep That Keeps Me on Track: My Go-To Quinoa Bowls

August 24, 2026August 24, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

One thing I have learned about trying to maintain healthier habits is that good intentions only get me so far. When life gets busy—and especially when I am working long shifts—it becomes much harder to make thoughtful decisions about what I am going to eat.

That is where meal prep has become incredibly helpful for me.

Preparing some of my meals ahead of time saves me time during the workweek, helps me spend less money on food while I am out, and, most importantly, makes it easier for me to stay on track with my health goals. Instead of waiting until I am tired and hungry to figure out what to eat, I already have something nourishing waiting for me.

Lately, one of my favorite meals to take to work has been these quinoa bowls.

They aren’t complicated or particularly fancy. They’re simply a combination of foods I enjoy: seasoned quinoa, roasted sweet potato, black beans, edamame, stewed peppers and onions, and a slightly sweet and tangy tahini dressing.

The result is colorful, filling, plant-forward, and surprisingly satisfying.

Cooking Without Measuring Everything

If you have followed my cooking for a while, you probably already know that I don’t always measure my seasonings.

I cook by tasting, smelling, looking, and adjusting as I go. A little more garlic here. A sprinkle of nutritional yeast there. Maybe a little more seasoning if something needs it.

That’s how I made these bowls.

So while I have included measurements where I remember them, consider this recipe a starting point rather than a strict formula. Taste your food as you cook and make it your own.

My Meal-Prep Quinoa Bowls

For the Bowls

1 very large sweet potato, peeled if desired and cubed
Quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Edamame, cooked according to package directions
Bell peppers, sliced
Onion, sliced
Fresh ginger, grated or minced
Fresh garlic, grated
Seasoned salt, to taste
Turmeric, to taste
Nutritional yeast, to taste
Oil, as needed

Roast the Sweet Potato

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Toss the cubed sweet potato with a little oil, seasoned salt, grated garlic, turmeric, and nutritional yeast.

Spread the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 25–35 minutes, turning them about halfway through cooking. The sweet potatoes are ready when they are tender inside and beginning to brown around the edges.

Prepare the Quinoa

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking.

Cook according to the package directions, adding seasoned salt, garlic, turmeric, and nutritional yeast to give the quinoa some flavor as it cooks.

Once the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, fluff it with a fork and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Season the Black Beans

Drain and rinse the black beans.

Warm them with seasoned salt, garlic, turmeric, nutritional yeast, and a small amount of oil if desired. You don’t need to do much to them—the goal is simply to make sure every part of the bowl has flavor.

Make the Pepper and Onion Mixture

Add a small amount of oil to a pan and cook the sliced bell peppers and onions with fresh ginger and garlic.

Season with seasoned salt, turmeric, and nutritional yeast.

Allow the vegetables to cook until they are tender and flavorful while still retaining some texture.

Prepare the Edamame

Cook the edamame according to the package directions and set aside for assembling the bowls.

Maple-Ginger Tahini Dressing

This might be my favorite part.

The tahini makes the dressing creamy, apple cider vinegar adds some acidity, maple syrup gives it just enough sweetness, and the ginger and red pepper flakes add warmth.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Seasoned salt, to taste
Ginger powder, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
A dash of turmeric
Water, as needed

Make the Dressing

Whisk together the tahini, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, seasoned salt, ginger powder, red pepper flakes, and turmeric.

Add water a little at a time, whisking after each addition, until the dressing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.

Taste it.

If it needs more sweetness, add a little maple syrup. If you want more tang, add another splash of apple cider vinegar. If you like some heat, don’t be afraid of those red pepper flakes.

Putting the Bowls Together

Divide the quinoa among your meal-prep containers and add portions of roasted sweet potato, black beans, edamame, and the pepper-and-onion mixture.

I prefer to keep the tahini dressing separate and drizzle it over the bowl when I am ready to eat.

And that’s it.

Several components require a little preparation, but they can all be cooking around the same time. Once everything is finished, I have meals ready to grab before heading to work.

Make It Your Own

One of the things I love most about meals like this is that you don’t really need to follow the same recipe every week.

Think of the quinoa bowl as a framework.

Use chickpeas instead of black beans. Swap quinoa for brown or wild rice. Roast whatever vegetables you already have in the refrigerator. Add greens. Change the peppers. Toss in vegetables from the garden when they’re in season.

You can build the bowl around what you have.

That also makes meals like this a good way to use food before it goes to waste.

Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice

I am learning that taking care of myself doesn’t always have to involve making some enormous change.

Sometimes it looks like spending a little time preparing food before the workweek begins.

Meal prepping doesn’t guarantee that I will eat perfectly—and I’m not trying to eat perfectly. It simply removes one decision from an already busy day.

When I’m tired, hungry, or rushing to get ready for work, I don’t have to rely on willpower. I can open the refrigerator, grab something I already prepared, and know that I am giving my body a meal that will actually nourish me.

For me, that is what sustainable healthy eating is beginning to look like.

Not perfection.

Preparation.

And a really good quinoa bowl doesn’t hurt either.

Recipes

Three Kids, Three Appetites, One Kitchen

July 27, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

One of the questions I get asked the most is, “How do you come up with so many different recipes?”

The truth is, I rarely have to look very far for inspiration. It lives right here in my home.

Cooking for my family is a little like running a restaurant with four very different customers—including the chef.

One child has an undeniable sweet tooth and would happily eat seafood whenever I put it on the menu. Another loves the comforting, familiar flavors of Sierra Leone—the foods that connect us to family, tradition, and home. Then there’s my youngest, who keeps me on my toes. What she’ll love one week might be completely off the table the next, so every meal feels like a new adventure.

And then there’s me.

I’m about 90% vegan. I rarely eat meat or dairy, though I do enjoy seafood from time to time. My own meals are centered around vegetables, beans, grains, herbs, and whatever is thriving in my little garden.

At first glance, it might sound exhausting to cook for so many different tastes. Some days, it certainly can be. But over the years, I’ve learned that meal planning isn’t about making four separate dinners. It’s about finding common ground.

A pot of rice can become the foundation for several meals. Roasted vegetables can be served alongside grilled seafood, tucked into a Sierra Leonean-inspired stew, or added to my own plant-based bowl. A homemade sauce can completely transform the same ingredients into something that feels entirely new.

Instead of asking, “What do I have to cook tonight?” I’ve started asking, “How can one meal make everyone feel cared for?”

That simple shift has changed the way I think about cooking.

It has also challenged me to become more creative in the kitchen. Some of my favorite recipes have been born from trying to satisfy four different appetites without spending the entire evening cooking.

Over the next few weeks, I’d love to share some of those family-inspired meals with you. I’ll show you how I adapt one recipe into several variations, how I keep meal prep manageable, and how my children continue to inspire nearly everything I create in the kitchen.

Because in this house, every recipe has a story.

Coming to the Blog

Here are a few recipes I’ll be sharing soon:

Garden Vegetable & Chickpea Rice Bowls (with optional grilled shrimp)
Sierra Leone–Inspired Groundnut Stew with plant-based and traditional variations
Homemade BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches with my garden tomato barbecue sauce
Sweet Potato Leaf Stew (Plasas) made the way my family loves it
Healthy Banana Bread for the sweet tooth in our house
Easy “Build Your Own Bowl” meal prep that keeps everyone happy without cooking four separate dinners

What inspires your favorite family recipes? I’d love to hear the stories behind the meals that bring your family together.

Gardening · Gardening

From My Garden to My Grandmother’s Kitchen

July 6, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

A Plant-Based Sweet Potato Leaf Stew Inspired by Sierra Leone

One of my favorite things about gardening is watching memories grow alongside the vegetables.

This week, I harvested tomatoes and sweet potato leaves from my garden, and as I carried them into the kitchen, I couldn’t help but think of my grandmother.

Sweet potato leaf stew was one of those meals that brought our family together. Growing up, it was often prepared with meat or fish, just as it is in many Sierra Leonean households. The aroma alone could fill the house and let everyone know dinner was almost ready.

Today, I still make that same stew—but with a few twists of my own.

Over the years, my diet has become mostly plant-based, so instead of meat, I use extra-firm tofu. It adds a satisfying texture while allowing me to honor the flavors I grew up with in a way that fits my lifestyle today.

Every time I make this dish, it feels like I’m bringing a little piece of my grandmother’s kitchen into my own.

Garden-to-Table Sweet Potato Leaf Stew

Ingredients

For the stew

About 6 cups chopped sweet potato leaves
1 block extra-firm tofu, thawed, pressed, seasoned, and fried
5 medium garden tomatoes
2 yellow onions
2 medium bell peppers
Oil for frying

Seasonings

Hot pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3–4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
Seasoned salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

To Serve

Cooked jasmine rice

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Score the tomatoes with a shallow “X” on the bottom of each one and bake for about 10 minutes, until the skins begin to loosen. Remove them from the oven, peel away the skins, and blend or mash the tomatoes into a smooth sauce.
While the tomatoes are roasting, season the tofu to your liking and fry until golden on all sides. Set aside.
Blend the onions and bell peppers together in a food processor until smooth.
Pour the vegetable mixture into the hot oil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the hot pepper flakes, grated ginger, garlic, seasoned salt, turmeric, and nutritional yeast. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, allowing the spices to bloom and become fragrant.
Stir in the fresh tomato sauce.
Add the chopped sweet potato leaves, reduce the heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste the stew and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Gently fold in the fried tofu and simmer for another 10–15 minutes, allowing all of the flavors to come together.
Serve over warm jasmine rice.

A Meal That Gets Better With Time

Like many stews, this one tasted even better the next day.

The flavors had more time to develop, making every bite richer than the last.

It’s one of those meals that’s perfect for meal prep because tomorrow’s lunch might be even better than tonight’s dinner.

More Than a Recipe

As I stood in my kitchen cooking this meal, I realized that gardening has become about so much more than growing food.

It’s about preserving traditions.

It’s about remembering the people who taught us to cook long before recipes were written down.

It’s about taking something familiar and making it your own without losing the heart of where it came from.

My grandmother may not have made sweet potato leaf stew with tofu, but I like to think she’d appreciate that the spirit of her cooking still lives on.

Every harvest reminds me that traditions don’t have to stay frozen in time.

They can continue to grow—just like the gardens we tend.

❤️ Happy cooking,
Lulu

Recipes

Juneteenth, Legacy, and the Stories We Choose to Carry

June 29, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

Every year, Juneteenth offers us an opportunity to pause—not only to remember a pivotal moment in American history, but also to reflect on the stories, traditions, and resilience that continue to shape our lives today.

For me, Juneteenth is about more than looking back. It is about honoring the past while intentionally building a legacy for the future.

As someone who has spent the last few years learning more about my family’s Sierra Leonean heritage, I have come to appreciate just how precious our stories are. Some histories have been carefully preserved through generations. Others were interrupted by migration, time, or the devastating realities of slavery. Whether our ancestors remained on the African continent or were forced across the Atlantic, every family’s story deserves to be remembered.

This year, my family celebrated Juneteenth in one of my favorite ways—around the dinner table.

Rather than trying to recreate the past, we chose to honor it while creating new traditions of our own. We prepared a meal inspired by Southern Black traditions and the African diaspora: fresh callaloo, creamy macaroni and cheese, homemade watermelon lemonade, and a rich chocolate cake topped with fresh strawberries.

Every dish carried its own story.

The callaloo held special meaning for me. Although collard greens are often associated with Juneteenth celebrations and Southern Black cooking, I already had fresh callaloo on hand. Across the African diaspora, leafy greens have nourished families for generations, connecting people through shared histories while reflecting the unique ingredients and traditions of each culture. Serving callaloo felt both practical and deeply personal—a reminder that traditions continue to grow and adapt while still honoring where we’ve come from.

The macaroni and cheese reminded me that recipes are often more than instructions. They are memories shared around family tables, expressions of love, and traditions passed from one generation to the next.

Our watermelon lemonade added a vibrant splash of red to the table. Red foods and drinks have become an important part of many Juneteenth celebrations, symbolizing resilience, sacrifice, joy, and the enduring strength of those who came before us.

We ended our meal with chocolate cake topped with fresh strawberries—a simple reminder that celebrations are not only about remembering hardship but also about embracing the sweetness of freedom, family, hope, and the opportunity to create joyful memories together.

As we shared our meal, I found myself thinking about legacy.

Many of us inherit more than recipes. We inherit stories, values, traditions, faith, strength, and sometimes unanswered questions. Some names have been lost to history. Some stories were never written down. Others were intentionally erased.

That reality has deeply influenced my writing.

When I wrote Dark, Still Rising, I wasn’t simply writing about suffering. I was exploring endurance, identity, healing, and the quiet strength that is passed from one generation to the next. Poetry became one way for me to honor both the ancestors whose names I know and those whose names may never be known.

The more I write, the more I realize that preserving our stories is one of the greatest gifts we can leave behind.

Perhaps that’s why I find so much joy in gardening, cooking, and writing. At first glance they may seem unrelated, but each one is an act of cultivation.

In the garden, I plant seeds that will one day nourish my family.

In the kitchen, I prepare recipes that connect us to culture and tradition.

Through writing, I preserve stories and reflections that I hope my children—and perhaps one day my grandchildren—will return to long after I’m gone.

Each is its own way of saying, This is who we were. This is what we valued. This is how we loved.

Juneteenth reminds me that remembrance is an act of love.

It encourages us to ask our elders questions while we still can. To preserve family recipes. To write down our stories. To speak our ancestors’ names. To celebrate not only survival, but also the freedom to dream, create, and build something better for the generations that follow.

Whether that legacy is found in a handwritten recipe, a family photograph, a poem, a flourishing garden, or simply gathering around the dinner table, every story we preserve becomes a gift to those who come after us.

This Juneteenth, our family celebrated with food, laughter, gratitude, and reflection.

As I watched my children enjoying the meal we prepared together, I realized that legacy isn’t only about what we inherit.

It’s also about what we choose to leave behind.

May we leave behind stories worth telling, traditions worth continuing, and hope that grows stronger with every generation.

Gardening

Building a Backyard Food Forest One Harvest at a Time

June 22, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

When I first started gardening, my goal was simple: grow some of my own food.

Over time, that vision has expanded. What began as a few vegetables has slowly evolved into something much bigger—a small backyard ecosystem filled with food, flowers, pollinators, and the promise of future harvests.

This week, I spent some time walking through the garden and reflecting on how much progress has been made. Looking at the pathway, the raised beds, and the growing plants, I can finally begin to see the vision coming together.

Harvesting From the Garden

One of the greatest joys of gardening is bringing fresh food directly from the garden to the kitchen.

Recently, I harvested sweet potato greens and used them in meals for my family. Sweet potato leaves are one of my favorite garden crops because they are nutritious, productive, and often overlooked by many gardeners.

I also harvested fresh greens that became a colorful salad filled with garden-fresh ingredients. There is something incredibly satisfying about preparing food that was growing just a few feet from your back door only hours earlier.

Every harvest, no matter how small, feels like a victory.

Before making their way to the table, the sweet potato leaves were carefully washed and prepared. One thing I love about growing food is reconnecting with the process from garden to plate.

The finished dish was simple, nutritious, and made almost entirely from ingredients grown at home.

What’s Thriving

The sweet potatoes have completely taken off this season. Their vines are lush, vigorous, and filling the grow bags with beautiful green growth.

The corn has become one of the most impressive features in the garden. Every week it seems taller than the last, creating a living wall of green that reminds me how quickly summer arrives.

The tomatoes are loaded with developing fruit and continue to grow vigorously. Seeing clusters of tomatoes forming is one of those moments that makes all the watering, pruning, and patience worthwhile.

The cucumber vines are spreading throughout the bed and producing beautiful yellow blossoms that promise future harvests.

More Than Vegetables

One of my favorite flowers in the garden recently opened—a stunning dahlia bloom that added a burst of color among all the shades of green.

Flowers are just as important to me as vegetables. They attract pollinators, support biodiversity, and remind me that a garden should nourish the spirit as much as it nourishes the body.

Over the years, I’ve found that gardening isn’t only about producing food. It’s also about creating beauty, building habitat, and finding moments of peace in the middle of everyday life.

Lessons From This Season

Gardening constantly teaches patience.

Some crops thrive immediately while others struggle. Some plans work exactly as expected, while others require adjustments along the way.

This season has reminded me that growth doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.

The pathway is still evolving. The garden layout continues to change. New projects are always waiting around the corner.

But when I look at the harvests coming into my kitchen and the life filling these garden beds, I can clearly see that progress is happening.

One plant, one harvest, and one season at a time.

Thank you for following along on this journey with me. I look forward to sharing more harvests, lessons, and garden adventures as the season continues.

Happy gardening,

Lulu

Recipes

Sunday Lasagna and a Garden-Fresh Salad

June 8, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

After working all night, I came home this morning feeling tired but determined to make something special for my family.

I haven’t been eating much meat these days, but my family loves my homemade lasagna. It had been months since I last made it, and for some reason, today felt like the perfect day to bring it back to the table.

As soon as I got home, I started working on the sauce. I browned about half a pound of ground turkey and then turned my attention to the vegetables. I gathered one large bell pepper, five sweet peppers, two large onions, one steak tomato, and two carrots. After blending everything together, I added the vegetables to the turkey and let the mixture cook down into a rich and savory base.

Next came the seasonings.

If you’ve been following my recipes for any length of time, you already know that I rarely measure anything. I cook the same way my mother and many home cooks before her did—by instinct. A little ginger, basil, garlic, seasoned salt, and chicken bouillon found their way into the pot. There is no exact science behind it. I taste, adjust, and trust my senses.

After about fifteen minutes of cooking, I added a store-bought pasta sauce. Normally, I make my sauce from scratch, but after a long shift, convenience won the day. Sometimes good enough is exactly what we need.

I lowered the heat and let everything simmer together for another fifteen to twenty minutes while I prepared the rest of the ingredients.

The oven was preheated to 350 degrees, the baking dish was waiting on the counter, and three different cheeses were ready to go alongside the oven-ready lasagna noodles.

Then came my favorite part: assembling the layers.

Sauce.

Pasta.

Cheese.

Repeat.

There is something almost therapeutic about building a lasagna layer by layer. Maybe it’s because you can already imagine the finished dish before it ever goes into the oven.

After forty-five minutes of baking, the house smelled amazing.

While the lasagna rested, I stepped outside and harvested fresh lettuce from the garden. I paired it with tomatoes, carrots, and baby spinach we already had on hand to create a simple side salad.

I had every intention of making a cheesy garlic bread to go alongside dinner, but by that point exhaustion had caught up with me. After being awake all night and spending the morning cooking, I decided the garlic bread could wait for another Sunday when I had a little more time and energy.

And honestly, that was okay.

Sometimes a meal doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.

Sometimes it’s enough to gather around the table with the people you love, share a homemade meal, and enjoy the fruits of your labor—whether they come from the garden, the grocery store, or a recipe you’ve been making for years.

Today’s meal reminded me that caring for the people we love often happens in simple ways. A warm pan of lasagna. A fresh salad from the garden. A quiet afternoon after a long night’s work.

Those small acts of love matter more than we realize.

Recipes

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and Quiet Morning Memories

May 22, 2026 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

Some cravings come out of nowhere. This morning, I woke up thinking about chocolate chip banana bread. Not just the taste of it, but the feeling attached to it. The warmth of it. The comfort. The kind of recipe that somehow carries memories inside of it.

That thought immediately made me think about my mom.

She was not a big baker, but banana bread was one of the things she made so well. Hers always had nuts in it, and it was honestly hard to stop eating once it came out of the oven. The smell alone could fill the entire house. Over the years, I tried to recreate that recipe, but one of my children has a tree nut allergy, so I had to make changes. Eventually, chocolate chips became the replacement, and somehow it turned into its own tradition. Different from my mother’s version, but still connected to her in a way that matters.

Today happens to be junk food night in our house, so I decided to lean into the craving and make a loaf for breakfast. Nothing fancy. Just comfort food made from what I already had sitting in the kitchen.

I used:

6 very overripe bananas
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
A dash of cinnamon
A dash of cloves

I also meant to add a teaspoon of salt, but completely forgot. Honestly, that happens sometimes when you cook from memory instead of from a recipe card. I figured I could always spread a little salted butter onto a warm slice and call it even.

The bread came out soft, sweet, and full of chocolate in every bite. Exactly what I wanted.

Right now, I’m sitting here with a warm slice and a cup of coffee while the rest of the house is still asleep. The kitchen is quiet. The sun is barely up. And for a moment, life feels still in the best possible way.

Sometimes healing looks complicated. Sometimes it looks like rebuilding traditions in ways that fit your current life. And sometimes it looks like standing in your kitchen early in the morning, making banana bread that reminds you of where you came from while creating something new for the people you love now.

There is something beautiful about recipes evolving through generations. A little bit of memory. A little bit of adaptation. A little bit of love in every version.