Zimbabwe: Chicken & Rice Casserole, Sugar Bean Balls, & Carrot Cake

I loved what I cooked from Zimbabwe. I can't wait until I cook from this country again because there were a lot of good options. Enjoy the recipes!

Chicken & Rice Casserole

Serves: 10+

4 Cups Rice, cooked
2 Chicken Breasts, cooked & shredded
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
4 Tsp Cumin
2 Tbsp Oil
4 Tbsp Sugar
4 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Can (15 oz) of Tomato Sauce
2 Cups Frozen Corn
1 Can Baked Beans
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- TRY: Annies Homegrown Organic & Vegan Worcestershire Sauce, 6.25 Ounce

Cook the chicken by boiling it for about 20+ minutes. Shred the chicken with two forks. Meanwhile, cook the rice as well (remember the ratio for water or broth with rice is 1:2). Prepare all ingredients. Preheat the oven at 350°F.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chicken, garlic, cumin (2 Tsp) and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add in the corn and cook for a few more minutes.

In the casserole dish, pour in the tomato sauce and tomatoes. Add in the rest of the cumin (2 Tsp), Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Mix well.

Layer on the rice, beans, and then the chicken (w/ corn & garlic). Bake for 40-45 minutes. Enjoy!

Sugar Bean Balls

Serves: 6-8

1 Cup Sugar Beans, cooked (& rinsed)
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tsp Ginger, minced
1/2 Medium Red Pepper, chopped
1/2 Medium Green Pepper, chopped
1 Carrot, coarsely grated
2 Tsp Soy Sauce
- TRY: Bragg Liquid Amino Bragg 32 oz Liquid
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Curry
2 Slices of Bread, made into crumbs
Oil for frying


In a bowl, combine the beans, salt, curry, soy and paprika. Mash the beans well. Add in the peppers, garlic, ginger, onions, carrots, and breadcrumbs and mix well.

Make into balls and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour or more.

Add oil in a pan and fry the balls on all sides. Enjoy!

 Carrot Cake

Serves: 8-10

1/2 Cup Raisins, chopped
1/2 Cup Sultanas, chopped
- TRY: Crazy Jacks Organic Dried Sultanas 375g
1/2 Cup Pecans, chopped
1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 1/2 Cup Flour
3 Cups Grated Carrots
3 Eggs
1 Cup Oil
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine the sugar, oil, and eggs.

Add in the carrots, raisins, sultanas, and pecans. Mix well.

Sift the flour. Mix the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Combine both mixtures well.

Grease the baking dish and pour in the batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool and serve!

Senegal: Chicken & Vegetables in Peanut Sauce, Black-Eyed Pea Salad, & Peanut Ice Cream

Senegal is the world capitol for peanuts! They grow a lot of peanuts and therefore 2 out of my 3 recipes are heavily flavored by peanuts. Each recipe I cooked was delicious - I especially loved the peanut ice cream - two of my favorite things! Enjoy!

Chicken & Vegetables in a Peanut Sauce

Serves: 5-6

1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Roasted Peanuts OR 1 Cup Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
3 Cups Water
3-4 Lbs Chicken (Breasts, Thighs, etc.)
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Onion, peeled and chopped
1 Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Can Diced Tomatoes w/ Juice
1 1/2 Tsp Cayenne
2 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and chopped
3-4 Medium Turnips, peeled and chopped
1 Lb Spinach
White Rice

Preheat the oven to 325°F. If you are using peanuts, blend them in a blender until they are creamy. Then put the peanut butter into a bowl and mix with 1 1/2 cups of water.

Season the chicken with salt. Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the chicken on all sides. Set chicken aside in a large ungreased baking pan. In the same pan saute the onion and bell pepper until it is fragrant. Add the garlic and saute for a few more minutes. Stir in the peanut butter mixture and remaining water, tomatoes with juice, salt, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for a few minutes.

Pour the mixture over the chicken and mix in the vegetables. Put in the oven and cook for 45-60 minutes.

While that is cooking, saute the spinach in a little bit of water or oil. Also, cook the white rice.

Serve with spinach and rice.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Serves 8-10

1/2 Lb Black-Eyed Peas, soaked in water overnight
1 Quart Water
1 Tsp Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 Tomato, diced
1 Cucumber, peeled and diced
1 Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
1 Cup Green Onions, minced
1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, minced
Juice of 2 Limes
1 Habanero Pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
2/3 Cup Olive Oil
8-10 Lettuce Leaves for serving

Allow the black-eyed peas to soak overnight - this will allow for a faster cooking time.

 In a large saucepan, boil the peas in 1 quart of water for 30 minutes to a hour (until tender - it may take more depending how long they soaked). Season with salt while cooking. Drain and set them aside.

In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (except the peas and lettuce). Mix well. Combine the mixture and peas. Cover and let it sit for 1 hour (on counter or in the refrigerator).

Serve by using the lettuce leaves to scoop the salad.

Peanut Ice Cream - Yummy!

Serves: 8-10

1 (14 oz) Can Evaporated Milk
1 Can Condensed Milk
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Cup Peanut Butter
4 Tbsp Lemon Juice

In a large saucepan, immerse the can of evaporated milk in water. Boil the can for 20 minutes. Chill the can in the refrigerator for several hours.

Once it is chilled, whip the evaporated milk in a cold bowl for a few minutes. Add the lemon juice and sugar.

In another bowl, combine the peanut butter, condensed milk and milk. Mix well.

Fold the two mixtures together well. Freeze the mixture in the freezer.