One step closer to Kenya

One detail that needed to be taken care of before we could embark on our Kenyan adventure was our dog, Riley. We adopted Riley 2 years ago when his family was about to begin their own ministry adventure in Darwin. Now that they are settled into their own home, they are able to take Riley back so that WE can be free to travel! Aren't God's ways awesome? Isn't He so loving and kind and faithful? The fact that He is taking care of this little dog shows me that He surely will take care of us! Onward and upward!

My first Kenyan dish!

One of the staple foods in Kenya is called sukuma wiki, which is Swahili for "push the week". This dish is made of kale or other greens with tomato and onion. I just recently began to experiment with kale in an attempt to add more veggies to our diet, so I figured it would be great to try kale Kenyan style! Honestly, I prefer kale sauteed in oil with some garlic, but the sukuma wiki wasn't too bad. I guess I'd better get used to it!

Here's the recipe from Whole Foods Market:


2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil (I used olive oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
3 ripe but firm tomatoes, chopped
2 bunches kale or collard greens (about 1 pound total), ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño (if using) and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until collapsed and juicy, about 10 minutes more.

Add kale, 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, salt and pepper, toss once or twice, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve.

Definitely don't skip the step of slicing the kale into thin strips like I did :) The kale is pretty chewy!