Round Up! Random Foodie Finds: Recipes and Healthy Eating Tips

When this foodie blog was started back in 2016, I made it clear that "its purpose is to share food finds for food lovers, recipes, cooking tips, and all things foodie!" 

Staying true to the purpose, it's been almost 10 years, and as they say: Time flies when you're having fun! This blog post includes recipes to encourage you to eat your fruits and veggies and a link to an informative article published by the American Cancer Society for reducing the risk of cancer.

Photo by Eaters Collective on Unsplash

American Cancer Society: Avoid Meat to Reduce Cancer Risk | livekindly.co : The American Cancer Society (ACS) unveiled its new guidelines for reducing the risk of cancer. The organization advises people to eat less red and processed meat and more whole, plant-based foods. …

Mexican Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa & Black Beans (vegan & gluten-free) | momswhosave.com :  A delicious recipe for Mexican stuffed peppers with quinoa and black beans. This recipe is vegan (& gluten-free), but some melted some cheese on top, or a dollop of sour cream would be tasty …

11 Best Indian Mango Recipes To Try At Home | food.ndtv.com : 
The best of our Indian mango recipes for you to try at home. Let's just agree that the primary reason for most of us to wait for the peak summer season is only the… 

20 Minute Vegan Meals - Rainbow Plant Life https://t.co/b6djzJM2Ax

— Joie de Vivre Magazine (aka My Fox Nooze) (@FoxMarks_ATX) May 11, 2026

Lena's Culinary Delights: Making Broth from Black Chicken (Reblog)

So happy to reshare the link to this content from a fellow foodie and blogger.  Lena and I have been online friends for so long, I stopped counting the years. In this blog post, she said she discovered black chicken (aka silkie chicken) at a local Chinese supermarket and bought one to make broth for her mother’s friend. There's no way the friend could not be impressed. LOL. 😊

Lena's Culinary Delights:

Making Broth from Black Chicken

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My First Food Experience With Black Chicken

I have been active in many global online communities and forums for over a decade.  So I can't remember exactly when I first learned about black chicken. But when I knew there was a chicken that was black all over, it was like … WHAT??? … MIND BLOWN!! What else don't I know about Planet Earth??

Black Chicken (Silkie Chicken) Has a Fascinating Food History

Silkies trace back over 1,000 years to ancient China, where they were prized by royalty and wealthy families. (But of course! Everything traces back to China or Egypt. LOL.) Chinese records mention them as early as the 8th century, during the Tang Dynasty. They were deeply embedded in traditional Chinese medicine, valued for restorative properties and used in remedies such as “Black Chicken Pills” during the Ming Dynasty. Their meat, skin, and bones appear in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China as medicinal materials.

In Chinese cuisine, they’re known as wu gu ji (“dark boned chicken”). Common dishes include:

• Black chicken herbal soup

• Steamed Silkie with medicinal herbs

• Confinement foods for postpartum recovery

Admit it! That's fascinating! But wait! There's more!

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Somehow, black chicken made it to the West.

The black chicken made its way to Westerners. Who do we thank? MarcoPolo. He wrote about a “furry chicken” after his travels to the Far East during the 13th century. By the 16th–17th centuries, Silkies arrived in Europe via the SilkRoad and maritime trade. (Would civilization have survived without the Silk Road?) 

Early European sellers even claimed they were hybrids of rabbits and chickens to attract buyers. (As if a black chicken wouldn't get your attention? Why didn't they do like they do in grocery stores? Cook it and hand out samples to taste!)

WHY ARE BLACK CHICKENS BLACK?

(I know you're curious, and so was I!)

Silkies have fibromelanosis, a rare genetic mutation causing black skin, bones, and organs. Their feathers look like fur because they lack barbicels, the tiny hooks that normally hold feather strands together.

REFERENCES:

Silkies, Route 99. “The Fascinating History of Silkies: From Ancient China to Modern.” Route 99 Silkies, 17 Nov. 2025, https://route99silkies.com/learning-center/f/the-fascinating-history-of-silkies-from-ancient-china-to-modern.

The Poultry Pro. “Unlocking Silkie Chicken History: Origins and Evolution.” Feathered Farm Life, 28 Jun. 2025, https://featheredfarmlife.com/silkie-chicken-origin-and-evolution/.

Team, Science Insights. “Where Are Silkie Chickens From? Ancient China Roots.” ScienceInsights, 15 Mar. 2026, https://scienceinsights.org/where-are-silkie-chickens-from-ancient-china-roots/.

hobby-farms-hq. “Silkie Chicken Breed Profile: History, Traits & Care.” Hobby Farms, 11 Aug. 2025, https://www.hobbyfarms.com/silkie-2/.

Kilar, Katarzyna. “Silkie Chickens: The Black-Skinned Poultry Breed.” Backyard Chicken Coach, 21 Dec. 2025, https://backyardchickencoach.com/black-chickens-with-black-skin/.

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MY Chicken Blog Posts RoundUp:

• My Best Of Chicken Recipes 
• Netflix Series: Korean Fried Chicken Rhapsody 
• Foodie Nuggets: Who Invented Chicken Nuggets? 
• Homemade Soups: Chicken Soup (A Global Comfort Food - Every Country Has One!) 

Eight Treasure Chicken (Reblog) | Dispensable Thoughts 

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Would you be interested in my other "First Food" experiences?  I've had quite a few.  Click here:  My Foodie Luv | Medium.com

As always, thank you for visiting. 

My Texas Foodie Blog Posts Round Up

Hi!  Thank you for visiting my foodie blog.  Stay here as long as you like.  Feel free to come back as often as you like.  I am originally from Florida but currently reside in Texas.  When I got here I mentally donned my cowboy hats and boots and dived into the food!  LOL. ☺  Here is a collection of my blog posts and various articles I have published around the web. 

Image credit:  In Texas, Chili is a Huge Deal

YACR ( Yet Another Chili Recipe )

• Texans love their chili and everyone will tell you they have the best chili recipe.  Everybody but me.  I won't say mine is te best.  But I will tell you that after years of experimenting with various recipes, I finally cme up with one that everybody in my family liked.  

Chili Cornbread Salad (Guest Post)

• Wait!  What??  You can make chili and cornbread into a salad???  

Candied Jalapeño Peppers

• Some Texans will argue over whether fresh jalapeños are better than pickled jalapeños.  But just so the argument won't get boring, throw in candied jalapeños.

Who Loves Nachos?

• I loved going to office parties in Texas.  Somebody always brought nachos!  ♦ Fun Food Fact: In America, National Nachos Day is celebrated on November 6.

Image credit:  Foodie Fun!  Love me Some Nachos!

Cinco de Mayo Holiday Recipes

• Cinco de Mayo is a holiday in Texas mainly celebrated by people of Mexican heritage.  If you want to taste a sampling of Tex-Mex cuisine, get yourself invited to Cinco de Mayo festivities.

A Question About Salsa: Is There an Alternative?

• In Texas salsa is a very common condiment. Nobody looks for alternatives. Just different salsa recipes.

Texas and Tacos are a Match Made in Texas!

• One of the best things about moving to Texas was that my family got introduced to a fun food called tacos. Not only was it fun but it was very inexpensive.  Guess what?  You can make a taco salad or soup.  YUM!

World Cuisine: Great Recipes from Around the World (and Texas)  There's Texas and then there's the rest of the world.  LOL.

Round Up! Most Popular Foodie Friday Posts

My "Foodie Friday" posts have been discontinued because work efforts are being concentrated now on My Foodie Luv, a Medium publication, where I can collaborate with other food bloggers and writers, publish original content, and republish some of my content from this blog, Food Ways. This project (along with my other work-at-home projects) is time-consuming. But even though I have discontinued the Foodie Friday post series, there were certain posts that blog visitors and subscribers enjoyed. Below is a recap of the Top 5.  Thank you for your continued support.

• Indian Food ~ Hot-n-Spicy Samosas

• Figs ~ No! It's Not the Forbidden Fruit

• Experiencing the Joys of Salsa

• Let's Do Sushi ~ Keep It Kosher!

• Awesome Food Bloggers in Bloggy Moms Network