Vegetables: Lilfe Saver!

Still on my new found love for cruciferous vegetables, one other thing that i was totally sold to was a ready to eat pack of fresh kale, snap beans, cauliflower, just toss with a dash of olive oil, slightly salted or plain served with a side of brown rice, Irish potatoes, grilled fish or chicken.
Natural goodness and so delicious!

Broccoli ; Blood Builder

Hello, been a while!

1 had a very revealing experience with this plant/vegetable that confirm to me that ones diet is less than complete without it in your diet.

I had what was medically confirmed to me as early menopause, prior to my checkup, i started experiencing irregular blood flow, when it comes at all its usually just spotting and dark which is so unlike what it use to be, i mean you could literally set the time by how regular and on time my monthly circle use to be.

so you can imagine my deli-ma over this new development, the many trips to my Gynaecologist, the many test that was run and when all came back clear, i decided to just relax and not worry anymore but then there is this niggling thought that you have when you have an unresolved puzzle when that time of the month comes.
So i had to travel for my moms birthday in Maryland, and i just develop cravings for vegetables particularly broccoli and cauliflower, i was buying and eating them by the bucketful lightly steamed and with grilled fish or chicken, at times just as a snack and what do you know after 2 weeks, i experience a blood flow like never before in close to a year just like it use to be. i was shocked!

I quickly went online to read up and what do you know, it contains a whole lots of nutrient that actually help in alots of other ways;

Broccoli is an edible green plant in the cabbage family whose large flowering head is eaten as a vegetable Wikipedia

* contains high level of vitamin K up to 92 microgram which is well over your daily need, having an adequate amount of this vitamins improves bone health by improving calcium absorption.

* provides vitamins A,E,C that plays a very strong role in the formation of collage which is the main support system of the skin.

* improves digestion and natural detoxification by preventing constipation.

* belongs to the cruciferous vegetables, studies have shown that eating a high amount of this helps lower risk of cancer like lung and colon cancer, studies have also suggested that sulforaphane,that gives their bitter bite is also what gives them their cancer fighting power.

* increasing consumption of plants foods like broccoli decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, weight loss and overall mortality.

So friends, this has become a permanent fixture in my diet, How about you!

A meal a day Foundation

Hello, permit me to share these pictures of monthly outreach to the destitute in the our society in which we run a soup kitchen to feed them, this is the fourth year that this foundation was established. We are grateful for the support we have enjoyed over the years from individuals and organisations who believe in the work we are doing towards eradicating hunger, skill acquisition training and educational funds to the less privileged in the slum of Makoko particularly the children.
If you will like to partner with us, you can reach us on our phone line, email and our handles on the various social media platform as written on the above flier, Our temporary account details are written below pending the completion of the registration which is ongoing at the moment with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Account details: Franker Aligbe
                           GT bank 0011156809
Dollar Account: 0148037888
                           GT Bank
Thanking for stopping by and do have a lovely day ahead!

Citrus Banana Smoothie

Hello there, been awhile, so i decided this year in my cookery club to build different recipe round one food item, i did not realise what i could come up with when i choose plantain. Its been an amazing and delightful journey discovering different ways to cook with this wonderful vegetable that can be use as a starchy vegetable when green and a sweet side dish or dessert when ripe.
This week we decided to use banana in making a drink, both banana and plantain belong to the same family of Musaceace, bananas are often consumed raw, and only when they are ripe. They are usually much smaller than plantains, and have a much thinner skin, they are usually eaten as a desert, and are commonly used in salads, pies and cakes. At times, they are also used to create beverages, particularly in tropical countries. They are also made into banana chips, which is a great and healthy snack.
Bananas serve as a great source of potassium and also contain anti-oxidants, which greatly help flush out harmful toxins and free radicals from the body.

To make this delightful drink, you will need the following ingredient;

2 ripe banana
3 cups of milk
1 orange juice
1 lemon juice
2 teaspoon of vanilla flavour
Blend all together and serve chilled.

 

How to make Dodo Ikire

Hello there, i decided today to feature one of the recipes we will be making at the cookery club tomorrow using black spotted plantain. Please check earlier post to read up on the benefits of eating Plantain, both ripe,unripe and black spotted.


To make 20 balls, you'll need;

3 large plantain with black skin.

3 teaspoons crushed cayenne pepper.

salt to taste 

oil, for deep-fat frying (a mixture of 1/3 palm oil and 2/3 vegetable oil) or you might just decide to use vegetable oil alone like i did in the picture above.

DIRECTIONS


1. Heat the oil until hot but not smoking (about 350ºF).


2. Cut the plantains into coarse dice.


3. Mix in the cayenne and salt and form into small balls.


4. Flatten the balls slightly or roll them in a ball and place them in the hot oil.


5. Lower the heat slightly and cook the plantain balls until they are browned.


6. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.





7. Serve warm.

Benefits of eating Plantain!

Hello and welcome to another awesome and fruitful journey in this new year 2017, trust y'all had a wonderful and relaxing time during the holidays no doubt throwing caution to the winds eating all you want, never mind I'm guilty of that as well, there is just something about the festive season that makes you want to indulge yourself, sort of a pat on your back.
So I run a cookery club and decided to try something new and exciting in my club this term, I decided to take a a particular food item and use it in cooking different recipe, to start I choose plantain which is in season right now where I live in Nigeria and to my amazement I was thrilled to discover an endless list of mouthwatering delicacies cooked in so many ways. That makes me curious to know why this vegetable is so popular, this is what I discovered:

• Plantains must be cooked before they are eaten. They are used as a starchy vegetable when green and as a sweet side dish or dessert when ripe (the skin turns black). They are a staple in Asia, Africa, India, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
• Plantain is low in carbohydrates and high in potassium, vitamins A,B6 and C which helps in better vision, better skin complexion, builds immunity against disease and free radicals.
• Its a very good food to aid weight loss as it is high in fibre content.
• It helps in bowel movement.
• its presence of Vitamin B6 can cure inflammation of the nerve and anaemia.
•  Unripe plantain is low in sugar thus making it an ideal meal for diabetic.
• It is also rich in calcium which is an essential mineral needed for stronger bones, muscles, nail and teeth.

It can be cooked, baked, fried and steamed. I'm so looking forward to having an adventurous time in the club this term, cant wait to start cooking. See you next time i come your way, keep on eating healthily!

Ukodo

Ok so its the season of plantain and yam and this easily send me back memory lane remembering my childhood and the many incident that set me on this food journey and the passion for cooking.
Whenever any of us 8 children fall sick in the family, i see mum wiping out many delicious and tempting food to get us to eat because in her own opinion, you simply cannot fight off the illness if your immunity is low but you will no doubt agree with me that the smell of oily food is a complete turn of particularly if you are down with malaria fever.
It is more especially difficult to get me to eat because on normally even without being ill i am very choosy and particular about what goes in my mouth. But the day she decided to cook this plain oil free dish for me, she won my respect as a cook and since then the dish has remain a favourite of mine, it has really come in handy when i grew up and started having kids of my own,
Ukodo is a dish from the riverine area of Nigeria and is made with Yam,Unripe plantain, semi ripe plantain cooked in pepper-soup sauce. You can decide to use fresh/dry fish or goat meat for the protein, these combine together leaves a therapeutic taste to your mouth making you hungry for more. The spice in the pepper soup boost appetite while cleansing your system, it is highly recommended for new mothers as it helps flush the system from stale blood.

To make this dish, you need:
3 fingers of Unripe or semi ripe plantain
Dry fish
Dry grind pepper
pepper soup spice
Crayfish
Salt
Stock cube

Method:
In a clean pot add peeled plantain cut into chunk, add water according to your specification, this form the stock of the dish, the idea is to have runny porridge not too thick or watery. add a little pepper depending on how hot you want your dish and all the other ingredient. Bring to boil until the plantain is tender, correct taste and serve hot.