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October 27, 2018
Do you know that cucumber have 96% water content? Asides enjoying cucumbers in salads, sandwiches or as a smoothie, whatelse can you do with cucumber? Cucumbers help keep the body hydrated due to its high water content. It is an excellent choice for a weight loss diet due to is low calorie content. Let us learn how cucumbers help maintain our bodies.
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BENEFITS OF CUCUMBER
Hair Benefit
  • It reduces hair fall; drink cucumber juice always. Apply it on your hair and scalp and wash off with shampoo after an hour.
  • It gives hair a shiny glow; use cucumber juice to rinse your hair.
Health Benefit
  • Aids digestion; include it in your daily diet.
  • It helps prevent cancer; dont discard the seeds... eat as you go
  • It cures hangover; eat a few slices
  • It detoxifies your body; eat a few slices daily
  • It aids weight loss; include it in your daily diet
  • Beneficial for the treatment of blood presure issues; make into a smoothie and drink
  • strenghtens your bones; eat as you go
  • It is good for your dental health; eat daily
  • It reduces inflammation; eat a few slices
  • It relieves constipation; eat a few slices
Skin Benefit
  • It helps control puffiness of the eyes; place two slices of cucumber on you eyes and let them stay as long as you want.
  • It reduces dark circles; place two slices of cucumber on your eyes and allow for 20mins
  • It reduces eyes wrinkles; place cold pureed cucumber around your eyes for as long as you want.
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SIDE EFFECTS
  1. If allergies occur around the oral cavity; swelling or itching. Do well to cook your cucumber before eating.
  2. Too much comsumption of cucumber may lead to baldness.
alway buy fresh cucumbers: it is usually light or dark green. aviod buying cucumbers that have spots or are yellow in colour. it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. if already peeled it should be stored inan airtight container. it is however advisable to eat cucumbers within two or three days of purchasing. 
enjoy the many benefits of this wonderful crunchy fruit and live a healthy life. 

STAY HEALTHY!
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October 24, 2018
Africa is blessed with mouth watering dishes that are wonderful in itself. Abacha is a sumptuous delicacy of the south-eastern people of nigeria. The green vegetables, ugba and other ingedients make abacha a meal rcommended for healthy living. It is often prepared with dried shredded cassava which is usully soaked in water to make it soft. It can be enjoyed as a snack or a full meal anytime, any day. At any igbo traditional gathering, abacha is a must. I personally enjoy it with a chilled glass of palm wine. YUMMY!! Allow me show you how it is made.
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INGREDIENTS

  • 600g of abacha (shredded cassava)
  • 2cups ugba
  • 1cup of palm oil
  • 2tablespoon of powdered potash
  • fish (any of your choice), spiced and cooked
  • 1 big onion, chopped
  • salt and dry pepper
  • 4tablespoon ground crayfish
  • 2 seasoning cubes
  • 1teaspoon ground ehu seeds
  • hot or boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon iru
  • utazi leaves
  • kanda, cooked and sliced
  • 6 garden eggs, chopped
  • garden egg leaves, optional
  • 1 medium onion, sliced for garnishing
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METHOD
  • Soak the abacha for 10mins until it softens
  • Drain out the water, pour hot water over it and drain.
  • Rinse the ugba in warm water and place aside
  • Dissolve the potash in water and sieve out the water. Stir the potash water with the palm oil until it forms a yellowish paste.
  • Place on heat and add the ground ehu, pepper, stock cubes, crayfish, chopped onion and ugba. Stir and turn off the heat.
  • Add the iru and mix properly, add the fish and kanda.
  • Add the abacha and chopped garden egg, stir properly.
  • Add sliced utazi and salt to taste.
  • Garnish with sliced garden egg leaves and onion. Feel free to play with this part, you can garnish it to your taste.
Abacha can be eaten warm or cold depending on your preference. Serve with a cold glass of palmwine or any drink of your choice. Thank me later.

Image result for abacha served with palm wine
ENJOY YOUR MEAL!
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October 24, 2018
The festive season is fast approaching and it would not be a bad idea to make my own drink. The season is obviously going to be a cold one and a cup of Irish cream would be perfect. I had some friends over during the weekend and we played with the left over ingredients in my kitchen and we came up with our version of baileys Irish cream.

Irish cream is a liqueur based on Irish whisky, coffee, cream amongst others. It is perfect for every occasion, and best enjoyed with friends and family.
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INGREDIENTS
  • 1cup of evaporated milk
  • 395grams of sweetened condensed milk 
  • 400ml of Irish whisky or white wine
  • 3 tablespoon chocolate syrup
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1quater teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
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METHOD
  • Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 30mins or until smooth.
  • Transfer the Irish cream to a glass bottle and refrigerate. This drink can be stored for up to 2 months.
Shake well before use. Best served with ice.
Enjoy!!
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September 19, 2018
Cooking does not have to be a boring art. There are different ways to get things done in the kitchen. You need to salt your yam before frying but you check your kitchen cabinet and BOOM, it hits you, no salt. What do you do? I have had recipes that called for items I either can not afford or are curently not available. One time, I wanted to make BUTTER MILK FRIED CHICKEN but I had no buttermilk. I had no choice but to make my own and it came out great. I am going to share some of my ingredient substitute for your great cooking/eating experience.


  • BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE- Do you have a recipe that requires buttermilk like; fried chicken, velvet cupcakes, mashed potatoes, pancakes, but you  dont have any? Why not make yours? It's as easy as putting a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a cup of liquid milk. It may not have the same thickness as buttermilk but, it is a perfect substitute. Yogurt thinned with milk or water can also do the magic.
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  •  GRENADINE SYRUP SUBSTITUTE- Who said you can not make your own chapman without grenadine syrup....? I have being faced with this same issue before, then I discovered Zobo syrup... yes you heard right. All you will be needing is... 
1 cup of zobo leaves
3 cups of water
2cups of sugar
1tsp vanilla 
1tsp lemon juice

Wash and add zobo leaves into a pot of boiling water allow to boil for 30 minutes- 1hr.
Pour the juice through a sieve and put back into the pot and allow to boil. Add sugar and stirr occasionally. Allow to boil till you see visible bubbles. 
Remove the syrup from the heat. Allow to cool. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and set aside. Good thing about this zobo syrup is, you can store it for up to two weeks and enjoy it with your cake, ice cream, yogurt and pancakes.
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  • SALT SUBSTITUTE- My doctor once told me to stay away from salt.. It was hard but I did it... What did I do? I tried out the following;
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice. (learn how to have this handy) 
Finely chopped onion
A dash of apple cider vinegar
Thinly chopped ginger and
Minced garlic...
It might be hard at first but, you will get used to it. LESS SALT MEANS LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE.
STAY HEALTHY!!

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September 10, 2018

Ofe Owerri is what I will like to refer to as the PRIDE OF THE HEARTLAND. My grandmother never misses an opportunity to prepare this food for my father whenever he hits the village. She calls it ‘nri eze’ (food for a king). The original recipe of this meal has being tweaked so many times to suite peoples taste and pocket. I am therefore going to share with you the original recipe of OFE OWERRI.
 Image result for ofe owerri
Ingredients
·         3- 4 pieces of Stockfish chunks and stock fish head
·         2 - 3 pieces of Dry Fish (Azu nkurkunku or Azu Asa)
·         1 cup of dry grounded Crayfish
·         2tbsps Ose Ikpo (Dry grinded pepper or chili flakes)
·         1 big bunch Ugu leaves – sliced
·         1 small bunch Okazi leaves (thinly sliced)
·         6-7 pieces of Ede (cocoyam). You can substitute this with Achi - a very popular soup thickening agent. You may not have the time to go through the stress of preparing the cocoyam paste for soup when Achi can suffice but Cocoyam is the REAL DEAL in Ofe Owere.
·         1 wrap of Imo state Ogiri - Locust beans (optional)
·         2 cooking spoons of Palm Oil
·         Salt
·         stock cubes
Instructions
1.   Season stockfish with salt, ½ cup of the crayfish, 1 tbsp. of dry pepper.
2.   HOW TO MAKE THE COCOYAM PASTE
3.   Wash the Cocoyam thoroughly and boil with the skin on in lots of water for 10 –15 minutes
4.   When cooked, peel off the skin and pound into a paste. The cocoyam is usually sticky so add a tablespoonful of palm oil. This does 2 things: it keeps the cocoyam from sticking to the mortar and also it enhances the color of the soup.
5.   Once the stockfish have softened, taste the stock and make any necessary adjustments to the flavor.
6.   At this stage, add the cocoyam paste in small portions with your cooking spoon or simply mix the ground 'Achi' powder with some water in a bowl, stir well and pour into the soup. Reduce the heat and watch the soup thicken. Stir thoroughly to ensure all cocoyam lumps dissolve totally into the soup. The soup could be runny or thick. Or it could be just in-between. Your choice.
7.   Add the palm oil and washed chunks of dry fish to the soup. (We are adding the dry fish at this stage to prevent it from dissolving in the soup) Part of the enjoyment is to pick pieces of fish from the soup while eating. Cover the pot and let the soup cook until the oil combines with the soup and looses that raw taste (this takes about 2-5 minutes)
8.     If you are using achi stir often to prevent the achi from sticking to the bottom of the pot
9.   Add the ogiri, the remaining crayfish and dry pepper and stir thoroughly.
10.      Thoroughly wash the vegetables with cold water. Wash twice or thrice to remove any traces of dust or sand. (it is advisable prefer to wash veggies before they are sliced. That way, vital nutrients won’t be rinsed off. But okazi is basically washed after slicing)
11.      Stir after adding the vegetables and allow to simmer on low heat for an extra 5 minutes then turn off the heat.
12.      Serve with your choice of 'swallow'.
Note that the Imo state ogiri is different from the Anambara state ogiri. It is however important to make use of the imo state ogiri.


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September 10, 2018
Ever wondered what other magic lies hidden within the okazi plant? This article focuses on unravelling some other uses of the okazi leaf. This greenish climbing plant is mostly found in the tropical regions especially Nigeria, Congo, Gabon, Angola, Asia and South America. The okazi has thick papery-like leaves which are usually hard to cut. Due to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties of okazi, the leaf can be used as a remedy for certain ailments and diseases.
                      
The edible leaves are usually cut into small strips that are used by different countries for different cuisines and recipes ranging from stew and soups for example; the Nigerians use the leaf for preparing vegetable or edikang ikong soup, egusi soup etc. The afang plant is not usually planted but normally grows as a forest vine and the leaves are gathered as forest vegetables for culinary and medicinal purposes. Okazi leaf is an excellent source of aspartic acid, dietary fiber, cysleine, protein, vitamins, sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, potassium, glutamic acid, leucine and essential amino acids that are required by the body. The relatively high protein content of okazi suggests why this plant contains a high amount of essential acids that can act as an alternative energy source especially when the carbohydrate metabolism is damaged due to glucogenesis.
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 what else can I do with the okazi plant?
  • Ø  The okazi leaves can be used for treating sore throats, boils, warts or nausea.
  • Ø  Okazi stem can be eaten raw for reducing childbirth pain as well as menstrual pain.
  • Ø  A cut stem of okazi can be used for reducing pain during childbirth.
  • Ø  Apart from the leaves, the okazi tuber and seeds can be cooked and eaten as food.
  • Ø  Both the seeds and the leaves of okazi have been proven medically efficient for treating enlarged spleen.
  • Ø  The pedicles can be cut, crushed and mixed with soap, which is used for washing the hair in other to stimulate hair growth.
  • Ø  Researchers claim that the okazi vine contains a high level of iodine.

  • Ø  The seeds can be chewed raw for controlling excessive urination.
  • Ø  It serves as an antidote for poisons.
  • Ø  Traditionalists use the okazi leaf for preparing medicines used in treating children suffering from measles.
  • Ø  The seeds of okazi can be used as fungicide for dressing wounds.
  • Ø  It also helps in the treatment of alcoholism.

The next time you visit the market, do well to purchase the okazi leaf and enjoy its wonderful delight.

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September 08, 2018
My little niece will always play around the kitchen with her little fingers. One day she requested to stir the noodles I was preparing for her. The next day she wanted to make it her self. Let your kids into the studio where the delicious food they enjoy is made. You may worry about the little mess here and there but these tips will help you scale through.

Tips On How To Make Kids Enjoy Cooking

  1. Take your time - expect everything to take longer than usual. Set aside extra time for cooking and be aware, that the journey is fun for your kids

2. Expect a lot of mess - cooking is a messy business there'll be even more when kids are in the picture.  Put a plastic tablecloth down on the floor or a tray underneath their work area however, you'll all have more fun if you just let the mess happen and then clean up together at the end.

3. Plan ahead - select one recipe that they'll enjoy and that involves plenty of action that are suitable for their age. Make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment ready. Do some preparation before you ask them to join you.

4.Get them ready - put them in clothes that are easy to wash, put an apron on them and cover their hair.

5. Teach children about food hygiene - ensure they wash their hands before cooking and in while cooking especially after touching raw food.

6. Talk through the recipe - you can get them to read out the steps beforehand and get what will be needed, talk through the steps and assign duties to them. You can as well explain what you're making and show pictures to help them understand.

7. Touching and tasting - this will make the experience enjoyable for them, plus it's a good opportunity to teach children which foods are safe to eat raw. Ask them to use a clean spoon to taste, not fingers and stirring spoons.

8. Age and ability - children's recipes have guidelines but look at your own child and recognise what they are capable of doing. There are always activities for every child, even if it's just messing around in the sink washing vegetables and plastic containers.
Most importantly;

Make it fun! Children will learn to love cooking if you are relaxed and have fun with them in the kitchen. If you feel nervous, start with basic meals. Only step in when it's necessary, otherwise let them enjoy and create.

Be sure to lavish them with compliments on how well they are doing this will create a sense of self confidence and pleasure related to cooking.

Make it fun! Put on their favourite song!

Cooking does not have to be so serious and your kids will appreciate the one on one attention. Everybody loves a fun and exciting teacher.
Stay healthy!

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September 04, 2018
The kinds of foods and drinks you consume determine the types of nutrient in your system and also affect how your body and mind function. One of the most important ways to improve the mind is through your gut. Just as the brain impacts the gut, the guts equally affects the functioning of the brain. It however, would not be wrong to say you are what you eat.
It is not enough to have a balanced diet, a balanced mood and wellbeing is also important and can be protected by ensuring that our diet provides adequate amounts of essential fats, amino acid, vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates and water.
Image result for FOOD, ESSENTIAL TO THE MIND
MIND BOOSTING NUTRIENTS
  • Folate, folic acid- folate is essential for pregnant women but we all need folic acid. Leafy green like spinach, fruits, nuts, beans and whole grain have high amount of folate and folic acid.
  • Vitamin D- heart disease and increased risk of heart attack is associated with a deficiency in vitamin D. Milk, orange juice, salmon and breakfast cereals are good sources of vitamin D. our bodies however, produce vitamin D as a result of being in the sun.
  • Omega 3- this acid is helpful in the treatment of depression and helps to stabilize mood. Asides this, it is important in reducing inflammation which is the primary cause of arthritis and asthma. Walnut, sardine mackerel and dark green leafy vegetables are good sources of this acid
  • Yogurt with active culture- contains healthy bacteria which reduces anxiety and stress. Eating too much processed food may affect the delicate balance of healthy and unhealthy bacteria in the gut.
  • Lean protein- the amino acid tryptophan, a building block of protein, influences mood by producing neurotransmitter, serotine. Fish, turkey, chicken eggs, and beans helps keep the serotine level balanced.
Image result for FOOD, ESSENTIAL TO THE MIND
IMPORTANT TIPS TO MIND BOOSTING
  • Eat fewer high sugar foods and more whole grain cereals, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetable. Whole grain cereals are more filling and do not cause mood swings. They contain thiamin B1 associated with mood control. Folate, zinc which is shown to improve the mood of people with depression.
  • Avoid sugary drinks as they have empty calories and affect the enamel of the tooth. Drinks with caffeine can trigger panic attack. It is advisable to take at least 8 cups of water daily because dehydration can cause fatigue, difficult concentration and mood change.
  • Do not skip breakfast as this can cause a feeling of brain fog.  Finding it hard to eat in the morning? You could grab a glass of yogurt to start off your day.
  • Avoid too much dairy diet. Instead eat a diet that relies on fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grain and fish.
Having stayed with my grandparents till they got to the ripe age 124, I couldn’t help but notice the reduction the reduction in the quality of food we have in recent times.
Food production and manufacturing technology coupled with changing life style and increased access to processed food has made intake of fresh nutritious, local food lower and intake of fat, sugar, alcohol and additive much higher.

Take care of your mind as much as you take care of your guts. STAY HEALTHY!!

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September 04, 2018

The substitute foods for breast milk has to be highly nutritious for the baby to have healthy growth. Breast milk is and will remain the best source of nutrients for our kids until they get to the age of 6months. The best substitute for this is FRUITS. Fruit purees for babies are simple to make, tasty and filled with essential nutrients and vitamins. Before I share some of the recipes with you, here are some tips to making this kiddies delight.

TIPS
  • Steam the fruits as it preserves the nutrients in the fruits and helps you serve as wholesome food in the early days of weaning.
  • Mash the fruits with a little breast milk or water
  • Do not cook soft fruits such as banana, avocado etc… just puree them with some water in a food processor
  • The puree should be light in the initial days and reduce the water quantity eventually
  • Puree with a blender or a fork.


Image result for baby images

HOW DO I INTRODUCE THIS TO MY KIDS
Follow the 3-day wait rule to introduce new food so that any allergic reaction can be known.
  • Start one tablespoon once a day on day one
  • Increase it to two tablespoons twice a day on day two
  • Make it three tablespoons twice a day on day three.
Here is a list of some of my favorite fruit puree.
BANANA PUREE
Ingredients
  • Ripe banana – 1
  • Water – as needed
Method
  • Peel and cut  the banana into small pieces
  • Mash with a fork or puree it in a blender or food processor
  • Add some water to make it a thin consistency
Serve it fresh.
AVOCADO PUREE
Ingredients
  • Ripe avocado – half fruit
Method
  • Peel and remove the fruit
  • Scoop its contents and do not cook
  • Mash with a fork or blender
  • You might add water or milk for thinner consistency
Serve it fresh.
PAW-PAW PUREE
Ingredients
Ripe paw-paw
Method
  • Wash the pawpaw with water and vinegar to remove any bacteria.
  • Peel and slice the pawpaw into half and scoop out the seeds. Wash again to remove seed ruminant
  • Cut the fruits into pieces and puree it. You may add water to the consistency you desire.
  • Serve it plain to your baby.
The list is endless for this recipe. Fruits are packed with essential nutrients and vitamins. Weaning your baby doesnt have to be stressful. Try out these fruit puree recipes.Your kids will thank you later. Feel free to experiment with as much fruits as you want.
Leave a comment in the comment section

STAY HEALTHY!!

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September 04, 2018

SKIP JUNK FOOD TO SAVE YOUR HEALTH


My doctor asked me to lose weight because of my BMI (Body Mass Index). Until then I was an unforgiving lover of quick food joints, always there when the first ‘’open’’ sing comes up. I really didn’t take note of the effect these quick foods had on me or my system.

Junk foods re high in calories and low in nutrients. They tend to contain large amounts of salt, sugar, and fat. They also contain artificial flavorings and additive and are packaged in cans, boxes or bags to look attractive to the eyes, in another sense, they are silent killers.
SIDE EFFECTS
  • It causes fatigue and lack of energy since it has little or no vitamin and minimum protein.
  • It leads to obesity due to the high content of fat.
  • Too much intake of junk food may lead to heart disease, hypertension, stroke, high blood cholesterol
  • Impaired digestion like reflux, ulcer diarrhea or constipation
  • Not forgetting the brain. Junk foods affect brain function by triggering memory impairment and interfere with normal brain functions due to lack of essential food nutrients.
Image result for SKIP JUNK FOOD TO SAVE YOUR HEALTH
Changing lifestyle may cause us to always opt for the fastest ways to satisfy our hunger for food. Just as we satisfy our hunger we should always do it the right way. Eat right and pay attention to your health.
TIPS
  • Keep a fruit handy when on the go
  • Always have a bottle of water handy
  • Nuts are not too cumbersome to put in a bag especially walnut
  • Stay healthy for your sake.

Don’t just eat to satisfy hunger, eat for your wellbeing.  Eat right and stay healthy.

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