Quick and healthy meals in less than 2 hours.

Babine · May 11, 2009 , 06:16 PM

Do you get frustrated and often find it difficult to come up with suggestions for healthy recipes for you and your family? I decided to limit my rice-eating cravings to once a week and found that I had to work hard to come up with less starchy foods. A balanced diet is what the doctor recommends always.

Breakfast, the most important meal of the day is usually not a problem, but lunch and dinner present an ongoin, daily challenge. Eating out is really not my cup of tea( I am always weary what goes on in the kitchen for profit...scared of Chinese food too) for I love a home cooked meal any day. I decided to always eat my heaviest meals in the middle of the day and my lightest meals at dinner time. Culturally, the staple food for most Nigerians is rice or eba. I am trying to get away from all that. As I get older, I try to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables in my diet. Less red meat, more fish/chicken without the skin of course, no pork, lots of grains and cereals. High protein/less carb. No meals after 6PM, and if I get the munchies-I would binge on some fruit or vegetable(carrot sticks always does wonders).

So, this is the deal. To make life easier I have committed to spending no more than 2 hours in the kitchen for any dish, no matter how palatable.

Wish me luck.

Babine · May 11, 2009 , 06:30 PM

Time savers.

Things I have learned.

Dealing with meats.

Parboil all meats when you are not hungry or less busy. Do not over cook(no more than 20-30 minutes for chicken and beef, depending on how tough). Freeze and save the stock for later when the lard(fat) can be separated from the stock for a much healthier ingredient to be used later.

Never cook dirty meats such as 'shaki', kpomo and 'cowlegs' with others like chicken or beef. They ruin the taste of any good stew or soup.(hint hint at men who love to cook) Always throw the stock away after cooking. Wash, cook for 10 minutes, then change the cooking water(add salt with second) stage of cooking not at the beginning.

Never cook chicken and beef together.

Gamy meats like goat or lamb should be cooked alone. They smell too strong and ruin the good taste and aroma of soups and stews.

Good meat stock as opposed to bad meat stock.
Chicken and beef only make good stock. Gamy meats(with strong odors like goat/lamb) do not.

Dealing with meats ahead of time cuts your cooking time in half or less.

Meats/fish are healthier when baked, flame-broiled or boiled as opposed to when fried. But we can't resist the taste of some good old fried chicken or goat meat once in a while can we?

Me neither.

Babine · May 11, 2009 , 06:39 PM

I surprised myself with this first meal, without the usual 'traditional' craving for rice, plantain and assorted meat.

A variation of the famous good old yam and egg dish from back home.

Baked sweet potatoes(microwaved or oven baked) Oven is always better.
Spinach/mushroom/tomato/egg casserole
Sauteed gizzards/bell peppers/onions

Fresh pears halves/cottage cheese.

Preparation time. Less than 1 hour. No mess, no sweats.

Babine · May 11, 2009 , 06:59 PM

Next. I love beans

How do you enjoy a good old dish with beans? Palm oil? I often wondered why people complained beans took too long to prepare. Haunting for the good old MSG or 'akaun' is a thing of the past. Do not add spices or salt at the beginning of cooking. This would only serve to 'harden' the outer coating of the beans, making for a prolonged cooking time.

Plain boiled beans
fish stew
boiled yam

Or

beans porridge(no palm oil) substitute a good old fried stew with vegetable oil instead
baked fish
fried plantains

Nice cup of fruit salad. Chilled Banana/papaya/pineapple.

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes.

MrsChocT · May 22, 2009 , 06:35 PM

The key to cooking meats in a short amount of time for me is using my pressure cooker. It saves time and cuts my use of gas. There are even some electric pressure cookers that can cook jollof rice in less than 6 mins. No be dem say, dem say....I have seen it and eaten superbly cooked jrice from an electric pressure cooker. I just thought it was to pricey to buy.

But i love my ol' gas pressure cooker.....helps me cook meat, beans in no time!

emj · Jul 14, 2009 , 12:29 PM

Hmmm, there i was..thinking Babine said how to cook a meal in less than 2mins

But sha can i import u babes...i yam salavating already...more so with the way u handle those meat...walahi i like am sotey i dey see them as i type self....nice

liloldlady · Jul 14, 2009 , 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by emj

Hmmm, there i was..thinking Babine said how to cook a meal in less than 2mins
But sha can i import u babes...i yam salavating already...more so with the way u handle those meat...walahi i like am sotey i dey see them as i type self....nice

Reminds me of when Lateesha Used photos of those betta, Mouth watering soup, as her avatar....I swear, whenever I encountered her posts...na so I go dey swallow saliva....Thank God, she eventually changed it to a photo of a young MJ.

Nwanyi Oma · Sep 18, 2009 , 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Serious_Naijababe

The key to cooking meats in a short amount of time for me is using my pressure cooker. It saves time and cuts my use of gas. There are even some electric pressure cookers that can cook jollof rice in less than 6 mins. No be dem say, dem say....I have seen it and eaten superbly cooked jrice from an electric pressure cooker. I just thought it was to pricey to buy.

But i love my ol' gas pressure cooker.....helps me cook meat, beans in no time!

ever since i encountered the pressure pot, to enter kitchen no dey fear me again... God bless whosoever invented that pot!

Babine · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:12 PM

Oh yesssss O! I am a real Martha Stewart.......for the right man only...

Ladies...let us make this fun...post pictures of what you can cook.

I will beat you all hands down.

Nwanyi Oma · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Babine

Oh yesssss O! I am a real Martha Stewart.......for the right man only...

Ladies...let us make this fun...post pictures of what you can cook.

I will beat you all hands down.

lets see yours first... meanwhile how we go taste am na?

Rose · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by liloldlady

Reminds me of when Lateesha Used photos of those betta, Mouth watering soup, as her avatar....I swear, whenever I encountered her posts...na so I go dey swallow saliva....Thank God, she eventually changed it to a photo of a young MJ.

Speaking of avatars...that Babine ain't no joke, huh? I think she just got her brazilian wax and just wanna show off a bit.

MrsChocT · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:27 PM

Dewy,
Love your first post on this thread..........dat too much rice eating na unique African problem. I love your suggestions up there ...will try them out.........

I am very picky when it comes to fruits...hate mushy fruits.....love pineapples, fuji apples, white grapes and oranges..........bananas are a no no..........oh how I miss my agbalumo......

Sometimes I do eat rotisserie chicken breast meat and garden salad for dinner...

I am seriously tired of my Yoruba foods,,,,,, need a change.........been trying others from the east but Naija foods can overload u with carbs........

I love goat meat but like you can't stand the stock........I don't like chicken...........but beef once in a while...........love fried fish.........

Well, let's keep on exchanging ideas........me likey

MrsChocT · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Babine

Next. I love beans

How do you enjoy a good old dish with beans? Palm oil? I often wondered why people complained beans took too long to prepare. Haunting for the good old MSG or 'akaun' is a thing of the past. Do not add spices or salt at the beginning of cooking. This would only serve to 'harden' the outer coating of the beans, making for a prolonged cooking time.

Plain boiled beans
fish stew
boiled yam

Or

beans porridge(no palm oil) substitute a good old fried stew with vegetable oil instead
baked fish
fried plantains

Nice cup of fruit salad. Chilled Banana/papaya/pineapple.

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes.

The only beans I love is ewa oloyin (honey beans) from Naija.....those beans are naturally sweet..tastes like honey.........

Which one be beans porridge?

Babine · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by Nwanyi Oma

lets see yours first... meanwhile how we go taste am na?

You wan try me? Hmmmmmm....you know how many years I don spend for hinside kitchen? Since I was 12 years old.....you will taste it spiritually when you see the pics...

I don't like to eat all these things...but for Oga who loves to 'load' his stomach with all these....I still have to cook them.....once in a while....

Banga soup.....with assorted meat...served with 'starch'...

This is what I call...."Don't go far"...

Next pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase!!!!

Babine · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by Serious_Naijababe

The only beans I love is ewa oloyin (honey beans) from Naija.....those beans are naturally sweet..tastes like honey.........

Which one be beans porridge?

I have not eaten that honey beans....the one I know is that brown/white beans. I need to try that honey beans.

Beans porridge is that one with crawfish....tomato....pepper...and some small-small dried prawns....some people use palm oil.....That mamaput kain "potor-potor" beans like that....

.....It is sold in that Ghana High Buka in Lagos....Hmmmmm!

MrsChocT · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:55 PM

Ewa Oloyin is still brown but much smaller in size than the other brown one, it just tastes so much better than the regular brown Naija beans.

Babine · Sep 18, 2009 , 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by Rose

Speaking of avatars...that Babine ain't no joke, huh? I think she just got her brazilian wax and just wanna show off a bit.

I don't do Brazillian waxes Rose.....look again...picture coming up....

Babine · Sep 18, 2009 , 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Serious_Naijababe

Dewy,
Love your first post on this thread..........dat too much rice eating na unique African problem. I love your suggestions up there ...will try them out.........

I am very picky when it comes to fruits...hate mushy fruits.....love pineapples, fuji apples, white grapes and oranges..........bananas are a no no..........oh how I miss my agbalumo......

Sometimes I do eat rotisserie chicken breast meat and garden salad for dinner...

I am seriously tired of my Yoruba foods,,,,,, need a change.........been trying others from the east but Naija foods can overload u with carbs........

I love goat meat but like you can't stand the stock........I don't like chicken...........but beef once in a while...........love fried fish.........

Well, let's keep on exchanging ideas........me likey

Greaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!

Healthy choices you have up there...I love fruits salads too...

you go see "Agbalumo" for this America?

....

I can't stand chicken....
That goat meat stock and skin...I can't stand....the smell....hmmmmm

Fish is good.....Beef..is okay. I like shaki/kpomo/cow leg(non nutitious stuff)

GOSH......I hate Mackerel(Ice fish)....in short....any fish with slimy skin......count me out. It has to be fillet only...no bones...no skin...I don't want to smell it....

Good...let us keep sharing....

Children's favorite...yam/dodo/corned beef and eggs casserole...

Cooking time...less than 1 hr...

Babine · Sep 18, 2009 , 10:26 PM

Easy......

Rice and stew...piece of cake...

Difficult....

the moi moi took 2 hours...
fried rice....1hr....
jollof rice...1.5hrs....
plantain....15 minutes...
puff puff...1hr....
meat pie...1.5hrs....
Stewed hen...stewed beef....1.5hrs

YES! I had a party!!!!

...and cooked them all....

Under 2 hours.....prep time=1hr.....(okay...I cheated....I had help)

Ladies...I ask again...can you cook?

If you garrrrit...flaunt it.....

More to come......no cooking this weekend.

....Na oga turn.

....

liloldlady · Sep 18, 2009 , 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Babine

Oh yesssss O! I am a real Martha Stewart.......for the right man only...

Ladies...let us make this fun...post pictures of what you can cook.

I will beat you all hands down.

This is a throw down.....we are on...oya camera lights action.!!!!
we go see naaw?