Egg muffins

Eggs are one awesome food in terms of nutrients and versatility. Egg muffins are another awesome and fun way to have your eggs as you can add whatever toppings you fancy. I really love this meal and it was also a hit with the kids!!! Did I mention they are super healthy?

I decided to use two different types of eggs for the fun of it. I used regular chicken eggs and quail eggs which I love.

Bear in mind though, whatever eggs  or toppings you use, the process remains the same. Also remember to preheat the oven before commencing to gas Mark 5.

Ingredients 

*Eggs (I use chicken and quail eggs)

*Mixed Olives with sundried pepper

*Cherry tomatoes

*Corned beef

*Chilli peppers

*Spring greens 

*Butter

(A cooking spray or olive oil can be used in place of butter. Toppings like cheese, sausages, onions, parsley, thyme and bell peppers are also good options).

Step 1. Grease the muffin tin with butter, be generous with it 

Step 2. Break the eggs 1 at a time into the muffin bowls.. Then start adding in the toppings 

Step 3. Next top with little butter, then place inside the oven to bake for 4-6mins

And it's ready...The kids and I enjoyed the process and the outcome. They looked so cute once cooked.

These muffins were super yummy as all the ingredients added their own personal flavour to the eggs. 

Sweet chilli smoothie: A must for every weight watcher!

Sweet chilli smoothie in full swing.. I got tired of having the same bland flavour of smoothie everyday, then the thought came to me... "Why not spice it up"... So I said why not lolllll, after all what's the worst thing that can happen, right??? Besides they always said chilli burns fat, so why not amp my fat burning intake?

Ingredients

1tsp chilli flake

1/2 mango 

3 strawberries

1 medium size kiwi fruit

1/2 banana

1tbsp linseed or flexseed 

1tsp stevia sweetener

11/2 handful spinach

150ml water..  

1. Chop up the fruits into small chunks 

2. Pour into the blend, then add in water 

3. Blend until smooth

4. Should be smooth, creamy and foamy

Ohhhh my my my!!!!!!! Words cannot describe how tasty, hot and sweet this smoothie taste, it's a most for every smoothie loves 

Plantain loaf

Often times, the question comes up, I have plantains getting overripe and I don't want to waste it, what do I do?

This is one of my favorite recipes for utilizing plantains. Whats more its a healthy powerhouse of goodness as it combines nuts and seeds that are super healthy and uses no butter. If you ever needed a guilt free treat, this is it!!!..  Remember to preheat you oven, before preparing your loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe plantain

3/4 Cup linseed or flaxseed 

3/4 Cup pistachios (break/blend into piece)

3 eggs

1tsp baking powder

For topping 

1tbsp stevia sweetener or any powdered sweetener/sugar

20g slivered/sliced almonds

1/2 tbsp pistachios 

PREPARATION

Start by mashing the plantain 

Next add in the eggs, then whisk 

Whisk until frothy

Next add in the linseed

Then the crushed pistachios

Tip in the baking powder

Combine gently using a wooden spoon or spatula 

Next pour into a grease floured tin, Top with sweetener, almond and done pistachios then bake in the oven for 25-30mins on medium heat.

Looks so yummy, fresh and tasty

Perfect with a hot mug of green tea, on a lazy afternoon all 100% guilt free

MACKEREL LOADED GARDEN EGG SAUCE

Garden eggs, a variety of the egg plant is popular as a vegetable snack in a lot of African countries and people eat it on its own or with peanuts/peanut butter.
The sauce is truly beautiful and is popularly eaten with boiled yams, boiled plantains in West Africa. There is also a version that is eaten with swallow meals which we will explore in future.

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INGREDIENTS
15-20 Pieces of Garden Eggs
1-2 Medium Mackerel Cooked/Roasted, deboned and flaked
Onions, chopped
Ata rodo (scotch bonnet peppers)
Spring Onions, sliced
Ground Cray fish, about 2 tbsp
Seasoning cubes
Palm Oil
1 cup of water

*Ingredients can be adjusted for personal preferences, you could use more or less onions, chunky rather than flaked fish, bits of meat, whole dried shrimps and cowskin can also be added for a more robust sauce.

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METHOD

Chop off stalks from your garden eggs and cut into quarters or more for the bigger pieces.

Heat up some palm oil in the pot you want to cook with. 1 cooking spoon of oil or more will be needed as the garden eggs soak up the oil.

Add all your chopped and sliced ingredients beginning with the onions and ending with your garden eggs. Also add your seasoning cube.

*A lot of people would be more familiar with the other cooking method which requires boiling and mashing the garden eggs and other vegetables before frying. This method is just as effective and even faster. Also your vegetables get the opportunity of cooking in the sauce which makes it more flavorful.

Stir fry for a bit and add your ground crayfish. Allow the flavors to combine well.

After simmering for about 5 minutes, add the water and cover so the garden eggs can cook and soften. This should be under 10 minutes.

What do you think? Our garden eggs are all soft and they had the opportunity to absorb more taste since they pretty much cooked in sauce.
At this stage, it can be mashed with your cooking spoon right there in the pot. I like mine a little chunky so I'm not doing much mashing.

Add your mackerel, stir and taste for salt in case you need to add more. Cook for another 5 minutes and it's ready.

I served mine with home made boli/bolé (roasted plantains).
Give it a go and tell us what you think.

Healthy toasted puff puff, also same recipe but with a toaster (TOASTER PUFF PUFF)

If you ever lived in Nigeria and certain parts of West Africa you'll understand our love for this greasy, deep fried snack. It's also a popular finger food at parties.

I love them a lot but the deep fried aspect makes me stay away from them.  After seeing Abimbola's toaster cake I got thinking and I reckoned, why not?

I brought out my toaster and began the "experiment" as my kids called it.

The result was phenomenal, fluffy and tasty puffies without all that grease we've come to associate with it.

The kids loved it and they are not an easy bunch to please.

How can you achieve this healthier version of the popular snack?

YOU'LL NEED

270g of self raising flour or wholemeal flour
7g fast active dry yeast
270ml cup of warm water
1/2 cup of granulated Sugar or caster 
1 teaspoon of nutmeg or vanilla or any flavouring of your choice
A  pinch of salt

METHOD


We have to activate our yeast first of all by pouring it into a small bowl...

                                                     

Add a spoonful of sugar from the measured sugar

and some warm water from the 270ml, not too hot please.. because that would kill the yeast.

 stir and set aside, the yeast would be activated in about five minutes.

 Pour your flour in a clean bowl.

 Add your dry ingredients(sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg) mix together

Now add the wet ingredients. In goes the yeast..

Then the water.

Combine all ingredients and mix together, if its lumpy, use your hands (washed of course!!!)

The consistency should be close to runny but not runny.

Cover with a clean towel and set aside in a warm place for about 45 mins. I sometimes keep in my microwave oven when I'm sure there won't be interference.

Plug in your toaster/sandwich maker, grease the bottom and top parts with a pastry brush.

Now pour in some batter, using the spoon to spread evenly across. Before closing the toaster, make sure the top part is well greased to avoid having your batter stick to it.

 Depending on your toaster heat settings, you should have this beauty ready in about 3mins.

Serve and enjoy!!!
I used store bought sweet chilli and the marriage of sweet and savoury was awesome!!! Nothing beat an