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Mixed Rice with Vegetables

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This is a simple recipe that can be prepared in a short time for a delicious dinner. It is made up of white rice cooked with a few vegetables. As with most of my dishes, a little spice is added to make it tasty.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white rice
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 pcs garlic
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 3 pcs okra/ladies’ fingers
  • 4 large Irish potatoes, chopped into quarters
  • 2 pcs chopped carrots
  • 2 aubergines
  • 4 cups hot water

Method

  1.  Saute the onion in medium heat for two minutes.
  2. Add crushed garlic and saute for a further one minute.
  3. Add the quartered potatoes and carrots, & cook for five minutes.
  4. Add chopped tomatoes and okra and cook for five minutes.
  5. Add the aubergines and salt to taste.
  6. Once the vegetables are half cooked, pour in the hot water and let it boil.
  7. Add the rice and cook until done.
  8. Serve.

In this recipe, you don’t have to cook the rice first before the veggies. Simply wash it clean and once the water in the saucepan starts boiling, add and stir to mix all the ingredients well.
Serve this dish with your favourite wine or fresh fruit juice.

8 Reasons Why You Should Eat More Bananas

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Bananas are popular fruits and provide many health benefits. They are recommended by nutritionists for a number of reasons, including:

1. They provide energy to the body and can be eaten before starting an exercise session to provide energy. They also help when taken in the morning because they will ensure that the body has enough energy for the activities of the day. 

2. They are good sources of soluble fiber which absorbs water in the digestive system thereby slowing down digestion making the person feel full. This is a good strategy for reducing body weight because the person ends up eating less if the bananas are eaten before the main course.

3. Bananas contain pectin which is a nutrient that helps in reducing constipation.

4. Bananas are also good for reducing diarrhoea. This is because they contain the electrolyte called potassium which normally gets lost during diarrhoea. Eating more bananas therefore replaces this lost nutrient.

5. Bananas contain potassium which assists with the regulation of blood pressure. This helps in reducing the risk of a heart attack or stroke and also in maintaining the normal functioning of the heart.

6. An essential type of amino acid called tryptophan is present in bananas. This nutrient helps the body in reducing depression and improving the memory.

7. Bananas act as antacids by helping in the secretion of a thick protective mucus which lines on the walls of the stomach protecting it from stomach acids, which may otherwise cause ulcers.

8. Bananas contain Vitamin C which helps in keeping the skin smooth & glowing while at the same time reducing wrinkles.


The above are only a handful of the advantages of eating bananas. These fruits are not only sweet to eat but also help in the overall health of the body. So why not pick up an extra bunch next time you go grocery shopping?

Fresh Dairy Milk Powder; A Review

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Fresh Dairy full cream milk powder is manufactured in Uganda and distributed in the East African region. It is a wonderful product available in a number of supermarkets in Kenya.

The main reason this milk powder is frequently found in my kitchen is because it makes a good cup of tea or milk, whichever I want. The milk is usually thick enough to make a hot cup of my favourite ginger tea or white coffee. This makes it superior to other milk powder products in the market and therefore it is high in demand.

Compared to other products in the market, Fresh Dairy Milk Powder is very easy to mix with water. Whether you use cold or warm water, a spoonful or two will easily mix, and in a few seconds you have your milk ready to drink.

This wonderful milk powder can also be used in cooking where you first prepare the glass of milk and use it in simmering vegetables like kales, spinach and soups. You can also use it to bake some cakes as well as in making mahamri.

I highly recommend Fresh Dairy Milk Powder. It is worth your money having it in your kitchen all the time.

Pilau And Kachumbari

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Pilau is very common and much loved in various parts of the world. It goes by different names in different countries. In Kenya the meal is referred to as Pilau and is commonly served with a tomato salad popularly called Kachumbari.

Pilau can be cooked with meat or without it (Meatless Pilau).

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  •  1/4kg meat
  •  1/4kg rice
  •  3 ripe tomatoes
  •  1 onion
  •  Pilau masala or whole pilau spices
  •  3 cloves crushed garlic
  •  Crushed ginger

Method

  1.  In a saucepan, put in the crushed ginger, garlic and pilau masala and saute for a minute.
  2. Add in the cubes of meat and cook stirring continuously until the meat is browned and cooked.
  3. In the meantime, wash the rice and bring water to boil enough to cook the rice.
  4. Once the meat is cooked, after about twenty minutes, pour in the the boiling water and bring to a boil again.
  5. Add the rice and salt. Cook until the rice is done and all the water has evaporated.
  6. Serve with kachumbari.

Kachumbari is a simple salad made up of tomatoes, onions and a little salt. Simply chop all the ingredients into a bowl and mix. You can add a little virgin oil if you wish.

Spicy Spaghetti & Soya Recipe

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This spaghetti & soya recipe takes about one hour or less to prepare. It is spicy but does not include a lot of ingredients, as detailed below.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup spaghetti
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 cayenne pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 tomato
  • Soya pieces
  • Oil 
  • Garam masala/Royco
  • Salt

Procedure:

  1. Boil the spaghetti in a covered saucepan until they are cooked.
  2. Chop one onion and saute in medium heat.
  3. Add the chopped bell pepper and cook for two minutes.
  4. Add the crushed garlic and cayenne pepper and saute for a further two minutes.
  5. Add the tomato and garam masala or royco. Stir to mix all the ingredients then add half a cup of warm water. Bring to a boil.
  6. Add salt and the soya pieces stirring. Cover and cook for about ten minutes.
  7. Once the soya pieces are well cooked, add the boiled spaghetti and stir to mix with the other ingredients.
  8. Lower the heat, then serve after five minutes.

Although the cayenne pepper is optional, it adds flavour to the dish and can be substituted with other spices. It is advisable not to add too much water because it would be absorbed by the soya pieces and too much of  it could dilute the taste and leave the dish less flavourful.

Spaghetti is a good source of carbohydrates while the soya pieces provide protein necessary for good health. Give this dish a try and serve with your favourite wine or cold juice.

3 Ingredient Fried White Rice

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White rice is a staple food for many nations. There are so many wonderful ways of cooking it that none can be termed the best. Many other ingredients can be added to it to make a complete dish.

In this recipe, the only ingredients needed are rice, cooking oil and one onion.

Method:

  1. Put oil in a sauce pan and saute the onions until browned.
  2. Pour in enough water to cook the rice without draining and bring to a boil.
  3. Add the washed rice and add salt to taste.
  4. Cook the rice until done and dry.
  5. Serve.

The good thing I love this recipe is that I can devour it as a complete dish without any soup, stew or vegetables. I find it delicious as it is. 

Simple Bean Stew

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This bean recipe is simple and does not take a long time to prepare after the initial boiling of the beans. It can be used for any type of beans whether pinto beans, black beans or any other. Boiling can take between an hour and two depending on the type of beans.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup boiled beans
  • Cooking oil
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 4 pcs crushed garlic
  • 1 dania/corriander
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 2 chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 chopped carrots
  • Royco/curry powder

 

Method

  1. Add the chopped onions to oil in a sauce pan and saute for about two minutes.
  2. Add the crushed garlic and saute for a minute.
  3. Add the coriander, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, tomatoes and carrots. Mix well then cover and cook for five minutes.
  4. Add salt, royco and half a cup of water to the sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  5. Add the boiled beans, stir and simmer for a further ten minutes.
  6. Serve.

Minced Soya Pieces with Cabbage

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As I had stated in a previous post, soya is a good source of proteins and carbohydrates. It can be used as a substitute of red meat and it is very nutritious.

In this recipe, the soya pieces are smaller and the end result resembles minced meat. The brand I will use is Proya but of course you are at liberty to use whichever brand you love.

Ingredients: (Serves 1)


  • 1/2 cup minced soya pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped cabbage
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tomato
  • Salt
  • Cooking oil
  • Garam masala
  • Royco/curry powder

Preparation:

  1. Heat oil in a sauce pan then saute the onion and garlic.
  2. Add the carrot, tomato, salt and garam masala then cook for about three minutes.
  3. Add the minced soya pieces and cook on low to medium heat for about ten minutes. Stir regularly to avoid sticking.
  4. In a small bowl, mix one tablespoon of royco with half a cup of water then pour into the saucepan.Stir then cook for three minutes.
  5. Add the chopped cabbages and cook for about five minutes.
  6. Serve.

If you use curry powder, you do not need to mix it with water in a bowl before adding to the saucepan. You can also include cayenne pepper to make it spicy.

This dish is very simple to prepare and delicious. It can be served with rice, chapati, sima, matoke or even mashed potatoes.

Enjoy your meal.

Meatless Pilau with Potatoes

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Rice dishes are popular and loved everywhere. They can be cooked with various ingredients like vegetables, beef, mutton or chicken. Also, there are many people who are vegetarians and do not consume any meat, be it red or white meat.

Pilau is a rice dish which can be cooked either with meat or without. All it takes is a little creativity and you will have a delicious meal on your dining table. Therefore, this pilau recipe I am sharing does not contain any meat but is still as good as the more popular one.

Ingredients:

  • Washed rice
  • Pilau spices, either whole or ground
  • Crushed fresh garlic
  • Crushed fresh ginger
  • Potatoes, cubed
  • Salt
  • Cooking oil

A satchet of whole pilau is composed of dried cumin seeds, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamon and other spices. A small amount is taken then using a small mortar all the spices are crushed together with the fresh garlic and ginger.

Preparation:

  1. Put oil in a sauce pan and place on heat to warm it.
  2. Add the mixture of crushed spices, garlic and ginger to the oil. Cook for about two minutes.
  3. Add the potatoes and cook for a further five minutes then pour in enough water to cook the rice.
  4. Add salt then bring to a boil. Add the rice and cook till the rice is done and all the water has been absorbed. 
  5. Serve.

Pilau may be served with any type of vegetable salad. The salad helps in making the meal balanced by providing other nutrients like Vitamins. It may also be served with any type of soup or stew, all of which depends on one’s desire. 

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