15 STEPS TO BETTER HEALTH

ASPARAGUS & MUSHROOM SOUP

This home made ASPARAGUS & MUSHROOM SOUP is tasty and delicious. It serves 4 - 6.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound young Asparagus
1 pound of button Mushrooms, cleaned washed and cut into 4 parts each.
4 tablespoons of unsalted (1/4 stick) Butter
1 medium  size white Onion cleaned and chopped
1 tablespoon wheat four
2 1/2cups of Water
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 cup 2% less fat Milk
Salt and black pepper to taste
Cilantro for garnishing.

Cut off the tips of half the asparagus about 1inch in length and set aside as part of garnish, slice the remaing asparagus.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan, sauté the onions until it is soft.
Add the asparagus sauté over low heat for 1 - 2 minutes.
Stir in the flour, cook, cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the water, salt and pepper. Allow to boil, simmer for 10 - 15 minutes until asparagus is tender and well cooked.
Cool slightly, pour in a blender and process until smooth.
Sauté the asparagus tips in remaing butter in a pan for about 3 - 4 minutes.
Cook the mushrooms in its water over low heat until soft and dry.
Stir in the soup, the mushrooms and sautéed tips.
Serve warm and garnish with few chopped cilantro.

MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium Cucumbers
1 tablespoons Salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 Cup dry cider
1 tablespoon cider venigar
3 tablespoons fresh dills chopped
A pinch of ground black pepper

This serves 4 - 6

DIRECTION

Slice the cucumbers thinly and place them in a colander, sprinkling salt between each layer. Set the colander over a bowl to drain the water for about 30 minutes.
Then rinse the cucumbers under cold running water to remove excess salt
Pat dry on absorbent paper towels.
Gently heat the sugar, cider and venigar in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from heat and let cool. Put cucumber slices in a bowl, pour the cider mixture over them and let marinade for 1 hour.
Drain the cucumbers and sprinkle with dill and black pepper to taste.

NIGERIAN SPICY FRESH FISH SOUP (PEPPER SOUP)

INGREDIENTS 

800 grams fresh Tilapia cleaned and cut into 4 parts

1 large Bell Pepper
1 teaspoon Chili Pepper (if you do not like spicy please reduce or do add this)
1 medium size Onion, cleaned and chopped
1 cup Cray Fish (Nigerian sun dried shrimps, available in African Stores)
2 tablespoons grinded  Pepper Soup Spices ( Nigerian pepper soup spices are sold in African stores)
1 cup Chopped Spinach
1 large Irish Potato or Yam, peeled and diced into 1 inch sizes
2 handful of Fresh Shrimps, washed with water
1 stock cube of preference.
Salt to taste.

DIRECTION

Combine bell pepper, onion and cray fish in a blender, add 1 cup of water. Blend until very smooth.
Pour pre boiled water over the cleaned fish, stir and drain the water immediately. This is to firm up the skin, so it does not easily come off while cooking.
Pour blended stuff into a pot, add water as needed or 1 - 2 cups of water.
Add the spices, chili if desired, stock cube, cray fish.
Allow to cook for 20 minutes.
Add fish and potatoes or yam allow to cook for a further 25 minutes
Add the spinach, allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Pepper Soup is better eaten when hot.
Salt to taste. This serve 2 - 4.

SUPER SPINACH SMOOTHIE

THIS SMOOTHIE IS PARKED WITH VITAMINS AND MINERALS

INGREDIETS:

3 cups of chopped spinach
1 medium size cucumber cut up
3 kiwi fruits peeled
1 Apple peeled
1 banana
1 cup of pineapple chunks
1 cup coconut water
Cayenne pepper as desired

Combine all the above in a blender and process until very smooth.
Serves 4 - 6.

ROASTED BEETS

 INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp extral Virgin Olive oil
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp of black pepper
Zest of one lemon
2 cups fresh sliced beets, cut into 1/8 inch slices thick

DIRECTION

Preheat oven to 350 F
Wash, peel and slice into1/8-inch thick pieces yield is about 2 cups sliced beets
In a medium size bowl, combine all the ingredients except the beets. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
Place prepared beets in a bowl with marinade and toss to coat.
Spread beets out on a non-stick sheet pan and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or bake as desired until it is done.
Enjoy it. You can serve it with salad as above..

EGG PLANT (GARDEN EGG) SAUCE

INGREIDIENTS 

2 large eggplant peeled and diced

2 Large red bell pepper washed and diced

1 Medium size onion washed and diced

3 tablespoons of olive oil or Palm oil

1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups of chopped spinach (optional)

DIRECTION

In a  9 inches deep saucepan pour the 3 tablespoons of olive oil,
Add salt, black pepper, chopped onions, allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes until
The onion is transparent.
Add the chopped bell pepper, allow to simmer for 3 minutes while turning regularly
Add the diced eggplant, allow to cook over medium heat for 15minutes.
Finally add the chopped spinach. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes over low heat and the sauce is ready.

This sauce serve 6. Serve with roasted or boiled potatoes, half ripe plantain or yams.

BENEFITS OF BLUEBERRIES

Blueberries a Superfood, is purple in color and are very popular here in the USA. When ripe, Blueberries are plump and slightly firm, and delicious when eaten fresh. Avoid any that are soft and dull-skinned, wash and dry carefully to avoid bruising. 

Blueberries are good when cooked in pies and muffins, or used as jellies. 

Unwashed Blueberries will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Blueberries have many health benefits. Numerous studies show that eating Blueberries regularly can improve night vision, as well as protect against the onset of glaucoma. Blueberries are also effective in treating urinary tract infections and improve heart health for better circulation. Blueberries are also good food for the brain..

ZESTY VEGETABLE & FRUITY JUICE

Ginger packs a powerful punch and certainly gets you going in the morning even if your very tired.

INGREDIENTS

1 cooked beet in water sliced
1 large Carrot sliced
11/2 inch piece fresh Ginger root pealed and finely grated
1 Apple peeled if desired, chopped and cored
11/4 cups of seedless white Grapes
11/4 cups of fresh Orange  juice

DIRECTION

Place the Beet, Carrot, Ginger, Apples, Grapes and Orange juice in a blender and process for a few minutes until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

This serves 2. 

ASPARAGUS AND ORANGE SALAD

INGRIDIENTS     

8 ounces of Asparagus cleaned and cut into 2-inch pieces 

2 large Oranges 

2 Tomatoes cut into eighths 

3-4 Romaine lettuce shredded 

2 Table spoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar 

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Direction 

Cook the Asparagus in boiling salted water for 3-5 minutes until just tender. 

Drain and refresh under cold water

Grate the zest from half Orange and set aside. Peel both the Oranges and cut into segments.

Squeeze out the juice from the membrane and reserve the juice.

Put the Asparagus, Orange segments, Tomatoes and Lettuce into a salad bowl. 

Mix the oil and vinegar together, add 1 tablespoon of the Orange juice and 1 teaspoon 

Of the zest. Season with Salt and Black pepper. 

Just before serving pour the dressing over the Salad and mix gently to coat.

This serves four.