Let's talk Rechauffé today.

How to Rechauffé your healthy leftovers.

Rechauffé means to warm up, heat up leftover food (in my own terms I would say to JAZZ UP leftovers) *winks*.

Rechauffé is an art of using leftovers; it is more than digging into the fridge and mixing just any leftovers though. It requires more planning.

The advantages include reducing waste, saving money and it also saves lots of time.

Step 1: PLAN AHEAD. Say for instance, you have bought and/or cooked more than what you would eat in one serving (which is usual or expected, for example Chicken or meat) You can plan your next meal around the excess. This is the principle behind rechauffé food, not taking scraps off the plate.

Step 2: START WITH BASIC. With washed vegetable scraps that are free of any dirt or mold such as peelings and ends can be used if they are not of poor condition. For example-

·         Potato peelings can be seasoned with spices and baked until crisp for a low fat snack.

·         Carrot, onion & celery trimmings can be used in stocks.

Step 3: TO RECHAUFFE VEGETABLES - Should you have a range of fresh vegetables for steaming, sometimes it better to steam the whole vegetable (like cauliflower & pumpkin) rather than have raw leftovers that may rot or go stale. You can use the surplus the next day in different ways.

·         For cauliflower, the surplus can be chilled and reused in dishes such as cauliflower cheese, or marinated in vinegar and spices and served in a salad, used in soups or pureed and reheated.

·         Potatoes can be grilled, roasted, used in salads, soups or mashed.

·         Cabbage can be marinated in salt & vinegar and reused in salads.

·         Pumpkin can be used in scones, breads, soups etc.

·         Carrots can be reheated and served with honey.

·         Blanched Green beans can be sautéed quickly in a pan with a little hot coconut oil, chili or soy sauce, or some fresh chopped herbs. Or served cold in salads.

Step 4: Cooking like this means that you don't have surplus raw ingredients and you can reheat or serve a different way to save time.

With surplus boiled eggs, use them in sandwiches, curried eggs or in salads.

With surplus roast, grilled, poached or steamed meat, it can be used in sandwiches, salads, curries, braises, Bolognese sauces, casseroles, soups etc

Ofada or Brown Rice as well as Bulgur can be easily reheated or used in fried rice, Wheat pasta can be used hot or cold in salads.

Surplus breads can be used for breadcrumbs in a food processor.

Fruits can be cut raw for fruit salads or stewed. Surplus stewed fruits can be with oatmeal.

Stocks and sauces can be used as a foundation of other sauces, soups or stews.

Planning in advance on ways to use surplus food and reduce waste is the whole goal.

Info courtesy http://www.wikihow.com/Rechauff%C3%A9-food

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade 

Recipe - Granola

Granola

You will need:

DRY INGREDIENTS
Oats
Nuts and Seeds (I didn't use any seeds though, I used coconut, walnuts, groundnuts..feel free to add more nuts and seeds almonds, cashew, sesame seeds, flax seeds etc.)
Dried fruit (I used dates, will add raisins in my next quest)

WET INGREDIENTS
Honey
Coconut oil ( or any other healthy oil)

DIRECTIONS

Chop your walnuts. Slice your coconuts thinly (I used a vegetable slicer). The groundnuts are fine just the way they are.

In a bowl, toss together all dry ingredients but not the fruit yet. (I used half of one coconut, seven walnuts, three handfuls of groundnuts, and one cup of rolled oats).

In a pan on low heat, combine about 3-4 tablespoons of honey and 3 teaspoons of your oil, occasionally stirring till both are well combined.

Pour the honey-oil mixture over the oat-nut-seed mixture, and toss until evenly coated.

Spread granola on a cookie sheet or microwave/oven safe dish and bake till the granola turns golden brown - stir occasionally.

Let cool, then toss in the dried fruit.

Store in an airtight container. It should keep for up to a month at room temperature.

You can munch on your granola as a snack, you can have it as cereal, you can include it in your parfait combo with some yogurt and fruits, or you can use it to make yourself some granola bars.

This is me, having granola as cereal.

And me again, attempting to treat myself to a parfait.

Follow on instagram @bukikolade 

Eggs!!!

Hey fitfam foodies! 

Welcome to a brand new week.

What's on your mind? For me...EGGS!!!

I love eggs...and I roll my eyes whenever I hear someone say "The Yoke" is fattening!!!

Please eat your EGGS whole...Just don't over eat. 

That being said, I wanna ask, how do you play with EGGS?

For me I have tried - 

EGG MUFFINS.

All you need do is - 

Break an egg in a bowl, add spice and/seasoning of your preference to taste.
(I used thyme, curry, black corn pepper, garlic powder, ginger powder, soy sauce)

Whisk till flavor is properly mixed in.

In a greased microwave / oven safe dish pour your whisked egg.

Spoon in preferred cut veggies into the whisked egg and mix.
(I used carrots, onions, red bell peppers)

Place dish in microwave and allow your egg mix bake for 5-7 minutes, or till a fork pierced into the center comes out clean.

DEVILED EGGS.

For this you need - 

One boiled egg.

Cut in half. Take out the yoke (or mash it).

Stuff your egg with any filling of your choosing, say Guacamole, Sauteed veggies, Stir fry.

Voila!









If you want a larger quantity just increase the number of eggs, C'est simple! *winks*

My next quest...EGGY BREAD! I can't wait to make 'em.

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade

STREET FOOD...can it ever be HEALTHY?!

Hey Fitfam. THANK GOD IT’S FOOD…Oops! Thank God it’s FRI-YAY!!! Yes FRI-YAY!!!

Anyway this topic may sound somewhat awkward, but I beg to differ…Because we are fitfam doesn’t mean we can’t eat #streetfood.

I’ve thought this through for a few weeks and finally decided that not all street food is bad jare!
Ahan, being fitfam is not that bad nao, hian!

So I made a short safe list of street food believed to be pro-fitfam

• BOILED / ROASTED CORN + COCONUT
• BOILED / ROASTED CORN + LOCAL PEAR popularly called UBE
• BOILED CASSAVA + COCONUT

• ROASTED PLANTAIN + GROUNDNUT
• BANANA + CASHEWNUT / GROUNDNUT

• GARDEN EGG + GROUNDNUT
• GARDEN EGG + LOCALLY MADE PEANUT BUTTER
• ROASTED YAM
• ROASTED SWEET POTATO
• ASUN a.k.a  SPICY SMOKED/ BARBECUED GOAT MEAT
• CHICKEN / TURKEY / FISH BARBECUE
• CHICKEN / BEEF SUYA
   ROASTED BREADFRUIT a.k.a UKWA + COCONUT
.




Nevertheless I will like us to note that apart from PORTION CONTROL, we should
• Be particular about the hygiene of the food vendor we are buying from
• Not consume #streetfood TOO OFTEN (all that smoke involved in the roasting especially is not encouraging)

EAT WITH MODERATION.

Have a nice weekend everyone! Remember to eat clean o, calories count on weekends as well.

N.B - If you are  non-Nigerian, you may not relate as well to this post as a Nigerian would.
My apologies...lol *winks*

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade 

When life hands you CUCUMBERS...

Hey fellow fitfam foodies and healthy food lovers.

There's more to life than just chewing your cucumbers or tossing 'em in salads. COME ON!
I mean, that's just plain boring.

We should realize that the same way we make lemonades from lemons, there's more to cucumbers than meets the eyes.

Why not make yourself a CUCUMBER BOAT.

Trust me, it's as simple as it looks.
All you need do is -

• Cut your cucumber , length wise.
• Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds (I ate the seeds).
• Stuff your cucumber with any filling of your choice, like stir fry, sauteed veggies, guacamole etc.
• VOILA!!! Cucumber boat ready!

OR treat yourself to some CUCUMBER-GETTI (as christened by me, lol)

For this you will need a Julienne cutter, to get your cucumber in thin strip shapes.

I wanted my cucumber-getti dry and crisp, so I made sure while peeling the cucumber I left out the seeds.

The cucumber-getti is ready once you are done peeling.

Serve it with your favorite sauce.

Eazy-peazy!

Let's just say I was having a "noodlized" time here... made me some CUCUMBER NOODLES and other options while meal prepping









You see there's more to CUCUMBERS?!

I dare you to up your CUCUMBER game. *winks*

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade


EXTRA INFORMATION - This is what a Julienne cutter looks like.
Image courtesy : Google
Be careful not to mistake it for a Potato peeler. The difference here is the teeth.

LETTUCE over BREAD

Hey fitfam foodies, before you purse your lips...I'm not about to say we should ditch BREAD for LETTUCE, NO!!!

I am just wondering if you have ever tried replacing that sandwich bread with lettuce, or that wrap with lettuce.

I'm sure by now y'all know I love to play with my food.

So in case you haven't tried tweaking your sandwiches or wraps, give it a go!

Trust me you will love it!

I had mine as a Lettuce -Omelette Wrap. I savored every bite. NomNom

Thank me later.

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade

ACV...APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Hey FitFam. Let’s talk about ACV today.

ACV means APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.

Though its benefits and uses are versatile, but I’m streamlining this post to 3 WAYS on HOW TO DRINK ACV.

(Weight, Diabetes and Heart).

What is ACV?

Apple cider vinegar is a fermented liquid made from apples. It is high in acetic acid, which has been shown to improve some health conditions.

For example, drinking apple cider vinegar in a tonic before dinner or an hour before bed may reduce the risk of diabetes, weight gain, and heart disease.

METHOD 1 - Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss

1 - Purchase raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. The filtered, pasteurized vinegar on supermarket shelves do not have the same properties as unfiltered vinegar.

·         Bragg’s organic apple cider vinegar is one of the best brands of apple cider vinegar. Heinz ACV is also a good brand.

·         Unfiltered vinegar contains sediment which is referred to as “the mother,” a leftover bacteria from the fermentation process.

2 - Drink a tonic of fruit juice and apple cider vinegar before each meal. Pour 1 cup (237ml) of grapefruit juice and 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar into a glass. Mix well.

·         Replace grapefruit juice with another juice of your choice. Avoid juice cocktails, which are mostly sugar, and choose juices that are high in Vitamin C, for added health benefits.

·         Apple cider vinegar has a strong taste, so stick with a juice that disguises it well.

·         The acetic acid in the vinegar may help stimulate fat-burning proteins.

·         Drinking low calorie liquid and water before meals may help you to consume less.

3 - Make a salad dressing with apple cider vinegar. Use 2 tbsp. (30ml) of apple cider vinegar in your dressing.

For added benefit, avoid using oil in the dressing.

·         Mix the vinegar with parsley, lemon juice and a clove of garlic in a food processor

·         Eating low-calorie dressing and fresh produce regularly, as part of a healthy diet, will lower your glycemic index  (a figure representing the relative ability of a carbohydrate food to increase the level of glucose in the blood )and help with weight loss.

4 - Eat a snack with apple cider vinegar to curb cravings.

A 2005 study reported people who ate vinegar along with bread stayed off hunger longer than those who ingested bread alone.

METHOD 2 - Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for Diabetes Prevention

1 - Mix 2 tbsp. (30ml) of unfiltered apple cider vinegar into a large glass of water 1 hour before bedtime.

2 - Drink it nightly to reduce your glucose levels by 4 to 6 percent overnight.

·         Although some studies have shown that apple cider vinegar might be good for people who currently have Type II Diabetes, it can also affect insulin medication.

·         Talk to your doctor before taking it, if you are taking diabetes medication.

3 - Drink it before a meal to reduce insulin and glucose spikes.

·         Try a mixture of 2 tbsp. (30ml) of apple cider vinegar, 6 oz. (177ml) of water, 2 oz. (59ml) of pure cranberry juice and a splash of lime juice.

·         People who had pre-diabetes seemed to benefit the most from the apple cider vinegar. Some results said it cut their blood glucose by half.

METHOD 3 - Drinking Apple Cider for Heart Health

1 - Replace regular salad dressing with an oil and vinegar dressing. 

Replace other types of vinegar with apple cider vinegar.

·         People who use oil and vinegar salad dressings have a lower risk of heart disease.

·         Contributing factors include healthy diet and use of “healthy” fats in place of saturated fats.

2 - Drink apple cider vinegar with water, tea or juice to potentially reduce high blood pressure, a contributing factor in heart disease.

·         Studies have shown that rats responded positively to the acetic acid.

            Info courtesy      www.wikipedia.com
     Image courtsey  www.google.com

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade

PLANNING & PRE-PACKING YOUR MEALS

Before you roll your eyes, trust me I have rolled mine already.

Planning and packing meals ahead is the baggage that comes with eating clean. 
You can't just go with the flow. Annoying, right?! Tell me about it!
Deepsigh! Anyway these are some tips I believe should be helpful.

Thank me later, lol!

Here I have cooked bulgur, veggies, boiled plantain and vegetable soup aka efo riro

1. Prioritize health.

The first key is staying motivated: Keep your health goals in focus. You simply have more control over any health goal — eating more fruits and veggies, lowering calories, eating less fat — by packing your own meals.

2. Prioritize budget.

Another benefit to remember, especially if you have specific saving or financial goals: Packing a meal is nearly always cheaper than eating out!

3. Make enough dinner for leftovers.

4. Have backup staples ready to go.

Leftovers or freshly made — either way, it's good to have some fill-in staples ready to go for days when your lunch isn't quite enough.

5. Take cues from what your kids love.

If you're packing for kids, make sure they have a say!

6. Don't force yourself to eat things you don't like.

If lunch isn't something you like, then it will be a chore. Make sure you're giving yourself something to look forward to.

7. Use leftovers creatively.

Leftovers aren't just leftovers; it can get boring eating the same things day after day, so find ways to mix it up.

8. Plan the meals you want to cook. (If you wish, you can create and follow a food table).

9. Prepare…Your list of food items/grocery list.

10. Cook more than one portion and freeze/refrigerate.

11. While packing food, try pre-packing per portion (i.e. in the quantity you usually consume at once).

12. Dedicate time on weekends/ after work during the week to make your meals in advance.

13. Keep your desk stocked with essentials.

N.B -  It is advised you cook meals that you would usually consume within 3 days or thereabout, especially for those who are particular about having their meals have that "fresh-y-ness".

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade 

O ye Rice lovers, Ever heard of BULGUR?

Bulgur! Bulgur!! Bulgur!!!

If you are like me and particular about eating clean, then you know Bulgur is a great substitute for Rice.

A lot of us grew up eating rice almost every other day or at least very regularly.

Well, I would say whether you are trying to loose weight, maintain a healthy weight or eat healthy, then Bulgur is perfect for you.

Apart from its nutritional benefits, it's less inexpensive and a great quick fix meal seeing that it cooks fast.

Bulgur is high in fiber, low in calories yet very filling. Trust me, Bulgur keeps you feeling fuller for longer.

It comes in various forms - Fine, Medium and Coarse grains.

I particularly use the fine grains though.

Bulgur sitting pretty with some fresh veggies.

Bulgur made as a porridge / cereal with redgrapes as a side.

Bulgur being prepped up for a healthy snack.
I call it Bulgur nut & fruit bar.

Oh! How I love Bulgur. If you are creative with your meals, bulgur can be played around with in various ways.

Make it like fried rice, or jollof rice even.

This last image is about my best Bulgur serving yet!













If you haven't tried Bulgur before, you should!

Follow me on instagram @bukikolade