The fear of cooking is real for some people. They lack the confidence to serve their dishes to even loved ones. If you want to be better at cooking, you definitely can. Even if you think you are hopeless in the kitchen like everything else practice and increasing your knowledge makes perfect. Let these tips guide you to becoming a better cook;
1. Add to what you know
Search for recipes on the web and in cookery books, read them through even if it is a recipe for a meal you think you have perfected. With Nigerian food recipes, and any other world recipe, there are often many ways to cook a meal and achieve the same results. So there’s always something new to learn.
When you eat a familiar meal and you notice an improvement in the taste, it is good to ask the cook what he/she did to achieve that.
2. Timing
This is one of the top tips of how to become a good cook. Knowing the right time to add certain ingredients goes a long way in making your food taste better.
3. Organization
Some things need to be done before you even light up the stove. For example, you can take your time and cut up every vegetable that needs to be chopped. Once it is time to add these, it would be easy for you rather than hurriedly washing and cutting them to add.
4. Attention to detail
Watch out for how your cooking can benefit from low, medium or high heat. Sometimes with jollof rice for instance you would need low heat to steam and cook to avoid burning your food.
5. Have the basic tools you need
You cannot underestimate the convenience of a sharp knife.
6. Plan Ahead
It is a good idea to plan what you want to cook ahead of time. This is so that you can be sure to buy all the necessary ingredients for preparing the recipe.
7. Choose your time carefully
The less you are distracted from your cooking, the better attention you will pay to the preparation of the meal. This way, there will be no burnt/overcooked meals later! You might want to wait till after Elena’s Ghost to make that stew.
8. Keep Practicing Cooking
Practice makes perfect. The more often you cook, the more you learn new and better ways of the art of cooking.
Superwoman, Don’t Leave Out These Super Foods!
Certain foods packed with vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients have been tagged “Super Foods for Women” because of the extra good they have to offer women. From nerve calming carbs to minerals and vitamins that sharpen mental perception. The old saying “you are what you eat” is by no means a tale. In truth, there’s a strong connection between food and health. What we eat could affect our bodies positively or negatively. Logically, to be healthy and fit we should eat the right kinds of food.
As women, our bodies undergo several complex changes through the years and that’s why our bodies need varieties of nutrients daily.
We’ve put together a list of some super foods easily found here in Nigeria and their benefits to you.
1. Egg Yolk
Egg yolks are packed with essential nutrients; especially choline, which is linked to lower breast cancer risks. Did you know that just one yolk supplies almost 25% of your daily need of choline? Eggs are a good source of protein, zinc and copper. Egg yolks also contain antioxidants that help prevent cataracts and degeneration of the retina. Eggs have often been linked to heart disease risk and are usually shunned by many but recent substantial evidence has shown that eggs are not harmful but healthy.
2. Low-Fat Yoghurt
Day by day, increasing benefits of low-fat yoghurt are being discovered. Prominent on the list of benefits is the fact that yoghurt can help reduce the risk of vaginal infections and reduce problems associated with inflammatory tract disorders (health conditions that affect more women than men).Well, not just yoghurt but fermented dairy products too! And that’s because of the high amount of healthy probiotics found in them. Calcium is crucial for preventing osteoporosis in women aged 20 above, and dairy products are good sources of protein and bone-healthy calcium.
3. Whole Grains
Whole grains are not to be left out in your diet. Oatmeal ranks high on the list of the world’s healthiest foods; the fibre in them works wonders in boosting your energy and metabolism. Oats are also essential for lowering cholesterol levels, boosting immunity and stabilizing blood sugar. Whole grains are good antioxidants, and the nutrients in them are significant in fighting heart diseases, diabetes, and feminine cancers.
4. Green Tea
Loaded with Polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, green tea is fast becoming known for its potent antioxidants and cancer-fighting activities. Did you know that green tea aids metabolism to burn calories faster, and protects against diabetes and weight gain? Green tea provides good support for the heart and bones, slows down the natural aging process in women, hydrates like water and is really effective in fighting fatigue and stress. Since I discovered the beneficial effects of this all-star brew, I’ve made drinking at least 2 cups of it an essential part of my daily diet …you should too!
5. Beans
Beans are low in fat and are a good source of protein. They also have soluble and insoluble fibre. Beans contain protease inhibitors which according to international studies slow the division of cancer cells and may have protective effects against cancer of the breast. Beans lower the risk of heart diseases. A high level of isoflavone – a nutrient known to aid hormone regulation and premenstrual syndrome issues – is likewise found in beans.
Best Exercises To Do While Pregnant
You should definitely exercise when you are pregnant! Exercise improves your muscle tone, strength and endurance, which may make it easier for you to adapt to the changes that pregnancy brings.
Regular exercise will:
Make getting back into shape after your baby is born easier.
Help you to carry the weight you gain in pregnancy.
Prepare you for the physical challenge of labour and birth.
Improve your mood and give you energy.
Help you to sleep better.
The following types of exercise are safe in pregnancy, though some may not be suitable for the last few months, and you may need to lessen the activity as your pregnancy progresses.
Walking
Aim to walk for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week. So walk to the shops rather than drive, take the bus only part of the way, take the stairs instead of elevators.
Running
Running is one of the quickest and most efficient ways to work your heart and body, and you can vary the distance as your energy levels allow.
If running is new to you, pregnancy is probably not the time to start. It’s best to stick to more gentle exercise, such as walking or swimming.
Swimming
Swimming is an ideal, and safe, form of exercise in pregnancy. It exercises your arms and legs, and works your heart and lungs. The bigger your bump gets, the more you’ll enjoy feeling weightless in the water.
It can help to ease back pain and swelling in your legs in late pregnancy.
Aerobics
It’s safe, as long as you keep the exercises low impact, to protect your joints. These days there are a lot of fitness trainers and experts who you could sign up with.
Dance
Get your heart pumping by dancing to your favourite tunes in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
Try not to leap, jump, twirl or change direction suddenly, as you may lose your balance.
Reasons to terminate exercise while pregnant
If you experience any of these symptoms, stop exercising and consult your physician just to be one the safe side.
Vaginal bleeding
Sudden shortness of breadth
Dizziness or faintness
Headache or visual disturbance
Unexplained abdominal pain
Muscle weakness
Swelling of ankles, hands, or face
Swelling, pain, and redness in the calf of one leg
Preterm labour, persistent contractions
Decreased foetal movement
Amniotic fluid leakage
Elevated pulse or blood pressure persisting after exercise
Fatigue, palpitations, chest pain
Insufficient weight gain (
Why You Should Drink More Milk
Milk and dairy products are so important that they are one of the four major food groups. It’s recommended that we try to get at least two servings of dairy each day.
Here are three surprising things to love about the beverage.
1. It is an Important Part of Your Diet
Eating right, staying active and drinking three glasses of low fat will help you maintain good health and weight. Now, some studies over the past several years suggest including enough milk, especially in a reduced-calorie diet may even be linked to better success on a weight loss diet – more fat loss and more muscle gains.
2. Recent Study Suggests Milk Drinkers May Be at a Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes has become a global epidemic and is expected to affect 552 million people worldwide by 2030, according to the International Diabetes Federation. “Consumption of dairy foods provides numerous health benefits including lower risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and obesity,” according to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report.
3. It May Help You Reach Your Height Potential
It’s true nutrition and health experts recommend kids and adolescents get more calcium and vitamin D from foods like milk, for strong, healthy bones. What you may not know is that your bones continue to grow to their peak bone mass until around age 18 for women and age 20 for men. That’s why it’s important that both kids and adults drink up.
4. It May Help in Preventing Osteoporosis
Calcium is stored in bones, so if we don’t get enough calcium, these stores will be used for other essential functions, and your bones could be weakened. Osteoporosis is a condition where parts of the bones become quite porous and are prone to fracture easily and one of the main risk factors is a lack of calcium in the diet. Osteoporosis affects more than 50% of women and nearly a third of men over 60. Check the label of your favorite milk to see how much calcium it has.
5. It is Delicious
With so many milk recipes you can’t deny this delicious beverage.
Use it in your cereal.
Drink it as a between-meal refreshment.
Make a smoothie with it and fruit like banana, pineapples and strawberries.
Add yoghurt, oats and a few nuts to your smoothie and call it breakfast.
6. It is Soothing
A warm glass of milk would help put you to sleep after a long day. That sleepiness associated with a warm glass of milk may be more psychological than most would suspect. Most people recall pleasant thoughts about their mothers. Milk is associated with mothers and a mother’s love and care. Comforting feelings and remembrances can produce chemicals in the brain that actually form a sensation of well-being and relaxation. This brain chemical, serotonin, is associated with sleep. This feeling of well-being and relaxation will help you drift off to sleep after a warm glass of milk.
How To Keep The Fire In Your Relationship
A serious relationship isn’t defined by the amount of time you two have been together, it is defined by the amount of energy you continue to invest in getting to know each other after the honeymoon period is over.
Relationships don’t come with a check engine light, so don’t wait until it stops working to finally address problems.
Don’t Get Too Comfortable
You start planning for the future, money for rent, money for school fees etc. The era of dates has come to an end. We all know how the economy is these days but special treats, dates are things you should plan for as well. Turn up together, fine dine together, vacation together, that’s how you keep creating memories and bonds.
Please do away with the unsightly night gowns, hair nets and house clothes that can turn a brother off.
The Bedroom
They say a man cannot eat rice everyday. Please be his pasta, his ravioli, his eba, his lasagna. You get the point. The newness and excitement can fade a little but always be open minded about trying something different. Keep things fresh, be spontaneous and most importantly be open about what turns you on.
There is such a thing as over expression
Just to assure you, you will not die if you don’t express every thought that pops up in your mind especially the negative. You can vent or move towards a solution depending on which is most important.
Resist the urge to be your partner’s mother
The day my father slipped and fell in the bathroom was an eye opener for all of us (perhaps for different reasons). The poor man heard his wife’s voice and ran to the bathroom to quickly clean it up and spread the towel properly. Gbam! Was the sound we heard. He was simply trying to avoid a lecture that would have happened if she saw the bathroom. The hot secretary at work isn’t telling him how to chew his food properly or shut the doors without making too much noise. Correct with love, Avoid being a nag.
Look from his point of view
Talk in order to understand each other not to convince someone to see from your point of view.
Be Creative
No one knows your man better than you. We find happiness when we create happiness for others. Always be your man’s source of joy. Little special treats like coming home after a long day to meet his favourite meal or a chilled drink during his football match.
Share with us how you have keep the fire burning in your relationship.
How to Stay Motivated and Achieve Your Goals
Staying motivated can be tough under the best circumstances. Whether it involves motivation to get in shape, get your business running, finish your coursework etc. It takes work. So how can you stay motivated when your to-do list runs to four pages, when you have not had electricity in two weeks, when you just got another rejection letter, when the car air conditioner and your washing machine decide to stop working at the same time and you can’t find time in the day to work on your own personal projects?
How to Stay Motivated
1. Set a goal and visualize it down to the last detail.
You have to see it in your mind’s eye first. Athletes visualize their performance ahead of time right down to the smell of the sweat dripping down their faces as they cross the finish line. See yourself achieving your goal.
2. Wake Up Earlier
The early bird gets the fattest worm. I know this is an old saying but the values are true. You get more work done when you start your day earlier.
3. Make a list of the reasons why you want to accomplish the goal.
In our busy, distracting world, it’s easy to get blown off course. This is why you need to ground yourself in your goal. For extra “success insurance,” write your list with a pen.
4. Break the goal down into smaller pieces; set short term goals and rewards.
A major source of stress in our lives comes from the feeling that we have an impossible number of things to do. If you take on a project and try to do the whole thing all at once, you’re going to be overwhelmed. Break it down into the smallest realistic steps and only do one at a time.
5. Have a strategy, but be prepared to change course.
The more you review the plan, the more you get ideas on more effective ways to solve problems. The plan can change but the goal remains the same.
6. Get the help you need
The urge to be superstitious can come in here especially with us Africans but it helps to tell a trusted person your goals so you can get motivation from an outside source.
7. Deal with lack of motivation.
Some days will test you. It is (almost) inevitable that at some point along the way, whether because of temporary setbacks or tiredness, you will need a little boost. When that happens, I think of what others have endured to reach their targets and keep going.
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up.
8. Continually check in with your reasons for carrying on.
Don’t become distracted by the praise or criticisms you may receive. Check that your motives are intact.
So how do you stay motivated? We’d love to hear from you.
Great Movies Your Children Must Watch
I miss being a child. I miss the adventures I had. I miss the freedom. I miss being able to think everything is possible. I want to give my children this gift. I want them to think they are unstoppable. I want them to have an imagination and generally be good people. This is the perfect time to imbibe the right values in them and what better way to do this than through great movies.
Watching television or movies should go beyond getting them to keep still while you do your thing.
Here’s a list of really great movies with moral lessons you probably that your children should not miss out on.
The Lion King
Everyone remembers Simba. This movie even though animated tells deep life truths about bravery, the coming of age, how having friends make bad situations more bearable (Timon and Pumbaa) even about betrayal from close family and obviously that everything would be alright in the end.
Pinocchio
Children should not tell lies. You can scare them with stories about their nose growing.
Karate Kid
This is a really good movie especially if you have just moved to a new city. They learn about defending themselves against bullies. Of course expect a few karate moves after the movies, protect your breakables.
Shrek
There is more to a person than just looks.
How to train your dragon
This is really new school though but it would help teach your kids to care for pets. Also there’s lots of action and flying around.
Akeelah and the Bee
If this doesn’t get them interested in spelling I don’t know what will.
Home Alone
Most children are afraid of being left alone or upset when their parents have to go out. At least they see how they can have some fun.
Parent Trap
There is so much divorce these days. This movie is bitter-sweet but love won at the end with the help of mischievous twins.
The Sound of Music
Lovely excuse to belt some tunes and dance around the house when asking the kids to do chores.
What are your top great movies for children?
The Mother In Law Misconception
By the time you watch Nollywood movies and read blog comments, you may be convinced that all mother-in-laws are of the devil. Yes, there are bad mother-in-laws but i don’t think we talk enough about the ones that are truly God sent.
Let’s discuss some instances where you might actually be the cause of the mother-in-law drama.
1. Your Mindset
You enter the relationship prepared ‘’not to take nonsense from anyone’’. This attitude clouds your judgement and allows you over react in simple situations.
2. Everything Is Personal
I have watched this scenario a few times to describe this scenario perfectly.
Exhibit A: Your mother sees you carrying your baby a certain way and comes to relieve you while you have guests. You are grateful she is giving you time to relax. Your mother-in-law does the same and you infer she is trying to show you up as a bad mother and embarrass you in front of guests.
3. Competition
Yes, he is your husband. He is also her son. Stop creating situations where your husband has to pick sides. Every mother-son moment is seen as a threat. Every suggestion is an attempt to over ride your position. Is it really that serious. Tolerance should be your watch word.
4. Pretence
Before you got married, you visited your mother-in-law every weekend, cooking delicacies and telling her how beautiful her lace looks. Fast-forward to the present, your mother-in-law visits you every two weeks and it becomes an intrusion. Don’t fake a relationship when there isn’t one.
5. Conflict
Sometimes being confrontational sends the wrong message. Addressing every situation can be tiring. Don’t you think? Before you react to anything your mother-in-law says or does, imagine it was your mother, brother or sister and act accordingly.
What are you guilty of?
What to Do In Lagos
I love Lagos.
People who live outside cannot understand the love Lagosians have for their city. Sure we have the negatives, traffic being the most obvious but there is so much to love about Lagos. Here are a few things you can get up to:
Go Out For A Bite
One of my favourite things to do is EAT. There is no shortage of restaurants in Lagos. My personal favourites are:
Crust & Cream, Victoria Island
Grills In & Out, Lekki
Orchid Bistro, Ikeja
The food is awesome and you won’t break the bank.
Visit Museums & Galleries
Enjoying Lagos doesn’t always involve spending money. You can take in the sights at certain galleries on your own, it would only cost you if you book a tour guide. Go with a loved one or a friend, it makes the experience more memorable. You should visit Nike Art Gallery, Lekki.
The Apapa Amusement Park was recently refurbished. Go on, get on the rides and embrace your inner child. Have a few laughs. Also, the Lagos Conservation Centre is an untouched natural park in the Lekki axis of Lagos. Enjoy the scenery and the wild life. Conquer your fear of heights, take the Canopy Walk.
Theatre at its finest
Cinemas are in different parts of the country now but i recommend theatre for a totally different experience. You can experience this on weekends at Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage road, Victoria Island and also at Freedom Park, Onikan. The Muson Centre also hosts stage plays and musicals.
Beach Life
You haven’t been to Lagos if you haven’t gone to the beach. There are so many to choose, from private, more quiet beaches to livelier ones. You can go paintballing with a group of friends at Elegushi Beach, enjoy peace and quiet at Atican Beach or Inegbe Resort for a touch of luxury. Some beaches even come more alive at night.
Club Life
Lagos doesn’t sleep at night. Fact.
Spas
The best skincare and relaxation spots are here. From Ajali naturals to Clear Essence California Spa. There is a place for every budget.
Concerts
There is always something cooking at the Eko Convention Centre.
Landmarks
You have to take pictures at the famous landmarks. How else would you prove you were in town. Take pictures at The National Theatre, Iganmu , Eko Eyo Statues, The Cathedral Church Marina to name a few. Take a BRT ride, which other state can boast of one?
Shopping in Lagos
How can you come to Lagos and not shop? You should visit the popular Balogun Market and even Tejuoso Yaba Market.
Enjoy our malls; Ikeja City Mall, Circle Mall, The Palms Shopping Centre, Mega Plaza, Adeniran Ogunsanya Shopping Complex, Leisure Mall and Mega Plaza 21st Century Mall to name a few.
You would definitely want to come back.
Confessions of A Lagos Mum – Like My Sister
Why are the zips of all my aso-ebi not going up like they use to? Only when getting dressed in buba and iro do I get that feeling I use to have when getting dressed. Also, I only admitted to myself after my husband made a comment about changes in my wardrobe. I have avoided facing the realities that I have bought more accessories especially Gele and pele over the past 3 years. It has been 3 years since I heard my mother’s voice and seen her smile.
Often from my undergraduate years, all through my career in banking and now as a business owner people took it for granted that I was older than my years. My husband was my second boyfriend, I owned property before I turned thirty and avoided a lot of pitfalls and heartache lots of my peers experienced. I even left my 9 to 5 job and veered into events management and other businesses long before the crowd caught on. The icing on the cake is the mutual respect and genuine affection my husband and I still share as he teases me on my conservative values and approach especially in handling our challenges as a couple.
My mother had her challenges, she was widowed with 5 children between the ages of 7 and 16. Also, my sister was a major source of sorrow to her. She attended 2 universities before she graduated, her second boyfriend swindled her of a considerable amount of money and she was separated from her husband for 5 years. In addition to that I have had to support her financially and otherwise all our adult lives and cover for her more than I care to remember. To say my sister and our mother never got along would be an understatement while my mother and I rarely disagreed. Adjusting to her absence has been harder than I expected. I accused God of being unkind as I know many people older than I am with both parents alive and some with poorer health than my mother. I have continually forgotten my children’s school events which is a big no-no for me because of my father’s demise. My work has suffered continually and my husband and best friend have had to step in. My husband has had to bear the brunt and provide a shoulder for me to cry on the entire time.
My husband expressing his observations about my new preference in dressing is definitely a turning point in this 3 year downward spiral I have been on. I lift my hands and teary eyes asking my creator for help. I took a deep breath and walked to my bedroom door and froze. Often when cleaning up after one of my sister’s mishaps I would never say something I was thinking. My mother and I said this statement when criticizing my sister in her absence. Today I repeated that statement but I was the object of scorn. I took another deep breath and went to my kitchen with every intention to make my family their first proper meal in 3 years.
