Poultry and Vegetable Sunday Bake

I told you before: I suck at naming recipes. Let's not even get into that now! Just know that this recipe is chockfull of vegetables and poultry (chicken and turkey, because I didn't have enough of either to cater to guests I had coming over).

I used to avoid eggplants like the plague before I started this fertility diet. The only way you could get me to eat eggplant was with a trailer load of peanut butter. Then I started my research on this diet and found that, in some places there's a 'remedy for infertility' which has milk and eggplant as its ingredients. That made me take another look at eggplants, and I realise that, cooked right, they actually make for delightful eating.

Eggplants are rich in antioxidants which help to lower LDL cholesterol. They are also rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and folate. We all know how beneficial those are to men and women who are trying to conceive.

This recipe is perfect for having guests over on a Sunday. Just prep the veggies, toss into a baking dish, throw in the oven, set an alarm and go take a nap (no, not really, because you have to baste the meat after about 30 minutes in the oven).

Ingredients

1 1/2kg of chicken or turkey (or a mix like mine), cut up.
1 large eggplant
1 medium leek (cut off the green part)
3 large tomatoes, sliced into rounds
4 large carrots, sliced into rounds
1 large red onion, sliced into rounds
300g of green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces (or however you like them)
10 atarodo peppers (habanero), blended
2 Knorr double stock cubes
2 tablespoons of salt, divided
2 teaspoons of curry powder, divided
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 tablespoons of coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350. Slice the eggplant and leek. In a bowl, put the oil, 1 double stock cube, 1 teaspoon of curry powder, and 1/2tablespoon of salt. Mix well, and add the eggplant, leek, onions, carrots, and green beans. Stir to coat well. Pour into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Ensure that the veggies line the pan evenly.

To the same bowl in which you mixed the vegetables, add the blended pepper, 1 double stock cube, thyme, 1 teaspoon of curry powder, and 1 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Mix well. Remove 4 tablespoons of the pepper sauce and reserve. Add the meat to the bowl, stir to coat and leave aside for 10 minutes. Then place the meat on top of the vegetable bed in the baking dish. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the meat and bake for 1 hour, baste the meat after 30 minutes with the reserved pepper sauce.

To make a sauce for rice, after the meat is done, pour the liquid from the baking pan into a pot. Add a slurry of cornstarch and water and simmer for 3 minutes. Serve over the vegetables and meat.

Enjoy, and remember,
It's sooo good for you!

Deema

Coconut Prawns

Prawns have kind of a bad rep for being high in cholesterol. A serving of prawns (about 100g) contains 179mg of cholesterol, which is more than half of the recommended daily amount of 300mg.

I started this on a crazy note, didn't I? Now, you're wondering "if they're that high, why do you have a recipe for Coconut Prawns here?". Don't worry, I'm heading somewhere. Prawns, like every other food, or even water, should be consumed in moderation. You can actually enjoy prawns as part of a healthy, low-cholesterol fertility diet. In fact, in a 1996 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that the cholesterol in prawns lowered LDL levels of cholesterol(bad cholesterol) and increased HDL levels(good cholesterol). They concluded that the cholesterol in prawns doesn't have a negative effect on health.

Also, prawns are rich in vitamins B-6, B-12, and Omega-3. Low levels of Vitamin B-12 have been linked to recurrent miscarriages. Studies have been carried out on women who have had issues with recurrent miscarriages, and, after being treated with this Vitamin, most of them (11 out of 14) went ahead to have their first full-term delivery! Now, if that's not amazing, I don't know what is.

Vitamin B-12 is also linked to sperm count. Researchers have found that men with low sperm counts saw a significant improvement (in one study, 400% increase) in sperm count after taking 1000mcg of Vitamin B-12 daily.

Next time I make prawns, I'll harp on the benefits of Vitamin B-6 (in moderation) and Omega-3 to male and female fertility. Till then, make these and have fun!

This recipe is soooo easy to make. The hardest part of this recipe is deveining the prawns. It's really that simple.
They will make a rocking appetiser at parties, and people you serve them to will love them, so make lots!

What I love about this recipe is that you get the toasty crunchiness of the coconut, the hint of nuttiness with the almond flour, and then you bite into the delicious moistness of the prawns. Yummy!

If you aren't a prawn person, you can do this with chicken breast strips, or some other kind of fish.

Ingredients

100g of peeled, deveined prawns
1/8 cup of desiccated coconut, unsweetened
1/8 cup of almond flour
Pinch of black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt


Method

Mix the almond flour, coconut, black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a flat plate.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the prawns, refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat.
Coat the prawns with the coconut mixture and add to the pan.
Depending on the size of your prawns, cook them for 6-10 minutes. I had 2 smaller prawns, I cooked them for a total of 6 minutes,flipping them after 3 minutes. The larger prawns took 10 minutes, I flipped them after 5 minutes.

Serve these anyway you like, with mayonnaise or any dip you like. I just served mine on napa cabbage.

Enjoy, and remember,
It's sooo good for you!


Deema

Chickpeas and Bulgur Pottage

Chickpeas are also known as Garbanzo beans. I don't know if we can find them in Nigeria other than in cans. Please let me know.

These legumes are very high in fibre, so high that 2 cups of chickpeas provide your entire daily value of fibre. They regulate cholesterol by reducing LDL (also known as bad cholesterol, lol) levels. They help control blood sugar and insulin secretion. They are also a good source of folate, manganese, and Vitamin B6.

For women with PCOS, chickpeas are important as they contain D-Chiro Inositol (DCI); it has been shown that women with PCOS who received DCI enjoy lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and a higher frequency of ovulation. Good news, Ladies!

This recipe is the first of a multitude of chickpea recipes that will crop up here. I'm looking into exciting ways to include these in my diet (popped chickpeas, anyone?).

Bulgur is simply wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried, and crushed. They are also very rich in fibre and are a good way to bulk up your meals without unwanted calories-a cup of Bulgur has fewer calories, less fat, and more than twice the fibre of the same quantity of brown rice. So, if like me, you can't find brown rice, even though you've checked all the stores from here to Jericho, stop your search, get Bulgur, and enjoy.

Ingredients
14oz can of boiled chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup of bulgur wheat
4 habanero peppers, sliced
1 small bunch of celery, sliced
1 cup of green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, diced
4 tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon of almond oil
1 teaspoon of salt, or to taste

Method
To a pot on medium-high heat, add almond oil. After 20 seconds, add the pepper, onions, tomatoes, and green beans. Sautée for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water. When the water boils, add the bulgur, celery, and salt. Leave to cook for 3 minutes, taste to make sure the bulgur is as soft as you like (if it's not, add a little more water). Add the chickpeas and mix carefully to avoid breaking the chickpeas. Cook for 1 minute. Serve and enjoy.

Remember,
It's sooo good for you!

Deema

Cocoa-Nut Almond Milk

I've been feeding my DH a handful (ok, not a handful, more like 10-15) of almonds every morning since I started taking this fertility diet seriously. Today, I wanted to change it up a bit to prevent him from getting bored. I figured if I give him something he likes, he will be more apt to ingesting the raw almonds.

Boy, did I shoot myself in the foot! He loved this so much, he declared that he won't take the almonds any other way from now on. As in! He even begged me for another glass and I said NO because, although everything in this drink is fertility friendly, moderation is key.

Now, I'm going to have to make up a glass of this for him every morning (he was on his own o! Na me find trouble), but I don't mind: the end justifies the means.

Almonds contain plant chemicals which are known to promote testosterone production. They also contain zinc and L-Arginine.

***pls do not overdo the zinc in your diet. Aim for 12mg everyday. An ounce of almonds (about 22 almonds) contains 1.0mg of zinc.


Ingredients

14 raw almonds (you can use 20 if you like, I'm just stingy!)
1/2 cup of cold coconut milk
1/2 cup of cold water
2 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of honey

Method.

Grind the almonds into a powder. Add all the ingredients into a Blender and blend.

Serve and watch the smile on his face when he finishes it, then get ready to go shopping to stock up on all the ingredients.

it's sooo  good for you

Deema

Plantains and Green Snail Sauce

If you follow me, you already know the link between green Plantains and fertility. If not, please read thIshttp://www.frostedbakeshopng.blogspot.com/2013/08/unripe-plantains-with-simple-lamb.html?m=1. I'm sure you also know that green vegetables are loaded with iron, folate, and antioxidants.

Today, I present to you the humble snail. If, like me, you are trying to conceive, you would have heard of selenium, omega-3, and Vitamin B12. Now, did you know that snails are rich sources of these nutrients? As in? Snails are known as a superfood to combat infertility in both men and women; that's more than enough reason for me to include them in my fertility diet.

Now imagine a meal of snails, green plantains, and green vegetables- a mega fertility booster, if there was any (I'm on my way to triplets, yay!).
While fertility-friendly foods are my priority, I'm not willing to sacrifice taste. This meal is super tasty. Have a Hubby like mine, who hates boiled plantains? Serve him this and he'll beg for more.

Ingredients

7 large snails, washed very properly (I use limes)
6 medium Unripe plantains (not too unripe)
1 Knorr double stock cube
1/4 cup of palm oil
1 small red onion, chopped
7 habanero peppers, chopped
3 large tomatoes, chopped
300g of amaranth leaves (greens)
Salt, to taste

Method

If you choose to grill the snails, skewer them and place on the grill. If you choose to boil them instead, go ahead and do so, I just wanted the charred taste.
I grilled my plantains for about 5 minutes then boiled them. I think it made them softer, I can't vouch for the method.
Boil your plantains.
In a wok on medium-high heat, pour in the palm oil. Add the onions, tomatoes and peppers. Sautee for 3 minutes. Chop the snails and add to the wok. Stir, then add the greens. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes.
Serve with the plantains.

Enjoy, and remember,

It's sooo good for you

Deema

Coconut Oatmeal with Date Syrup

It is believed that eating  bowl of oatmeal regularly is one of the best ways to increase one's chances of conception. High levels of cholesterol adversely affect egg production and egg quality. A bowl of oatmeal regularly greatly reduces cholesterol levels. When I read this, I thought to myself 'how come we overlook those things that are so healthy and accessible?'. I don't know about you, but from now on, I'm having a bowl of oatmeal every morning. *fingers crossed*

Oatmeal is also a great source of nutrients important for male fertility, including zinc, vitamin E and magnesium. Did I mention that it is also rich in folic acid?

Apart from jazzing up a regular bowl of oatmeal in this particular recipe, oatmeal is also a good base for healthy cookies and desserts, and I fully intend to explore those options.
In the meantime, enjoy this delicious bowl of oatmeal, from me to you.

P.s: Let me take the opportunity to introduce you to my new sweetener of choice: date syrup. This is a healthy alternative to most sweeteners and dates contain benefits too myriad to list here. You can use honey or maple syrup instead.

Date Syrup

Ingredients

100g of dates, pitted
1 cup of water (after the first time, you can decide to use more or less for your desired consistency)
1 1/2 teaspoons, lemon juice

Method

Soak the dates in the water for 30 minutes (you can soak overnight if your dates are really dry). Pour the dates, water and lemon juice into a blender. Blend till smooth. This can be stored in the fridge for 10 days in an airtight container.

Coconut Oatmeal

Ingredients

1 cup of quick cooking oats
3 cups of coconut milk (please make you own, it's easy- grate coconuts, add water and blend. Sieve and store in the fridge for up to 3 days)
Pinch of salt
Fruit to complete the meal (very optional)

Method

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the oats and toast until fragrant (when you can smell the oats). Transfer the oats to a medium sized pot,  add coconuts milk and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. When it starts to boil, add the salt and mix. Reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes.
Sweeten with data syrup and serve with fruit of choice.

Enjoy, and remember,
It's sooo good for you!

Deema

Unripe Plantains with Simple Lamb Tomato Sauce

Hiiiiii. I've been working on a new set of recipes.
It's time to give you some insight to my life. I've been perfectly happily married for almost 4 years now. Well, almost perfectly happy except for one thing, my husband and I have been trying to have babies for most of the time we've been married. We haven't had any luck...yet.

I've been pregnant a couple of times, but have never carried to term. All that is about to change. After some encouragement from some people dear to me, I started some research and found out that a lot of women who, like me, had been trying to get pregnant, did so successfully after major diet changes. So I'm doing that now.
From now on, it will be hard for you to find recipes with sugar and white flour on this blog. I'm making major changes to my diet, and hopefully will help some people to make changes to theirs too. Every recipe from now on will be primarily made up of foods that will be beneficial to fertility; male and female.

Also, I want to show that a fertility diet doesn't have to be bland and tasteless. Fats are a must for fertility, so never fear, there'll be lots of deliciousness going on.
These recipes will also be beneficial for pregnant and nursing women. Basically, for everybody, apart from people with specific allergies (you don't have to be trying to conceive to enjoy these recipes). If any recipe isn't pregnancy friendly, I will let you know (yup, there are some fertility friendly foods that pregnant women should steer clear of, as it might not be beneficial to the Baby).

Now you know me, and I hope that, soon, you'll get to know my babies as well.
Unripe Plantains are rich in iron so they are beneficial to everyone, especially men and women who are trying to conceive and pregnant and nursing women. They are a quick source of energy and have been found to increase sperm count and quality.
That is not to say that we should suffer through a boring meal of just boiled Plantains (yuck). I, personally, do not need my meal to taste like medicine; I already take plenty of those, lol!

Ingredients -This serves 5. (very filling meal)

4 Unripe Plantains
1 medium red onion
7 medium tomatoes
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
250g of lamb, chopped
8 habanero chilies
2 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1 inch piece of ginger

Method
Slice peppers, onions, tomatoes, and ginger.
In a medium sized pot, put lamb, half of the sliced peppers, half of the sliced onions, ginger and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add 6 cups of water and cook on medium-high heat till the lamb is cooked.
Slice the Plantains into 1 inch rounds. Remove the lamb and all particles from the lamb stock. Add the sliced Plantains to the stock and cook till Plantains are very soft, about 20 minutes.
While the plantains are cooking, add coconut oil to a pan on medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, the remaining salt, onions and peppers. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring at intervals. Add the lamb, stir and take off heat.
Remove the plantains from the stock and transfer to a large bowl. Reserve the stock. Mash the plantains, adding tablespoonfuls of the stock till you reach your desired consistency.
Serve with the tomato sauce.

Enjoy, and remember,

It's sooo good for you


Deema