You will be ready for the cold nights with this mouth-watering, protein-rich soup containing assorted seafood, meat, and spices that blend perfectly. Enjoy with any choice of swallow.

Ingredients:
• 8 pieces of beef
• 2 segments of smoked Asa fish
• 8 pieces of pomo (cow skin)
• A handful of stockfish pieces
• 1 tbsp of ofo powder
• 1 wrap of ogiri isi
• 1 tbsp of ground crayfish
• ½ cup of okazi
• ¼ cup of uziza leaves
• 2 cooking spoons of palm oil
• 2 yellow or Cameroon pepper (ground)
• Seasoning cubes
• Salt

Preparation method:
• Wash and seasoning the beef with dry pepper, seasoning cube and salt, and allow to marinade for 20 minutes.
• Steam the beef in its juice till the beef juice dries up, then add water to cook till tender. Add the pomo and the stockfish to cook with the
beef. You can also add the fish to the meat and cook towards the end of cooking the beef. Then take the fish out when it’s soft to avoid
crumbling in the soup.
• Add water to the meat and allow to boil. Add the crayfish, ogiri, pepper, and palm oil and cook for 10 minutes.
• Stir and correct seasoning. Reduce the heat, then sprinkle in the ofo in the pot and stir rapidly to mix it in the soup, then raise the heat
slightly so the soup starts to thicken for 2 minutes.
• Then add the okazi and uziza leaves and cook for 3 minutes. Wow! Your okazi soup is ready. Serve with any choice of swallow.

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Native soup is a delicious meal cooked and eaten by the people of Rivers state. It is prepared with different kinds of seafood. Learn how to prepare this meal by following our steps below.



Ingredients:
1. Tilapia (or any choice of fish)
2. Mussels
3. Ngolo (clams)
4. Prawns
5. Large shrimps
6. Periwinkles
7. Crayfish
8. Palm oil
9. 3 pieces of cocoyam (acts as a thickener)
10. Fresh pepper (ata rodo or chilli)
11. Chopped onion
12. Seasoning cubes
13. Scent leaf (basil or efirin)

Cooking Steps:
1. Wash the cocoyam, put to a boil (leave the skin on) till it can be pierced through with a fork. Cut the fish into 4 pieces, clean the seafood
and put aside. Roughly blend 3 pieces of ata rodo, and also roughly blend the crayfish.
2. Heat up the palm oil in a pot and saute the chopped onion. Lower the heat, then add the fish and let it fry slightly. Add the fresh pepper,
and sprinkle seasoning cubes. Add a little more water, just about enough to cook the fish. Cover the pot and let it cook.
3. To keep the fish intact, gently take it out and then add the medley of seafood. Leave to cook until the prawns and shrimps turn a lovely
shade of pink, and the mussels and clams are opened. This is a sign that they are cooked. Then take it out to prevent overcooking.
4. The cocoyam should be completely cooked by now. Peel the skin off and pound to a smooth paste.
5. Add the cocoyam paste to the fish stock in lumps, which will dissolve completely into the stock to thicken it. Then add the crayfish, stir and
taste for salt and seasoning.
6. Re-introduce the cooked fish and seafood, shake the pot in a circular motion a few times to redistribute.
7. Lastly, add the freshly chopped scent leaf, and stir gently. You can also use bitter leaf, uziza, or utazi.

You just made a delicious native soup!

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When making this meal, you should use fresh coconut milk (i.e homemade) in order to get the strong coconut aroma in the rice.



Ingredients:
1. Rice
2. Coconut milk
3. Ground crayfish
4. Dry pepper
5. Fresh prawns
6. Smoked fish
7. Steamed pork feet (optional)
8. Onion (sliced)
9. Seasoning cube
10. Salt

Preparation method:
1. Pour the coconut milk into a pot and bring to boil. Make sure you have enough coconut milk in case you may need to add more.
2. Add the pepper, crayfish, smoked fish, onion, steamed pork feet, seasoning cube, and salt. Allow boiling for 2 minutes.
3. Wash your rice thoroughly and add to the coconut milk. Then add the prawns
4. Cook till the rice is done and water is dried up.

Your coconut rice is ready! You can serve warm or hot with some salad vegetables.

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Macaroni salad is very easy to make. Just follow this simple steps below:



Ingredients:

1. Macaroni (cooked)
2. Cucumber (diced)
3. Tomato (diced)
4. Carrot (diced)
5. Peas (steamed)
6. Sweet corn
7. Mayonnaise
8. Evaporated milk
9. Salad herbs
10. Apple cider vinegar
11. Salt
12.Sugar (optional)

Preparation method:
1. Place the mayonnaise and milk in a bowl. Add some vinegar.
2. Add salt and the salad herb, then stir. You may add sugar if you like yours to be sweet.
3. Add the cooked macaroni and stir.
4. Add the veggies and mix all the ingredients together.

You just made a delicious macaroni salad

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Nigerian Breakfast meals are quick, healthy, and filling. They are quick and easy to prepare. They are usually meals you can rustle up and eat before you dash out to work. Below are the healthy Nigerian breakfast ideas you can follow.



Healthy Nigerian breakfast ideas
1. Yam balls: Yam ball is another way to enjoy sweet yam. It can be eaten with ogi (pap) or custard.
2. Plantain omelette: Plantain gives you the chance to enjoy an exotic breakfast of omelette with fried plantain in one dish.
3. Soya milk: Soya milk is a refreshing rich drink, a plant-based milk that can replace cow milk on your breakfast table.
4. Boiled yam with egg stew: This is another delicious and healthy Nigerian breakfast meal.
5. Ogi (pap): Ogi with the distinctive sour taste is the traditional version of custard meal. It can be eaten with akara, moi-moi (plantain or
beans moi moi), yam balls, fried plantain, or plantain puffs.
6. Bread rolls: They are perfect with chocolate drinks, tomato omelette, fried eggs, and can be eaten with western soups.
7. Agidi (eko): This is another healthy Nigerian breakfast meal. It is the perfect match for Nigerian pepper soups and akara.
8. Club sandwich: Club sandwich is a perfect addition to every breakfast meal. It can be taken with tea or coffee.
9. Pancake: Pancake is a good partner to custard, ogi, and oatmeal. Perfect for breakfast.
10. Fried plantain: Fried plantain can be eaten in a variety of ways. It can be eaten with pap, custard, egg stew, pepper stew, egg sauce, etc.
11. Bread and egg: This is another power combo for a healthy Nigerian breakfast. To increase the health value of this meal, choose 100% whole
grain bread instead of white bread. Also, add a lot of vegetables when frying your eggs and avoid deep frying.
12. Boiled plantain and stew: Plantains are so versatile. They can be enjoyed boiled or grilled.
13. Golden morn: It is an excellent source of fibre and iron. It is a good breakfast meal to help start your day.
14. Fried yam: Fried yam is a healthy Nigerian meal that can be eaten with a wide range of Nigerian stews and sauces. It is often used as a
breakfast meal with fried egg, omelette, tomato fish stew, vegetable sauce, or oatmeal.



Other Nigerian breakfast meals include:
1. Hard boiled egg and smoothie
2. Egg taco
3. Oatmeal with fruits and nuts
4. Plantain moi-moi with custard, oatmeal, or akamu
5. Tomato chicken roll with fruit yoghurt
6. Akara with custard, ogi, agidi, or bread
7. Banana bread with tea or coffee
8. Coconut avocado smoothie
9. Egg white’s omelette
10. Coconut flour pancakes
11. Tomato omelette with slice bread, fried plantain, fried or boiled yam.

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Oha soup is a Nigerian soup recipe from Eastern Nigeria. It is one of those native soup you will enjoy. Below are the ingredients used in cooking Oha soup and the cooking steps.



Ingredients:

1. pieces of cocoyam
2. handful of Oha soup
3. wraps of ogiri
4. 1/2 cooking spoon of palm oil
5. piece of head stockfish
6. Assorted meat (or any choice of meat)
7. Dry fish (Mangala)
8. Uziza leaves
9. Beef stock
10.Ofor or achi
11.Seasoning cube
12.Fresh pepper
13.Salt to taste

Cooking steps:
1. Wash the cocoyam with water and cook until it is soft. Peel off the outer part and pound with mortar and pestle.
2. Grind the crayfish and pepper. Remove the Oha leaves from the stem and shred the leaves with your fingers.
3. Parboil the meat with the necessary ingredients. Allow cooking for 10 to 15 minutes before adding the hot water washed dry fish and
stockfish, cook until it is tender.
4. Add more water, and then the palm oil, ground crayfish, pepper, seasoning cube, and salt to taste. At this point, it should have a soupy taste,
though watery.
5. Add the pounded cocoyam, then add the achi or ofor. Also, add the ogiri and allow to boil.
6. Stir and allow to dissolve before adding the uziza leaves, then add the oha leaves after a minute. Stir and cook for another 3 to 5 mins. Your
oha soup is ready!

Serve with eba, wheat, fufu, or pounded yam

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Ulcers are open sores in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. They develop mostly in the stomach, duodenum, or oesophagus. They form when the environment of these surfaces are so acidic that their mucosal linings slowly erode. Spicy foods, stress, long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and the bacteria Helicobacter pylori are responsible for ulcers. Although the stomach secretes acid for food digestion, special mucus protects its walls from the corrosive actions of the acid. When the protections lessens, stomach acid eats into the lining of the stomach to form open sores



The bacteria, Helicobacter pylori which are responsible for most ulcers, weaken the protective mucus coat in the stomach or duodenum, the part of the intestine close to the stomach. This allows stomach acid and other digestive juice to erode the surface of the digestive tract below the mucus.

Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is the second leading cause of ulcers. The drugs provide relief from pain by blocking prostaglandin - a chemical produced in the body. This also reduces blood flow in the vessels supplying the stomach, also making the stomach lining susceptible to the corrosive actions of digestive juices.

Fruits To Eat
Fruits you can eat while treating ulcers include:
1. Apple
2. Peach
3. Berries
4. Pear
5. Melon
6. Banana
7. Kiwi

Also, drink lots of water. These fruits can be taken in raw form or you can choose to steam or juice them. Some fruits are especially helpful in relieving the symptoms of ulcers and can even protect against Helicobacter pylori. Fruits like apples, cranberry and their juices contain flavonoids and antioxidants that inhibit the growth of the bacteria. You should also take fruits rich in fibre unless you also have inflammatory bowel disease.



Fruits to Avoid - Acidifying fruits

One of the ways to reduce pain from ulcers is to avoid foods and beverages that could increase the acidity in the stomach. Some fluids contribute to stomach acids and should be avoided when treating ulcers. They are known as citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, lemons, and limes. You should also avoid tomatoes and grapefruit. These fruits can worsen the symptoms of ulcer and cause acid reflux and heartburn.

While these fruits help in treating ulcers, it does not stop the need to see your doctor.

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Diet for breastfeeding moms - Find out what to eat and avoid, and healthy tips while breastfeeding and nursing your baby.

As a breastfeeding mother, what you eat affects your health and the breast milk you produce. It is important that you eat a healthy well-balanced diet just like you did when you were pregnant because of almost everything you eat will come through in your breast milk. That means your baby is eating exactly what you eat. You have to be careful on the kind of food you take because sometimes babies react to some kind of food.

Some women after birth have an increased appetite and thirst, but take note not to eat anything available. Always take food and drinks that are nourishing, enough liquids to support your health and your body's production of breast milk. A mother who breastfeeds her baby exclusively needs to take 300-500 calories a day in order to produce and maintain an adequate milk supply. But note that the number of additional calories needed for nursing mothers depends on the extent of breastfeeding and how fat you are.

Breastfeeding Mothers must follow a certain healthy diet to maintain and increase lactation. Every nursing mother should be encouraged and supported because breastfeeding and nursing a baby can be very challenging. One of the wonders of breast milk is that it can meet your baby's nutritional needs even when you are not eating perfectly.



DIET FOR BREASTFEEDING MOMS

Diet for breastfeeding mothers include:
1. Eat almonds
2. Eat legumes
3. Whole grains such as wheat, brown rice, wheat bread, oats, etc
4. Fruits and vegetables
5. Eat spinach
6. Drink carrot juice
7. Drink at least 2-3 cups of milk a day
8. Proteins such as beans, eggs, poultry, and fish
9. Drink enough water

FOODS TO AVOID
1. Alcohol
2. Caffeine (coffee, soda, or tea)
3. Cigarette
4. Unprescribed medications
5. Foods that your baby react to
6. Garlic
7. High mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel
8. Peppermint



HEALTHY TIPS FOR NURSING MOTHERS
1. Always eat healthily: All nursing mothers should eat healthy to get enough nutrients and calories. This is because the period of nursing a
baby can be very demanding. The body tries to recover from the stress of pregnancy and delivery, and it also tries to adjust to meet the
baby's need. Your food must be a good mix of fruits, vegetables, carbohydrate, and protein.
2. Get enough water for hydration: Adequate hydration ensures that the mother makes adequate breast milk for the baby. It helps in the
excretion of toxins and by-products of metabolism thus keeping the cells and tissues healthy.
3. No better substitute for breast milk: Nursing Mothers should make sure they feed their baby with breast milk exclusively except where it is
medically contraindicated. Breast milk alone should be given in the first 6 months of life after which semi-solid foods can be introduced
alongside with breast milk till 2 years of age.
4. Commence breast milk early: Breast milk should be commenced within 30 mins after childbirth. This promotes bonding, reduces the
incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia and it ensures that the baby gets the first milk which is termed as colostrum which is rich in vitamins,
proteins, fats, and immune cells.
5. Take care of your breast and nipples: Nursing mothers should always take good care of their breast and nipples. The breasts and nipples
should be washed with mild soap and water before breastfeeding. Make sure the baby's mouth entirely cover the areola region to prevent the
baby from biting on the nipples. Ths causes nipple pain and cracks which acts as a passage for bacteria from the skin to gain access to the
breast tissue causing infection.
6. Avoid Over the Counter (OTC) and unprescribed drugs: Most drugs taken by nursing mothers are found in breast milk and this can cause
considerable harm to the baby feeding on breast milk. All nursing mothers should avoid OTC drugs and should only take drugs prescribed by
a doctor.
7. Find time to exercise: Nursing mothers should find time to exercise even in their busy schedule. Exercise helps in shedding fat accumulated
during pregnancy, promotes strong and healthy bones, prevents hypertension, diabetes and stroke. It also helps in the production of breast
milk.
8. Always ask for help: Always ask for help from an experienced nurse, midwives, doctor, or lactation experts. It doesn't mean you are weak but
shows you are courageous. All fears and worries should be addressed to make sure that you and your baby have a successful nursing and
breastfeeding period.

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Foods that help burn fat while you sleep, burn more calories than the food contains. These foods are low in calories, but highly nutritious. In order to achieve this, you need to also include exercise in your daily routine. Avoiding food at night doesn’t mean you will lose weight. It is not when you eat that matters when it comes to losing weight, but rather what you eat and your physical activity.

Now the question is; if I can eat at night, what should I eat at night in order to keep off that weight? Below are the bedtime snacks that will keep you satisfied and burn those fats as you sleep


FOODS THAT BURN FAT WHILE YOU EAT

1. Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits contain the fat-burning nutrients which are vitamin C and fibre. Vitamin C helps stimulate your body’s fat-burning capability found in the carnitine amino acid. It plays a role in your body’s fat processing capability. Now, this is how this nutrient (vitamin C) works; it speeds up the process by diluting the fat and then eliminating it from your body. Eat a variety of fibre and vitamin C-rich citrus fruits in order to increase your metabolism and burn fat. You can reach for oranges, lemons, tangerines, limes, grapefruits, guava, and other citrus fruits.
2. Dairy snacks: Drinking milk, yoghurt, and other dairy foods may also help in burning fat. Dairy snacks can boost weight loss by assisting in fat cell breakdown. The calcium content in these dairy snacks causes fat cells to break down. The mineral triggers your metabolism. Milk contains rich amount of calcium. You need to consume between 1200mg to 1300mg of milk daily in order to receive the fat-burning properties. Also, milk is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates which help to keep the insulin levels at a low level; this helps in boosting your metabolism and burning calories. Drinking skim milk will help burn fat without adding any unnecessary calories.
3. Whole grains: Whole grains such as brown rice, wheat germ, Kamut, spelt, quinoa, wheat bran, barley, and whole wheat; all contain nutrients that burn fat by keeping your insulin levels low. They provide an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fibre that are both beneficial in stimulating your metabolism, thereby resulting in burning more fat and calories.
4. Legumes: These foods provide plant-based lean protein which takes longer to digest, thereby burning more calories. Legumes include lentils, peas, and varieties of beans.

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